This is a utilitarian dog training command where you can ask your puppy to fetch the newspaper from the driveway.

Fold an old copy of your newspaper and tape it securely for practice. Encourage your puppy to take an interest in it. Reward her with food and appreciative gestures when she begins to take an interest in the newspaper. When she tries to play with the paper and tries picking it up, associate it with the verbal command “Fetch”. Keep the paper in the plastic bag that it comes in and use the command again. Reward the puppy after she picks up the paper.

You have to be careful to reward her after she has picked up the paper. You can now place the treat strategically in your hand so that the puppy has to drop the newspaper in your other hand to get the treat. This way she will learn that the treat comes only after she has retrieved and then released the newspaper.

Once your puppy begins to understand the command, take her to the porch and keep the paper at a distance of few feet away from the puppy. Repeat the process with treat in your hand and encourage her to bring the paper to you. Shake the paper and try to make her take interest in it if she seems confused.

Once she picks up the paper successfully, you can continue to increase the distance until the newspaper is at the driveway where your newspaper carrier delivers it and you can issue the command from within the house. Reward her every time she makes a successful attempt and gradually you can reduce the frequency of the rewards, as your puppy gets perfect with the command.

It is important that you do not allow her to tear up the paper even when you are training her with old and used newspapers. Warn her with a firm and stern” NO” if she tries to tear the newspaper. Over a period, you could train her to fetch other things like ball or a handkerchief.

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