How to play fetch?

[mkmama3]

i want to play fetch with my dogs but they play for a little then they just stop playing. how do i get them to play for more than 5 minutes. should i get a new toy or.. righ now i am using a soft plush toy jellyfish, i tried ball and they have no interest in them

[cg3]

first make sure see the toy then throw it a short distanceent two to three feet then command the name to fetch he is going to chase it but not return and tech him or she to come if comes with out the toy dont show love but if he does show him luv it works:cheers:

[mkmama3]

do you think kong things are good ??

[Kaos]

Kongs are excellent for keeping your dogs occupied when they have to be left alone or to give them a 'legal' outlet for chewing. You can fill them with all sorts of goodies to keep the dogs interest.

[Mom to Lil Buddy]

My schnauzer never would even hold a toy in her mouth. I've found with Max the toy does make a difference. I run a recycling center so lots of plush toys--he likes anything with a tail or the elephant's trunk. Also likes, mouse size animals (he's a Shih Tzu) so you might try another toy. He will only play with the toy he selects (that day).

Do you get real excited for them? Lots of praise and good dog? Do they play together a lot?

[brunosmom]

How about an old sock? I have yet to meet a dog that can't resist one...first see if their interested with playing tug with it...if so, you can tie a knot in it...or roll it into a ball to play with....some dogs I have met are afraid of hard items (balls) maybe from it hurting them when the were smaller....

[MxdBreedlvr]

do you think kong things are good ??

I had a dog injure himself playing fetch with a Kong. I figured it would be more fun for him with a toy that bounced all over the place, but he over compensated for it and twisted the wrong way in mid air and came down awkwardly trying to correct his aim for grabbing the ball.

A tennis ball does bounce, but it usually bounces in a somewhat straight line, unless it hits something sticking out of the ground that causes it to bounce to the left or right. But a Kong, because of its shape, bounces all over the place and some dogs get leg & back injuries turning an odd way to grab the kong that bounced in the opposite direction the dog thought it was going to bounce. Quick turns like that on hard ground or in mid-air can be harmful sometimes if the dog twists the wrong way.
So with Tucker, I only use a regular ball. But hes too quick getting to the ball, it never bounces more than once, if at all.

[Kaos]

That is a good point about overenthusiastic twisting to grab a kong, but my dogs can't have a standard ball or tennis ball as they will break it after the first throw and proceed to tear it to pieces and risk ingesting the pieces. Some doys can have more delicate toys than others, so it is hard to make blanket suggestions on a forum like this.

[joshcube]

Mkmama: I'm trying to get Maggie to play fetch too and her attention span is about 5 minutes too (worse if there are other distractions). Maybe it's just a puppy thing?

Kaos (and others): Kong also makes a standard shape ball:

http://www.petsmart.com/media/ps/images/products/detail/standard/i/inp0/inP031291_13c21.jpg

[mkmama3]

well since my last post both of my dogs have got a kong for when im away and they just love it and i finally found a toy that keeps them interested more that 5 min so joscube its hard but when you find a toy that maggie like alot then it will be a little better with the distractions

[eilenej1]

I read in a book (can't remember the title - but something about Raising Puppies & Kids) that you should teach fetch in a series of steps that end up building to the actual game. I've been doing it for about 1.5 to 2 weeks with Max and he's starting to get the hang of it. These steps can also be used to teach rules for the tug game so that you're in control instead of the dog.

1. First, have an interesting fetch type of toy handy.

2. Fill your pockets with SMALL tasty treats or a more interresting toy - to lure him in a later step to give the fetch toy to you.

3. Give the puppy a Sit / Stay. I think this is optional - but works for us. If nothing else, it let's him practice manners.

4. Toss the toy a few feet and tell the puppy to "Take it" - or some similar command.

5. Once it's in his mouth, act like a playful puppy to attract your puppy to you. Show the puppy the treat / toy lure and as he opens his mouth to take the other toy give the "Give" or "Release" command.

As your puppy gets better at it, you can toss the toy a little further and won't have to act so crazy to get his attention. Max is to the point where I only have to squat down and he comes running to me with his soft frisbie.

[Gumbo]

There's nothing wrong with only playing fetch for 5 minutes. Only play as long as it stimulates them. It should be fun, not drudgery.

First, I have a dedicated fetch item. If they want it, they have to play fetch. If they want to chew, I give them their chew toy. I have hunting dogs, so I use a training dummy.

It's common for them NOT to want to return the training dummy. Give them the COME command, and turn and run away from them. They'll follow, at which point you can turn around quickly and snatch the dummy from the dog's mouth.

As soon as you get it back, throw it again. The dog has to learn that the game only continues if he gives you the dummy. If he wants to sit and chew on it, the game's over.

Also, for a puppy, don't make it sit at a heel waiting your command to go get the dummy. This can inhibit his retrieving instinct. You can work on this later. Just play fetch and make it fun for the dog.

[Doglover24-7]

I'm not quite sure sorry.:)