Hold
Tricks · 12 steps · by Push Drop Stick
Your Dog will learn to take objects from your hand and hold them in their mouth for up to 5 seconds for the verbal cue 'Hold'.
Hold is the first link in the retrieve chain, and a great place to start if Your Dog does not play with toys or if you want them to carry objects that are not toys, like your slippers or the mail. Once Your Dog will take and hold an object, Fetch and Place in Hand build on it.
For this plan you will also need:
**- A Marker:** such as a clicker or a verbal word like "Yes" to instantly mark the correct behavior. This bridges the gap between the behavior happening and the time it takes to deliver reinforcement, helping Your Dog understand exactly what they did right.
**- A No-Reward Marker:** such as "Oops," to mark the moment Your Dog drops the object to help them learn why they won't be getting a treat for that rep.
Training steps
Create interest in the object
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Present the object near Your Dog and mark and reinforce them for looking at it or touching it in any way.
Success: Your Dog looks at or touches the object.
Advance on: 7 of 10 successes
Touch face to the object
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Present the object near Your Dog's face and mark and reinforce them for touching it with their face.
Success: Your Dog touches their face to the object.
Advance on: 7 of 10 successes
Touch teeth to the object
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Present the object near Your Dog's face and mark and reinforce them for touching it with their teeth.
Success: Your Dog touches their teeth to the object.
Advance on: 7 of 10 successes
Bite the object
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Mark and reinforce Your Dog for biting the object with their mouth, even if it's only a nibble. Continue to hold the object throughout.
Success: Your Dog bites the object.
Advance on: 7 of 10 successes
Put mouth around object
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Mark and reinforce Your Dog for putting their mouth around the object, while you are holding it.
Success: Your Dog puts their mouth all the way around the object.
Advance on: 7 of 10 successes
Grip object in mouth
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Mark and reinforce Your Dog for clamping their jaws down on the object after biting it, while you are holding it.
Success: Your Dog grips the object.
Advance on: 7 of 10 successes
Hold for a split second
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Present the object and when Your Dog grabs it, let go and wait 1 second before marking and reinforcing. If Your Dog drops the object before 1 second, say "Oops" and try again.
Success: Your Dog holds the object.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Hold for 1 second
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Present the object and when Your Dog grabs it, let go and wait 1 second before marking and reinforcing. If Your Dog drops the object before 1 second, say "Oops" and try again.
Success: Your Dog holds the object.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Hold for 2 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
If Your Dog drops the object before 2 seconds, say "Oops" and try again.
Success: Your Dog holds the object for 2 seconds.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Teach the verbal cue
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Say the verbal cue 'Hold', then hold the object out so Your Dog can grab it, let go and wait 2 seconds before marking and reinforcing them.
Success: Your Dog holds the object for 2 seconds.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Hold for 3 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Say the verbal cue 'Hold', then hold the object out so Your Dog can grab it, let go and wait 3 seconds before marking and reinforcing them.
Success: Your Dog holds the object for 3 seconds.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Hold for 5 seconds
Setup: Your Dog is in any position.
Say the verbal cue 'Hold', then hold the object out so Your Dog can grab it, let go and wait 5 seconds before marking and reinforcing them.
Success: Your Dog holds the object for 5 seconds.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Good job! You've laid a strong foundation for Hold.
Now it's time to proof Your Dog's new skill. You can restart the plan using proof steps, or play games with the goals you just earned. Practice both in different locations and around distractions.