Health & WellbeingMy dog won't drop the ball. How to teach fetch without treats?
Many dogs have trouble letting go of the ball when playing fetch! :) I would suggest playing the game with two balls for now. Throw one, then when he brings it back, throw the other one for him. Most dogs will drop the one in their mouth when you bring out the second ball, and will chase the one that you throw. Pick up the first ball as he runs away to chase the second one, and continue to repeat this so that you always have a ball waiting in your hand to throw as soon as he gets back. Over time, many dogs will get into the habit of dropping the ball when they come back to you, so that you may not need to use both balls forever.
Updated on September 24th, 2025