07/29/2026
Fetch! Teaching your pup to BRING IT BACK! Eddie’s owner asked for me to help teach Eddie to bring the ball back. He always runs, picks up the ball and then drops it without bringing it back. So, just teaching a sequence! A predictable pattern.
How I did it:
1. 🎾 Start indoors! Throw it just a couple feet, at first. If your dog engages at all, reward! This could be a second ball or treat.
2. 🎾 When he’s reliably picking it up, you can get him amped about the ball and run with him, once he gets it in his mouth, run away, calling him! This gets your dog to also CHASE you, something else they love! Eddie has a natural Drop It, so we didn’t need to teach that.
3. 🎾When they are reliably doing the above sequence (fetch the ball and bring it back, drop it), take it outside. Again, start small distance. Life outside is another game completely. So many distractions! The predictable sequence will be focusing and comforting.
4. Game changer: 🎾present a hand Target to bring him ALL the way back to you! When I did this, it was Eddie’s A-ha moment!
We took Eddie’s fetch and transformed it in only 30 minutes! Not every dog learns this fast. Go slowly, know what your pup prefers!
Note: I also ran with Eddie, let him chase me with the ball and used a long line. I provided treats to let him know, even though he wasn’t perfect yet, I appreciated his enthusiasm and choices.
ANOTHER NOTE: the game of fetch is controversial amongst trainers. Some say it leads to obsessive compulsive behaviors. Know when to redirect to another activity. Know when to settle afterwards. Provide other activities like sniff walks and enrichment after the game! Also, don’t play hard indoors, on slippery floors! You see inside we are on a potential hazardous surface, but it was not about running fast. It was teaching a pattern sequence.
HAVE FUN WITH YOUR DOG!!! What a good boy, Eddie!!!
