Old Trainer: My dog wants to play — all the time. What can I do?

Dear Old Trainer: Marco, our 4-year old Springer Spaniel/Lab mix we adopted a year ago is a great dog. He’s gentle with our kids, barks a warning when he sees anything unusual, and gets better every day at obeying commands, but he’s obsessed with retrieving a ball. He carries one around all day and wants someone to throw it every waking hour. Is there anything I can do?

Wayne, Greely, Colorado

A: Marco has a genetic desire — a need — to play ball. That DNA coursing through his veins tells him his job is to bring things to you. If he can’t bring you a fat pheasant for dinner he’ll sublimate that desire into being the best ball dog he can be.

It’s healthy mentally and physically for him to play ball so the more you have time to play with him the better. Your job is to teach him he’ll get to play ball with you every day, but once you tell him “finito,” play time is over. After all, none of the ancestors who provided those fine genes got to go hunting all day.

The way to train Marco is to use his obsession against him. He gets what he wants, but only if does what you want first. It’s fine for Marco to be excited and energetic while you train. Dogs learn faster when they have fun.

Take his ball outside and order him to sit. If he’s too excited to hear you, put the ball in your pocket and give the command until he obeys. When he does, throw the ball. Throw it a while with no command, then order him to sit again. If he does, throw the ball, if not start the exercise over.

Being under voice control as he retrieves is in his DNA too so he’ll learn fast. Brag on him and pet him when he does it right. Move around and throw from different places and make him sit each time you move.

Once he has it down, order him to sit, place the ball a few yards away — making him stay while you do — then tell him, “get the ball.” The objective is to teach him there are different ways of retrieving. Love on him when he does it right.

Now work on the hardest part of the training. Make him sit while you throw the ball a few yards then tell him to get it after it stops rolling. This part takes longer to teach, but throw the ball further as he improves so he learns it’s part of the game.

Be patient, there’s no hurry. He has to learn there are times when his job is to stay by your side until you tell him to go.

At the end of each session say “finito,” and move your hands apart the way a blackjack dealer does at the end of her shift. He has to learn those words are final. You may play five minutes later, but for now it’s over, no appeal. He’ll try to manipulate you into playing some more and if you give in he’ll never believe “finito” again.

Throw the ball for him several times a day, even if only five throws per session, so he learns that playing ends on your command. And always remember, the reason he loves it is because he’s doing it for you.