Teaching your dog to drop the ball is one of the most important and the most appealing “tricks” you can teach him. Although this command may look easy, it is time-consuming, so be prepared to invest some time in it. A good thing is that you can do it all by yourself and you can get a great result. Anyway, we will guide you through the process.
- Gather the essential elements
There are a few elements you will need. The main one is a ball, which will be used during the training. You can use any other toy which is easy to stay in his mouth.
Don’t forget about treats. They should be made from turkey, cheese or chicken Due to the fact this may take some time, make sure all the treats are very small. They are essential and they are used to reward your dog when he does things right.
A clicker is a device which produces click sounds. Ivan Pavlov, a scientist from Russia discovered that dogs can get a better idea when they will be rewarded when they hear a sound. You will use a clicker each time when you want to reward your dog.
- Start the training
A dog should be at least 3 months old when you start with the training. You will need 15 minutes per a day, 5 minutes a session. The time how long this will last cannot be specified.
Anyway, the first step is to offer him a treat and a toy at the same time. He will be tempted and he will take a ball. While he is holding it in this mouth, offer him a treat and say ‘’drop it’’. If you use a clicker which we have mentioned earlier, now is the right time to use it. Repeat this step a few times.
Each time when he drops a ball, you will have to reward him. Dogs are smart, so they will need a short period of time in order to understand this command. Once done, he will drop a ball each time you tell him to do that. In essence, the success depends on the number of repetitions. Some dogs are great in this trick and they don’t need a lot of time, while others do need a few days.
Teach him to do the trick in different situations and in different environments
You will definitely have to teach your dog to drop a ball when on different places. This is mandatory as well, due to the fact dogs may learn to follow the command while spending time in a specific place.
This is mandatory if you taught a dog the command in one place. If you were teaching him in several places, the result will be slightly better. Keep in mind that a backyard and a park are mandatory places where you will have to teach him this command.
Repeat the lessons regularly
Even if your dog is thought to drop a ball at any given moment, you will have to remind him on the training. To do so, carry a treat or two with you. Tell him to drop a ball and when he does, reward him. Repeat this procedure a few times per a week.
Summary
As you can see, if you have plenty of patience, this trick is extremely easy to teach your dog. There is no need in telling you that your dog will look impressive while obeying your order. The best thing is the fact all dogs can be taught this trick.
