How to Train a Poodle Puppy to Fetch a Ball

Dog training is an essential part of dog ownership. Teaching your puppy basic commands is just as important as teaching your children basic manners. Poodles are one of the more easily trained dog breeds. Without proper training, a poodle puppy will often start to entertain itself, which could mean getting into trouble. The fetch command is an easily learned and highly useful dog training command that you won̵7;t regret teaching your puppy.

Things You'll Need

  • A ball
  • Dog treats
  • A poodle puppy

Instructions

    • 1

      Sit on the floor with your poodle puppy. Throw the ball a very short distance and encourage your poodle puppy to chase it and play with it. As you throw the ball, say ̶0;Fetch̶1; or ̶0;Retrieve.̶1; When your poodle puppy picks up the ball, offer the puppy a treat while saying ̶0;Thank you̶1; or ̶0;Release.̶1; When the poodle releases the ball for the treat, pick the ball up. Repeat the process in five-minute blocks about twice a day for about a week. Do not proceed until your puppy is immediately releasing the ball when you say the command.

    • 2

      Then increase the distance slightly so that the ball is thrown just a couple of feet away and encourage him to get it. Again, each time your puppy picks up the ball, say the release command. This time, show it the treat. If the puppy brings the ball back, it gets the treat. If it doesn̵7;t, you withhold the treat and go get the ball yourself. (Don̵7;t make a big deal about it if it doesn̵7;t bring it back to you. Just get the ball and start over.) Practice this in five-minute blocks a few times a day for as long as it takes the puppy to become consistent with it.

    • 3

      Cut back on the treats. During your sessions, only give your puppy a treat every other time. After a day, only give the treat every third or fourth time. The goal is to gradually get your poodle puppy to not expect a treat but to retrieve on command only. Take the show on the road. Move to different rooms and try indoors versus outdoors. Try it in quiet places and places with distractions. Give only one or two treats during a session.