How to Train a Toy Poodle to Fetch a Ball

Bond with your toy poodle by teaching him to fetch.

Toy poodles are a cheerful, perky and very smart breed that enjoys pleasing people. One of the best ways to bond with your little dog is to teach it to fetch. Some toy poodles can be a bit timid and playing fetch is an excellent way to exercise and socialize the dog as well. Common toy poodle health issues, such as deafness, will not hold them back from learning or enjoying this activity.

Things You'll Need

• Rubber ball
• Collar
• Leash
• Dog treats

Instructions

1. Choose a safe yet interesting rubber ball or soft toy for your toy poodle to fetch.

2. Go to a private area, such as a small room, where there are few distractions for your pet.

3. Sit on the floor next to the poodle and roll the ball around to focus the dog's attention on it.

4. Hold the ball on your palm in front of the dog's face or wave it around in your hand to get the poodle excited.

5. Praise the dog when it takes the toy from you, and offer a treat. The poodle will drop the ball immediately to take the treat.

6. Give another treat and praise the poodle right away. Repeat Steps 4 through 6 a couple of times.

7. Toss the ball a short distance, instead of just presenting it to the dog, after he begins to get the basic idea of holding then dropping the ball in exchange for a treat.

8. Hold your poodle back a bit to get him excited about running after the ball.

9. Tug on the leash to encourage your pet to return to you, as soon as it runs to the ball and picks it up. The moment he starts to come toward you, praise him profusely.

10. Repeat this, tossing the ball farther each time. Praise as the poodle approaches you -- but only show the treat when it brings the ball back. Only give the treat when the poodle drops the ball at your feet.

11. Go to a bigger room, with more distractions and repeat your fetch routine. Then proceed outside and repeat. Keep your toy poodle on its leash until t's able to repeat the fetch outside a few times.

12. Remove the leash, in a fenced yard or other leash-optional area, and continue your practice. Don't worry if your poodle forgets the lesson after a while. Just start over and it will pick up the idea again quickly.

13. Start running away if necessary, once your dog has picked up the ball when he's off the leash. This will encourage your poodle to bring the ball to you or chase you when you cannot tug the leash to accomplish this, according to Patricia Mcconnell, Ph.D author and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist.

14. Eliminate the treats when your poodle has grasped the lesson and learned to fetch. Praise and the enjoyment of playing with you will be enough at this point.

Tips & Warnings

• Toy poodles are susceptible to deafness, but can still learn to fetch and do most other activities with no problem.

• Be patient with your poodle and enjoy the process of training.

• Use tiny treats in case you must repeat your training many times. Once your toy poodle gets full, the treats will lose their power to motivate.

• Train only about 15 minutes at one time, or until your dog becomes bored.

• Check with your vet if your toy poodle has any health problems common in the breed, such as narcolepsy or if it is overly timid. Your vet can tell you if your pet is physically able to fetch and how to proceed with training.

• Make sure the training ball is soft and big enough so that your poodle can not swallow or choke on it.

References

• Dog Obedience Training Review: How To Teach Your Dog To Fetch Or Retrieve
• ASPCA: Teaching Your Dog to Play Fetch
• The Professor's House: Training a Dog to Fetch
• Patricia McConnell: Teaching Your Dog to Fetch

Resources

• Dog Breed Info Center: Toy Poodle