I've always wanted a dog who will retrieve a ball and then bring it back to me. They don't need to be obsessed with the ball, but I would like my dog to play this game with me. It's good exercise and it's fun. If I can't go out for a walk, then this is the next best thing for getting a dog's muscles moving.

Unfortunately, some collies don't like to fetch. Many times they will chase a ball, but when they get to it, they're thinking about something else. Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers are usually good at fetching. That's why they're called retrievers.

So imagine my excitement when I realized that Bonnie likes to fetch! She will chase balls, toys, and other things and bring them back to me. This is great news. Bonnie's a fun dog that I can play with in the yard. In fact, a fenced yard is the best place to play fetch because it's better if they're not on a leash.

There are some ways to teach dogs to fetch, even if they don't know how.

If your dog doesn't fetch naturally, have an adult cut a slit in a tennis ball (a smaller, rubber ball if that is too big). Put some treats inside the tennis ball. Show your dog that there are treats in there, and give her one. Then, throw the ball. In the beginning, run with her and get the ball; then give her the treat. Soon you will be able to throw the ball and she will go get it (because she wants the treat). One of my past collies learned to fetch very quickly this way.

Check out this short video of Bonnie Fetching some toys.