Fetching Good Fun

Want a simple and fun game to play with your dog? Try fetch. As natural "chasers," most dogs love this game.

A simple "How to" for playing fetch

1. Choose an item -- such as a tennis ball -- that is easy to carry, safe to throw, and can't be swallowed.
2. Rub meat or peanut butter on the ball to spark your dog's interest.
3. Stand in one place, and as you throw the object a few feet, yell "fetch."
4. Throw the ball farther as your dog catches on and understands what fetch means.
5. Now comes the hard part. Tell your dog to "come" and make him sit (while still holding the object).
6. Gently take the ball from your dog's mouth as you say "drop it."
7. When your dog follows these steps, reward it with loads of praise.

Words of advice

Don't chase your dog. If you do, your dog will only learn the fun of being chased by you. Stick to the rules, and your dog will soon learn to give the object to you or the game will end. Once your dog knows that fun will follow, it will eagerly drop the object again and again.

Puppies as young as 10-weeks-old can be taught to play fetch, as well. For puppies this young, roll a ball only a few feet away since pupplies can become diverted easily.

*This article was reprinted with permission from the American Humane Association.