How to Teach Your Dog to Play Fetch: Step-by-Step Guide

Wondering, how to teach your dog to play fetch? You’re certainly not alone. When you bring a furry baby home, spending time with them outdoors, and enjoying some quality playtime as your dog excitedly chases after a ball and fetches it for you is an integral part of the image of what your pet parenting experience would entail. However, as most pet parents learn, teaching your dog to fetch and drop — or even fetch and return — isn’t always easy. 

Pretty soon, instead of enjoying a good game of fetch, you may find yourself ruing, “My dog plays keep away instead of fetch.” Yes, it can be frustrating if you can’t figure out how to teach your dog to fetch and bring back. But don’t worry, it’s possible to break this pattern. With patience and the right training techniques and tools, you can get your pet excited about the fetch, return, and drop routine. This step-by-step guide on how to teach your dog to play fetch will set you up for success. 

Supplies You’ll Need to Teach Your Dog Fetch

Fetch is one of the most basic and common dog tricks. Something your pet can take to naturally if you commit to the right dog training right from the start. Working with the right tools is crucial to getting the training right. So, if you’re wondering how to teach your dog to play fetch, make sure you have the following supplies before you get started: 

• A ball or a toy, like a frisbee, that your pet will be excited to chase after 
• An enclosed space to start puppy training for fetch, return, and drop routine 
• Treats to reward your dog
• A clicker, if you’re inclined toward clicker training 
• Alternatively, a cue word, ‘yes’ or ‘good boy/girl’, for positive reinforcement of desired behavior
• 15 to 20 minutes each day to devote to dog training. Consistency is the key to success 
• Lots of patience and enthusiasm 

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Step-by-Step Guide on How to Teach Your Dog to Play Fetch

If you find yourself disappointingly saying, “My dog plays keep away instead of fetch”, I feel ya. My second GSD, Adolf, had developed this tendency. I, for the life of me, couldn’t figure out why he wouldn’t fetch and drop or even fetch and return to me. But in hindsight and with experience of having taught my present dog, Drogon, how to fetch to perfection, I can say it was unequivocally my fault. 

When Adolf would run around with a ball in his mouth or chase after the toy we’d handpicked for fetch training, instead of consistently correcting his behavior, I’d just melt over how adorable he looked running around the yard. Or marvel at how smart he was to hide the ball behind a tree or a bush to keep me from taking it. So, first and foremost, you have to accept the most basic tenet of dog training: when you’re training your pet, they are not the furry baby you dote on. 

For that duration, you have to detach a little and establish a master-disciple equation with your pet. Consistency, repetition, positive reinforcement, encouraging desirable behaviors, and discouraging undesirable ones — and doing so without fail — are the cornerstones of success. This is true for any aspect of dog training, and teaching your dog to fetch and bring back the ball is no exception. 

Now that we’ve got the basics covered, let’s address the question that brought you here: how do you teach a dog to play fetch? Here is a step-by-step guide: 

1. Set a routine 

If you’re trying to figure out how to teach your dog to play fetch, know that the setting plays an important role in helping you succeed in this endeavor. So, pick a small confined space to get started. You can do this in an enclosed yard, the front porch, or even a spacious terrace or a big balcony. If you don’t have an existing space in your home that you can use as a training ground, set up a fenced or barricaded area in a spacious place of your choosing in your home. 

This is absolutely crucial because if you take your dog out to play fetch right from the get-go, you’re setting yourself up for a disaster. Your dog doesn’t know the right commands to play by the rules and they can easily get carried away in the exhilarating pursuit of a ball and frisbee and run too far away for you to control their next moves. This can result in serious injuries or mishaps.  

Along with a dedicated space for fetch and return as well as fetch and drop training, it’s best to choose a specific time for training. In the interest of consistency, train your dog at the designated time as far as possible. Dogs are creatures of habit and they thrive on routine. 

2. Start with teaching your dog to hold 

How do you teach a dog to play fetch? The key is to start small. Fetch and return or fetch and drop routines are still a ways off. The first step is to teach your dog to hold a ball, frisbee, or toy. Here is how you can do it: 

• In the designated training area, sit across from your dog and show them a toy you’d like to start fetch training with 
• Place the toy on the floor and allow your dog to investigate it. Reward them for their interest in the toy  
• Next, let them lick the toy and reward them for it 
• Now, wait for your dog to actually pick up the toy in their mouth before you praise and reward them
• Then, gradually increase the duration of the hold before validating their behavior with praise and reward 
• At this stage, you can introduce the cue word ‘hold’; and reward your dog for keeping the toy in their mouth until you say ‘hold’ 

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3. Next work on release using the ‘drop it’ command 

After the ‘hold’ command, comes the ‘drop it’ cue. Yes, learning how to teach your dog to fetch and bring back can seem like a tedious process but if you don’t get it right, you will be stuck, complaining, “My dog plays keep away instead of fetch.” So, first, you need to figure out how to get a dog to drop a ball.

