One of my parent’s dogs, Jethro, has no idea how to fetch. When anyone throws a ball in his direction, he hits it with his paw as if he was dribbling it. I think it may be because he has seen Air Bud way too many times. 

Anyway, it can be a little embarrassing to bring him to the dog park because of this. Thankfully, there is still some time to teach him. The next time I visit my family, I know exactly what I'll be doing.

According to the American Kennel Club, you can teach your pup how to play fetch in a few simple steps. First off, you’ll want to start with a couple different toys. You can’t go wrong with a tennis ball, but you might also want to use a plush toy and rubber bone. 

Because dogs are food motivated, use treats to get them interested in the toy. For instance, if they paw at it, give them something tasty like chicken. Fetch by Web M.D. also recommends enticing your dog by using a toy that has a treat in it. 

From there, the AKC recommends using the verbal cue “hold” and reward them when they keep their “mouth on the toy for” a relatively long time. 

If you are confident that your dog can “hold” the toy, you can take the steps to teach them how to fetch. First, hand them the toy and tell them to “hold it.” Once they take it, give them plenty of praise and, of course, treats. You’ll then want to have them repeat the process but place the toy about five feet away from you. After they’ve retrieved it, instruct them to come to you and order them to “drop it.” Do this a few more times but keep “moving the toy slightly further away from you.” Once your pooch starts figuring out the point of this exercise, you can start tossing the ball and have them retrieve it for you. 

Fetch by Web M.D. also noted that if your dog is reluctant to give you the toy back, you can use the “bait and switch” technique. You’ll just want to have another toy handy so that your pup will want to drop the one in their mouth.