Training Bat Dogs & Baseball Players: Practice, not Perfection

At Practical Obedience, we’ve always believed dog training is about more than obedience: it’s about preparing dogs to navigate the real world with confidence & joy while helping owners understand their dogs better. So when we got the chance to train two dogs to become bat dogs for the Green Bay Rockers, it wasn’t just a fun project. It was a chance to show what thoughtful, kind training can do.

Our trained bat dogs retrieve bats from home plate and bring them back to the dugout, in the middle of the noise and chaos of a baseball game. It’s adorable and fun but it’s also work. Real work, under pressure. And as we prepared Wally and Scout for the job, we found ourselves reflecting on an interesting parallel: training dogs and athletes has a lot of similarities.  Except the way people talk about dogs "behaving" under pressure is often way more critical than how we talk about athletes who’ve been training their whole lives.

Let’s think about that.

Athletes miss the ball. They make errors. They mess up plays. And when it happens, we don’t punish them - we coach them. We help them practice. We support them while they build the skills and confidence to try again.  No one expects a baseball player to hit a home run every time at bat. Even the best hitters succeed only about 30% of the time. That’s normal. What matters is showing up, practicing consistently, and celebrating progress & success.

Dog training works the same way. Dogs aren’t born knowing what we expect or with the skills to navigate our busy human world intact; they need time, patience and repetition. Mistakes are part of learning. What really counts is the practice you put in and the trust you build with your dog along the way, just like a coach has to earn trust and have the skills to guide a team of players.

But when a dog messes up? Many folks jump to assume they’re being "bad" or “stubborn”. Worse, they need a correction. A stern word. A leash pop. An electric shock to the neck. Something to “fix” the mistake.

We disagree.

Early enrollment in our Puppy DaySchool Program gave Wally (left) and Scout (right) a solid foundation of training & socialization including field trips in the real world.

Because here’s the truth: Wally and Scout didn’t come to us to become bat dogs. They were regular Puppy DaySchool students, just like hundreds of others, getting basic training and socialization under their belts. That early foundation is what made them ready when the opportunity came.  We also chose dogs who had a “knack” for the retrieve to give them the best chance (last we checked not every child is destined to be a baseball star). We started retrieve training in February for a May debut, and even with four months of focused preparation (compared to the years of practice most athletes at this level have) it didn’t mean things would go perfectly.

At one of the recent games, Scout ran out confidently like dozens of repetitions before, couldn’t locate the bat that had been tossed aside and headed straight into the other team’s dugout to say hi.

Was it funny? Sure.

Was it a mistake? Also yes.

Did we punish her? Absolutely not.

Instead, we used it as information. What was rewarding about the dugout? How could we make sure that retrieving the bat was more valuable than making new friends? We went back to training and worked specifically on that piece. We set up practice ahead of the next game with management in place so if she made the same mistake, she wouldn’t earn the same reward – namely, attention from these fun strangers.  And you know what? It worked.  Without the need to punish the next time she tried to detour. We simply made sure that behavior didn’t “work” for her again.

We know dogs don’t need punishment to learn from mistakes. And frankly, neither do people. Imagine if every time a batter struck out, their coach shouted, yanked them by the jersey or dragged them back to the dugout by the ear. Would that build better skills and less mistakes or create more pressure & anxiety every time they stepped up to the plate?  The threat of punishment is a stressful motivator.

The same goes for our dogs.

Scout and Wally retrieve bats from home plate to the dugout during Green Bay Rockers Baseball games every Monday and Wednesday game of the 2025 season.

Your dog doesn’t need to be a bat dog to benefit from a strong foundation and kind, patient training. Wally and Scout didn’t enroll in Puppy DaySchool to become baseball stars – their families just wanted friendly, well-trained dogs. But the hours of careful socialization and basic training built through positive reinforcement made them ready when the opportunity came. Early training during their most critical developmental period sets the foundation for confident, friendly dogs who could more easily navigate the sights, sounds and stimulation of a busy ball park – or daily life in a busy human world.

If you’re raising a puppy or starting training with your dog, remember: the best time to start is now. Early socialization and positive training build a strong foundation that will serve your dog throughout their life. And above all, be patient - growth takes time and every step forward is a success.  Be prepared for mistakes, they’re inevitable for you AND your dog.

At Practical Obedience, we’re here to support you and your dog on that journey - helping you focus on practice, not perfection, so you can both enjoy the process together.

There's still time to catch a game! Check out the Bat Dog Schedule HERE or join us for our special event: PACK the Park in the final week of the regular season.

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If you've got dreams of a "go anywhere" friendly dog like Wally or Scout, be sure to check out our Puppy DaySchool Program, designed specifically for busy families and owners who want to give their pups the best start to life.

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