Teaching a Golden Retriever to Fetch and Return
Golden retrievers are well known for their love of playing fetch. Their heritage as hunting dogs makes them naturals at chasing after objects and eagerly bringing them back. Fetch is a fun way to bond with your golden retriever and provide them with much needed physical and mental exercise. With some patience and positive reinforcement, you can teach even a young puppy to reliably fetch and return objects.
Supplies Needed
To get started teaching fetch, you'll need the following supplies:
- Fetch toys - Tennis balls, frisbees, rope toys, or other dog-safe fetch toys. Have a variety so you can swap them out to keep your dog engaged.
- High-value treats - Small soft treats your dog loves, like bits of chicken, cheese, or hot dog. You'll use these treats heavily in the initial training.
- Long lead or fenced area - A long lead line (15-30 feet) or a securely fenced area to practice in. This prevents your pup from wandering off instead of returning to you.
Additional Useful Supplies
- Pocketed vest - A vest with pockets to hold multiple tennis balls, allowing you to quickly throw another after one is returned.
- Chuckit - A plastic thrower that helps launch balls much farther than you can throw them.
- Flirt pole - A long stick with a toy attached by a rope, to simulate prey for chasing and returning.
Step-by-Step Fetch Training
Follow these step-by-step instructions to teach your golden retriever to reliably fetch and return objects:
1. Teach Your Dog to Take An Object
- Hold an object like a tennis ball in your hand and show it to your dog. When they sniff or lick it, mark the behavior with a "yes!" and give a treat.
- Repeat this until your dog is consistently nudging or licking the ball when shown.
- Once your dog is regularly showing interest in the ball when presented, begin saying "take it" and giving the ball when they lick or nuzzle it. Praise and reward.
- Gradually stop holding the ball and just set it on the ground in front of you, saying "take it." Work up to rolling the ball a very short distance away.
2. Practice Holding and "Give"
- Once your dog understands "take it", practice having them hold the ball in their mouth for a few seconds before you say "give." Take the ball and reward with a treat.
- Gradually increase the time they hold the object before giving. Practice until you can briefly hold the other end without resistance.
- Do not try to forcefully take the object; that can create possessiveness. Instead entice them to "give" using treats.
3. Teach "Drop It"
- Say "take it" and let your dog hold the ball. After a few seconds, show a treat by their nose and say "drop it." Let go when they do. Reward with the treat and lots of praise.
- Repeat this until your dog will reliably drop the ball when you give the "drop it" cue without having to show the treat.
4. Combine Commands for Fetching
- Roll the ball a short distance and say "fetch." Encourage your dog to pick up the ball either by patting the floor or pointing.
- When they take the ball, say "bring it here" and encourage them to come back to you. Say "give" when they return, take the ball, and reward.
- Gradually increase the distance you roll the ball as your dog understands the sequence. You want to set them up for success, not frustration.
5. Practice Having Them Return and Release to Your Hand
- Once your dog reliably fetches on command, begin holding your hand out flat to take the ball on return. Only say "give" when it is placed in your hand.
- At first your dog may drop the ball at your feet instead. Don't reward that. Keep practicing holding your hand out until they understand to place it there.
- Eventually phase out the food rewards and just use praise. You can offer a food reward randomly once in awhile to keep it positive.
Troubleshooting Common Fetch Problems
Fetch may not come easily to all goldens. Here are some common challenges and how to address them:
Challenge: Dog does not bring the ball all the way back or drops it midway.
Solutions:
- Keep them on a long lead so they can't run off. Reel them back in if needed.
- Use two identical balls, so you can throw the other as soon as they drop the first. This provides motivation to return faster.
- Run backwards excitedly calling them to get them to chase you with the ball.
Challenge: Dog retrieves but refuses to give the ball when they return.
Solutions:
- Practice trading for a very high-value treat like a small piece of cheese or chicken.
- Carry two balls so you can show them the other, then throw it as soon as they relinquish the first. The chase provides a reward.
- Instead of pulling, hold the ball with them for a few moments, say "give," then gently take it. Reward calm releases, not tugging matches.
Challenge: Dog loses interest in fetching quickly or gets distracted.
Solutions:
- Try different kinds of fetch toys to see if a certain one motivates them more. Balls, ropes, frisbees, stuffed toys, etc.
- Play inside an enclosed area without many distractions first. Very gradually add distance.
- Keep training positive and short. End on a good note after just a few successful repetitions.
- Vary location and timing of when you practice. Fetch in the backyard, then living room, then park, etc. Dogs tend to get bored doing the same thing in the same place repeatedly.
Advance Fetching Skills
Once your golden retriever has mastered basic fetching and returning, there are lots of games and activities you can teach to expand their skills:
- Fetch names of multiple toys - Teach the names of favorite toys like "get monkey" or "go rabbit" so you can ask them to fetch specific ones.
- Fetch and deliver to a person - Support socialization by having them take a fetched item to another family member.
- Fetch the mail - Teach them to take mail from the mailbox and bring it to you (supervised of course).
- Disc dog - Special frisbees and training on catching them in the air or chain catching multiple throws. Great exercise!
- Dock diving - Fetch toys thrown off the end of a dock into a body of water. Fun to channel their water-loving talents.
- Flyball - A relay race where dogs jump hurdles, step on a box to release a tennis ball, then return the ball to the handler so the next dog can run. A fun sport!
The key is to keep training sessions short, fun, and positive. Fetching is great bonding time with golden retrievers and provides them with much needed activity. With persistence and patience using reward-based techniques, you can teach even a reluctant retriever to love playing fetch with you!