Taking turns at fetch

Adapted from this April 10, 2020 post.

Do your dogs know how to take turns?

Once your dogs are good at stay individually, you can start to work with them on staying while your other dogs are around. Train each dog separately first, so you can give the dog you’re teaching your full attention.

From there, the trick is to play with one dog while you ask the other dog to stay… and keep your focus on the dog that is staying! Playing with the other dog is the distraction you’re helping them learn about.

Start with very little movement and a brief pause. Stay close enough to reward the waiting dog where they are, and make the end of their stay clear with a familiar release word. Build up the other dog’s play gradually while keeping the wait short.

If the waiting dog gets up, pause the game and invite them back, then make the next attempt easier.

Don’t drag them back or push them into position. Less movement, a shorter wait or rewarding sooner can give them an easier chance to succeed. If they keep struggling, take a break.

Over time, you can work up to telling one dog to stay while you tell the other dog to go and fetch a toy!

Indy and Inertia practiced this together, gradually adding that bigger distraction to Inertia’s “wait” training.

This is for dogs who are comfortable playing near each other. If toys or shared space cause tension, keep their play separate.

If either dog is still learning to bring the toy back or let go, practice those parts separately with my fetch guide before asking one to wait while the other plays.