By now you have had a chance to practice hold with as many different bumpers as possible. This is a good time to practice hold with a lot of different objects too.

1. I like a wooden dowel with fleece over it. It is soft and the dowel will not splinter with a cover over it.

2. Try metal objects. Anything that is safe to you and your dog.

 Start your practice session with some obedience to get his attention, and to put you dog in a working mood.

 Start your practice session with the bumper that you used the day before. Again do not ask him to “take it”. Use the same procedure from your practices in Part 1. Now try adding a little distance when you ask him to say. Walk back to heel position but do not take the bumper this time. Tell him to STAY and walk away again. Go back and praise your dog.

 Turn your dog around and face another direction, go back to smaller bumper, Why? You are going to do something new. Place bumper in his mouth, say HOLD! Now try to take one or two steps say,heel! Don’t go too fast, two steps are just fine for now. Your dog will most likely drop the bumper the first time he moves forward. No big deal put it back in his mouth and try again.

 Go back to stationary work with different size bumpers then try your two step heel again. The big thing to look for is when you dog gets up and moves, down goes the head and bumper falls out. No problem, assist him the first time, place your hand under his chin and hold the bumper while you walk. Soon he will get the picture.

Next practice session, start with same bumper that you finished with on your last session. Warm up with obedience. Try a whistle recall with a hunt finish.

 The procedure is the same for all practice sessions, Start slow and work up to where the dog last succeeded.

 Go back to canvas or small bumper for this next session. Place a bumper in his mouth, say HOLD! Now try heeling 5 steps. The lead might hit the bumper and he will drop the bumper. Don’t react just put it in his mouth, say HOLD! and give him a little pop under his chin. Say HOLD! again, firmly. Try 4 steps watch for his head to drop.

Place your hand under his chin as a reminder to keep his head UP! If he succeeds, STOP! PRAISE! PLAY!

Next practice session

Your main goal at this point is not to move too fast. My motto is, do not set your dog up to fail.

 Do not train him when you are tired or very busy.

 Now it is time to mix up your bumper practice with your obedience work. Warm up with an obedience drill then place a bumper in his mouth and practice heeling, recalls, finishes anything that would require your dog to move with a bumper in his mouth.

Next practice session

 Go back to stationary work. Now it is time to see if your dog understands HOLD!

 Place a bumper in his mouth. Try to push or pull it out. If he gives into your pressure and drops it, place the bumper back in his mouth and pop him under the chin. Tell him hold! Up to this point you have assisted him all the way. Place the bumper in his mouth drop your hands away from his face and Say “it is all yours Baby”! Your dog will test you at this point to see how serious you are about his performance. You decide ahead of time what you want to do if he drops it. Remember don’t get mad, train him.

 Put the bumper back, pop him under the chin and hold his mouth shut. Repeat command and drop your hands. If he success, STOP! PRAISE! PLAY!

 When he understands hold, that means you can pull on both sides of the bumper and he will pull back. No weenie hold and nice firm grip.

Your final test to see if your dog understands HOLD is, place the loop of your lead around the bumper and pull. Pull the bumper up then down. If he can hold the bumper through all that, YOUR DOG KNOWS HOLD! GOOD FOR YOU, YOU DID IT!

*Some of this material came from my training, Bob Hux.