Dog Discovers Genius Way To Play Fetch With Herself & We're Obsessed With This Smart Girl

It doesn't take much to keep a dog entertained — a ball and a buddy are really it. For this dog named Matylda on Instagram, she's discovered a genius way to play fetch where another player isn't even needed. Watch as she shows off the smart hack she invented on the shoreline of a body of water that has her chasing and retrieving the ball as many times as she wants!

In the video, the original poster says in the comments, "How little a Labrador Matylda needs to be happy...a ball, a slope and water" — and then, yes, she's off! Down into the water to retrieve the ball, back up to shake off and put the ball down, and then the ball rolls back down into the water, repeating the process, proving she's not one of those dogs who don't understand fetch! 

In the comments, several viewers note how wet the sand looks, with one stating, "The environmental storytelling with the already wet ground meaning it's been going on for a while." Several people mentioned the story of Sisyphus, who in Greek mythology spent an eternity rolling a giant boulder up a hill only to have it barrel back down to the bottom once it reached the top. In this case, though, we're pretty sure this is a happy turn of events!

Fetch may look like a simple game, but for a dog, it's a chain of small skills. So, to teach them to play, start by taking a toy they like that's best for fetch and rolling it or giving it a quick toss. When your dog chases after it, use the command word "fetch" and give them a treat when they return.

Keep the first few throws short so your dog can easily succeed, and keep in mind at the beginning that the goal is for them to chase and pick up the toy and not necessarily to bring it back. That's because the return is often the trickiest part. Once your dog has the toy, move back a few steps and call them toward you. When they reach you, cue "drop it" and offer them a treat for completion of the task. One thing you want to do is make sure they understand the fun doesn't end when they return the toy and instead reward with a positive reinforcement treat, a pat, or another throw. Also, avoid chasing after them, since that can quickly turn fetch into a game of keep-away.

Some dogs take naturally to fetch, while others may need more training. Either way, patience and repetition are the name of the game for you, so that before you know it, those random toy chases gradually become a more reliable game of fetch — one that may wear you out before your dog!