Once your dog has learned the hold command full well, introduce the ‘drop it’ command. Now, your dog won’t understand what ‘drop it’ means, so you will have to teach my demonstration what you expect them to do when you use the cue ‘drop it’. Here is how to get a dog to drop a ball: 

• Introduce the ‘drop it’ cue 
• Then, gently place your fingers on the ball (or toy) your dog is holding in their mouth and gradually pull it down (without pulling it out of their mouth) till the ball touches the floor. Now place a treat right next to the ball so that your dog is tempted to release the ball for something even more enticing 
• When they do, emphatically say, “Yes, drop it”, and praise them 
• Repeat this process as many times as you need to so that your dog gets a hang of the command 
• Once your dog understands what is expected of them, simply place a treat on the ground/floor and use the cue word ‘drop it’. If your dog doesn’t comply, repeat the previous step and start over 

4. Now, introduce the ‘get it’ or ‘fetch’ cue 

Now that your dog knows how to hold and drop the ball, it’s time to get them started on the actual fetch and return routine. Here is how to train a dog to bring the ball back: 

• Once your dog is consistently following the hold and drop it commands, start placing the ball slightly away from you
• Then, call the dog to you and ask them to drop it 
• Rinse and repeat, gradually increasing the distance 
• Once the distance is sizeable enough that your dog has to run after the ball, add the cue ‘get it’ or ‘fetch’ 
• Say your chosen word as soon as you set the ball in motion and your dog chases after it 
• Then, call their name, and you add the cue ‘come’ to it, once they’ve gotten hold of the ball 
• Once they run back to you, make them sit and drop the ball before repeating this cycle 
• Eventually, you will not need to use the ‘come’ cue or call your dog’s name once they’ve picked up the ball. It will come to them naturally

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5. Slowly, build up on the training

How to get a dog to drop a ball… how to train a dog to bring the ball back… how to teach your dog to fetch and bring back the ball… Each of these steps can seem tedious and complicated even in theory. And I can assure you that it will be harder — and often times frustrating — in practice. 

Rest assured that your training will progress from one stage to the next seamlessly. Whether you’re training a puppy or an adult dog, they will get mischievous, distracted, or uninterested in the process several times over. The key is to never reward undesirable behavior. For instance, once you’ve got the fetch, return, and drop routine down, if your dog runs away instead of coming, don’t chase after them or call their name repeatedly. Simply get up and walk away. Typically, your dog will follow you when they see you disengage. When they come to you, express your displeasure by using words like, ‘no’ or ‘bad’.   

Once you’re confident that you’ve successfully trained your dog to play fetch, you can step out of the training area and engage in a fun session of fetch. However, don’t venture out to open spaces prematurely. Try playing fetch with your dog in a closed yard or lawn and see how they respond. 

What Not to Do When Teaching Your Dog Fetch and Return

How do you teach a dog to play fetch? The answer to this question lies in understanding what to do and what not to do when training your dog in the game of fetch. Remember, playing fetch is not only a great way for your dog to get the requisite exercise but also an excellent bonding opportunity for you and your pet. That can happen only when your pup is excited to chase and retrieve. 

Here’s what it’d look like when a game of fetch becomes your pet’s happy place: eyes gleaming with anticipation, ears perked up, paws digging at the ground, playful pounce, triumphant return, and tail-wagging glee. To achieve that, here are a few negative patterns you must steer clear of when figuring out how to teach your dog to play fetch:

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• Don’t scold: Don’t scold your dog if they don’t follow commands, respond as you’d hoped, or slip down a step in the training process instead of progressing. All of this is an inevitable part of the process. Your dog will show enthusiasm and interest in following your lead only if you pique their interest and encourage them. So, tap into your reservoir of patience and handle the process by using positive reinforcement to reward desirable behaviors. If your dog does something you don’t want them to, make your displeasure known with single-word cues like ‘no’ or ‘bad’ and disengage. Never scold, yell, or hit

• Don’t chase after your dog: In the initial stages of training, your dog will likely retrieve the ball and run away from you. When that happens, do not chase after your dog. For two reasons: one, you can never catch up to a running dog; and two, your dog will get the wrong idea that you expect them to run away so that you can chase after them. This is exactly the kind of wrong behavior setting that will have you complaining, “My dog plays keep away instead of fetch.”

• Don’t push your dog: Some dogs just aren’t excited about the idea of playing fetch. Others are slow to warm up to the concept. And sometimes, a lack of enthusiasm from your dog may indicate that they’re unwell or there is some underlying medical reason at play. So, if your dog seems uninterested don’t force or push them to do something they clearly don’t want to

• Don’t practice in unsafe areas: As I’ve mentioned, it’s crucial to start fetch training in a confined space where you are in control. Never practice in unsafe areas like a public park, open ground, or a beach. You run the risk of your dog landing in unsafe situations — running away, being hit by a vehicle, getting into a brawl with other dogs. Unless you’re 100% confident that your dog has learned to follow your commands and will come back to you on cue, continue practicing in safe settings. 

There you have it, everything you need to know about how to teach your dog to play fetch. The process can be slow and time-consuming. It can take anywhere from a week to a month for your pet to get the fetch and return routine down. The outcome is well worth the effort. So, keep at it, don’t lose hope, and be mindful of never encouraging undesirable behaviors — no matter how adorable your dog looks doing them.

FAQs

1. Why won’t my dog play fetch with me? 

There can be several reasons why your dog doesn’t want to play fetch. Some dogs just aren’t excited about the idea of playing fetch. Others are slow to warm up to the concept. Sometimes, a lack of enthusiasm from your dog may indicate that they’re unwell or there is some underlying medical reason at play. Likewise, faulty training techniques can put a dog off the idea of playing fetch

2. What age can you teach a puppy to fetch?

Well, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to what age can you teach a puppy to fetch. The readiness for training depends on a lot of unique factors like a pup’s health, the age you bring them home, and so on. Typically, you can start training a pup to play fetch when they are around 10-12 weeks (roughly 3 months) old. That said, it’s never too late to teach a dog to play fetch. Sure, young puppies are quick to learn but adult dogs can pick it up just as well.