Trouble teaching hold

[jaxturbo3]

I have a 4 month old black lab pup I'm trying to teach to hold and I'm having trouble teaching her. She's my first hunting dog and I'm not really sure how to teach her. I have tried having her sit and taking the object, but she won't hold anything while sitting. I also tried throwing her bumper and having her sit when she brings it back and not taking it right away so she knows to hold, but she mostly drops it or she chews and shakes it. Any time in training she does something correct I praise her or give her a treat, something to reinforce the action. I'm not really sure what to do from here or other strategies to try. I have been trying to avoid force fetch if I can. Any ideas or tips? Thanks.

[polmaise]

movement ..ie ..let her pick it up and walk with it , with you ,without you taking it . Let her 'hold' it and carry it.

[DonF]

I think a lot of people start training their dog to soon. let it grow up some more and just play with it now. Don't throw a bird for it, throw a ball it can chase. Don't use fetch, use something like get it! It's a puppy, fun and games!

[jaxturbo3]

I would say the vast majority of what we're doing is play based, throwing toys for her to go get and playing fetch with a ball or other toy like that, with no pressure just letting her have fun. We train with a bumper just retrieving it, she's never had a real bird. I try to make the training we do fun so it keeps her drive high and so far she loves it. It's just trying to hold things that she's not really getting down, and I realize it probably her age is probably a contributing factor to that.

[CDN_Cocker]

Well at 4 months she's much too young. Also by your description of how you're trying to teach it, that tells me you need to see someone experienced in it. Teaching hold does not involve the dog grabbing the object at any point whatsoever....

[mnaj_springer]

I agree with others that teaching "hold" the way it's usually taught at 4 months is too young. Let the pup be a pup! If you want to encourage a natural hold then just don't take the dummy or ball from the pup. Let her hold it and love her up like she's done the greatest thing in the world, because to this point, it has been the greatest thing she's ever done. As one of my training buddy likes to say... If you're a little kid at Christmas and you just opened the exact present that you had wanted ALL year, then you go to show your dad and the first thing he does is snatch it away from you then you wouldn't want to show him the next time you got it.

Just relax and be happy. Also, why the hate for Force Fetch?

[polmaise]

Teaching hold does not involve the dog grabbing the object at any point whatsoever....

I beg to differ , but then it depends what the context is ?.
For a retriever I want ..the want ?
But that is also 'Hold'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwrcNqBqweg

[CDN_Cocker]

Following a 'traditional' North American FF program, Hold should not involve the dog picking up the object. The handler should be manipulating the object into the dog's mouth every time.

EDIT to add: "fetch" is the act of picking up the object

[polmaise]

Pretty much and encouraging ,but it has to want! Cass , and You are Canadian so that's pretty much Northern American

[CDN_Cocker]

LOL you lost me Robt.... Canadian IS indeed North American, we share the same continent.

[polmaise]

No problem Cass . It's common to get lost in Canada ,It's huge ! ..Just concentrate on the 'hold' . That should keep you close to the American part .
The 'want' part ,well that's something else ?
The OP However, has a problem on teaching Hold, ? ..perhaps learning how to not take is my advice , which in it's self has longer hold for the dog and less 'take' from the handler.

[ezzy333]

I think what Don is trying to tell you is at her age who cares if she holds or not. We don't start keeping score till they are older and we start to train and not just play.

[CDN_Cocker]

I think what Don is trying to tell you is at her age who cares if she holds or not. We don't start keeping score till they are older and we start to train and not just play.

Bingo. 4 months is way too young, she's a baby.

[polmaise]

At that development some handler/owners miss the best part of conditioning .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSV2Ppn3eHo

[Meller]

At that age, has the dog lost it's baby teeth? I would defiantly wait till it's older.

[gonehuntin']

There is a great system of DVD's out there by Evan Graham called Smart Fetch. I would suggest you buy, watch and study them then ask questions. You'll find it much easier to train the dog's at 8 months than four.

[polmaise]

A traditional 'North United Kingdom' program it's usually about 4 months old that the 'hold' and 'Hold on to' is introduced .
No-matter the teeth development during the 'Gob' conditioning

[RoostersMom]

Only pet the dog when she has the object in her mouth. Do not use the "universal I'm stealing your toy" posture of leaning down and reaching for the dog's mouth. Welcome the dog to you and pet her enthusiastically IF she is holding the item. If she drops it, all petting stops. Let her carry it for a while, if she drops it on her way to you, try backing up and calling her to you (fun calling, not "here" calling). Don't take the toy, bumper, object, wife's shoes, socks, your homework, etc. from the dog. Pet her enthusiastically when she is carrying anything...anything, I say! If it's something she shouldn't have, pet enthusiastically first then take it away and give her something she can have.

[polmaise]

Only pet the dog when she has the object in her mouth. Do not use the "universal I'm stealing your toy" posture of leaning down and reaching for the dog's mouth. Welcome the dog to you and pet her enthusiastically IF she is holding the item. If she drops it, all petting stops. Let her carry it for a while, if she drops it on her way to you, try backing up and calling her to you (fun calling, not "here" calling). Don't take the toy, bumper, object, wife's shoes, socks, your homework, etc. from the dog. Pet her enthusiastically when she is carrying anything...anything, I say! If it's something she shouldn't have, pet enthusiastically first then take it away and give her something she can have.

Best post to date .!
But it has been said many times before on deaf ears .

[polmaise]

Okay,
My take on 'Trouble teaching Hold' (fwiw)
Most try to take' rather than let the dog 'Give' . I am a supporter of 'Force Hold' , but only after the dog has understood and 'excepts hold ' as a good thing (for the dog) , so Tuggy and 'hold on to' is good in our 'puppy camp'.
Pfft, what you say ?, hard mouth, aggression, possession etc ,etc . Nah!...
Oh! wait a minute , the puppy is teething ! ?..> load of myth (impo) ..it -the dog- has to learn what that 'hold' means for 'it'self ! ..-Collar training is out the window at this stage for a pup, that can only be applied when the desire is already there as an over lay' to what has been learned !/trained/conditioned ..
Too many I have seen this side of the pond (and in the US) BTW. That most handlers (I say Handlers as many are not trainers) always 'Take' rather than 'give' on the retrieve part with a young dog. Here may be the root of 'Not giving'.
This little guy of 7 months old on his first shoot gave up his first 'woodcock' (but he never had seen or picked a Woodcock before) He knew the process' though and it was never 'take' ,It was always 'Give' and ye shall receive .