How to teach a dog to follow the “fetch” command

Teaching your dog commands is essential from an early age. One of the basic skills is the “Aport!” command. This is one of the basic commands that will allow you to proceed with further training. How to teach a dog the fetch command?

What does the command “aport” mean?

The word comes from the French verb apporter, which translates as “bring”. And the command “fetch” to the dog itself implies a request to return the thrown objects. This skill is formed in dogs from birth: in the past, these animals were constant companions of people on the hunt, because they could bring shot birds. There are two options for doing it:

1. Household, when a dog brings an object and puts it in the hands of the owner or puts it under his feet.

2. Sporty, more complex. On command, the dog should not only bring the thing, but pick it up, return, go around the owner to the right and behind, then sit at his left leg and wait for him to pick up the object. You can run up only on a signal. The thing must be put, and not held in the teeth.

How to Teach Your Dog the Fetch Command from the Beginning

First you need to make sure that the dog accurately executes the commands “Come!”, “Sit!” and “Nearby!”, as they will come in handy in the process of training. In addition, for training you will need:

• An item that your pet loves to play with. It can be a stick or a special toy, but not food.

• Reward treats.

First you need to teach the dog to grab the object on command. It is necessary to fiddle with a thing in your hands to arouse interest, and at the word “Aport!” let her get it. Usually, after that, the dog grabs and takes the object away to chew on it and play on its own. The following exercises should eradicate this habit.

After mastering this skill, you need to teach your pet to walk with an object in its teeth. To do this, you should command the dog to sit at the left leg, then give it an object and, together with the team, take a couple of steps. This exercise should be repeated until the dog learns to carry the thing in its teeth. If she loses an object while walking, you should carefully return it to her mouth.

The next step is learning to throw. Most likely, the dog will run after the object itself. If this does not happen, you need to go to the place where the item landed, together with the pet, give the command “Give!”, Then take the item from him and give him a treat. You need to train until the dog understands that you need to run after the thing. 

After the pet copes with these stages, it remains only to hone the run on the “Aport!” command, and not immediately after the throw. To do this, at first it is necessary to keep the dog on a leash when trying to break away. After fully mastering this command, you can teach the dog more complex tricks – for example, bring different objects. 

Usually pets are receptive to training if their teacher is gentle and kind. Therefore, it is very important to praise the dog every time he succeeds. Then memorization of the “fetch” command by the dog will go faster.

See also:

Step-by-step instructions for teaching a puppy commands

9 basic commands to teach your puppy

How to teach a puppy the “voice” command: 3 ways to train

How to teach a dog to give a paw