***Please note that I am NOT a dog trainer, so I am just sharing my experience with my own dogs..
I may be doing wrong things and I am open to suggestions :) ***
We all know that playing with our dog is very important.
I may be doing wrong things and I am open to suggestions :) ***
We all know that playing with our dog is very important.
It’s important to keep them busy, active, entertained, to avoid boredom and to build a good relationship with the owner.
It’s important to set rules and to use the play time also for training.. but.. don’t forget to HAVE FUN!
Jago is very active.. I would say hyperactive.. he is never tired to play and in the evening he runs around the house looking for some activities to do.
For this reason I am always looking for new ways to keep him entertained.
Games to play alone and to play with me.
His favorite game is obviously fetch!
Everybody thinks that fetch is an easy game, that all the dogs would be able to play naturally and would bring you back the ball or the stick.
It’s wrong!
I’ve never been able to play fetch properly with my first dog.
With Jago.. we are learning!
In the beginning he wanted me to chase him...
When he was a very young puppy he was just retrieving the toy and hiding in his bed.
He didn't let me play.
I was not running to take the toy, because it would reinforce the wrong behavior.
After a while he realized that was boring, if he was just protecting his toy the game would end.
So he started to bring back the toy, but not dropping.
I don’t know how many days and how many treats I've used to teach him to drop the ball.
We are not still perfect, but it’s going better!
Now he is dropping the ball... but always a bit far away from me.
If I am not trowing it again he starts complaining, but luckily not barking.
We play fetch with all sort of dog toys.
His favorite are tennis balls, but if not available any other toy will make the job.
Don’t use sticks or stones because it could be dangerous.
Try to use your dog's favorite toy, make it interesting, using your voice, moving it, playing a quick tug o’war with him, then throw the toy.
He should run and take it hopefully.
Then call him, see if he brings the toy back.
You can use treats, or have a second toy, maybe the same, to use as exchange.
I started with two tennis ball.
If he was coming back to me I was throwing the 2nd one.
After a while he realized my trick and he was just running for a little while to take the ball, but stopping and running back to me waiting that I would throw the 2nd one!
So I tried with treats, but I had to use fantastic treats!
If he was coming back to me with the ball, I was showing the treat.. if not interested made him sniffing the treat.
If he was coming back to me with the ball, I was showing the treat.. if not interested made him sniffing the treat.
In this way he would drop the ball ( say “drop it” to teach the command) and we were ready to continue the game!
Now he is really obsessed with fetch and I am happy because he have a lot of fun and he can use his energies!
You will find more information here:
Do you play fetch with your dog?
Which difficulties do you find?
Do you have any suggestions or ideas to share with us?
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