Can You Teach Your Dog To Catch?

1. Start with something soft. Tennis balls are great for catching but can be startling to dogs at first. Consider starting with a piece of kibble—or dog-safe foam ball.

2. Make it fun! Training should be enjoyable for both of you. Enthusiasm will encourage your dog to pick it up quickly.

3. Get low and move slowly. When you’re showing your dog how to catch, lower your body and toss the object slowly so they can see and track it better.

4. Reward success. Any time your dog tries to catch the object, even if they don’t succeed, give them praise, petting, or a treat.

5. Practice catching indoors first. This will help keep distractions to a minimum and allow your dog to focus on the task at hand.

6. Make the tosses a little trickier. As your dog gets better at catching, you can lengthen the distance, and trajectory and speed of the throw or toss.

7. Practice! The more you work on it, the better your dog will become.