Hold an Object
Why holding an object is mental work
Holding without chewing isn't a whim to correct: it's an effort. Your dog has to inhibit a powerful reflex, the urge to chew whatever is in his mouth. This is pure oral self-control, far more cognitive than physical, and it tires the brain as much as a long walk tires the legs. So when he chews, lets go too soon or holds limply, he isn't disobeying you: he's telling you the step was too high. The answer is never "no", it's: we drop back down a notch in duration.
A quiet bonus of this trick: by repeatedly swapping the object for a reward, you build a voluntary, relaxed "give". It's one of the best ways to prevent resource guarding before it takes hold.
The choice of object decides half of your success. A comfortable object invites holding, while one that's unpleasant in the mouth encourages chewing or spitting it out.
Best to start with
Save for later
To avoid
Nothing treated, painted or dubious: if it can shatter, cut or be swallowed, it doesn't belong in the mouth.
The method, one notch of duration at a time
You only raise one criterion at a time, and the criterion is a closed, calm mouth, not simply having the object in the mouth.
Mark the grab
Offer the object; the moment he takes it firmly in his mouth, say your marker word ("yes!") and swap straight away for a treat. He spits it out to eat: that's intended, and it's already the start of the "give".
Delay your marker
Wait half a second of holding before you mark, then one second, then two. The mouth stays closed and calm: any chewing or a grip that rolls around, and you drop back a notch, without comment.
Lengthen the hold
Three, five, eight seconds, calmly, without asking anything else. Praise gently during the hold now and then so it stays pleasant.
Add the words
Once the hold is predictable: "hold" just before offering the object, "give" just before the swap. Never before the behaviour is reliable.
Vary the objects
A new object = drop the duration back down and build it up again quickly. Different textures and sizes, always suited to the mouth.
Going further: carrying while walking
Once the hold is solid while standing still, you can teach "carry": you step back one pace, inviting your dog to follow, and you mark if he moves forward without letting go. If he drops it to follow you, that's normal, walking is a brand-new criterion: you go back down to a single step. Curiously, some dogs hold better on the move than when standing still: if that's true of yours, make the most of it. This trick is also the gateway to the big sequences: tidying away his toys, fetching an object by its name, taking it to someone.
He already carries everything, spontaneously
- Often the case with a retrieving breed: the hold is almost already there.
- Move quickly through the first steps and focus on duration and the "give".
He chews or spits it out too quickly
- It isn't stubbornness: your duration step is too high.
- Drop back a notch and stay there until several calm successes in a row before building up again.
He never takes anything in his mouth
- For him, the real wall is daring to grab, not the hold.
- Start by marking the slightest touch of his mouth on the object, with no expectation of duration at all.
- AVSAB — Position Statement on Humane Dog Training (2021)
- Demant, H. et al. — The effect of frequency and duration of training sessions on acquisition and long-term memory in dogs (2011)
- Herron, Shofer & Reisner — Survey of the use and outcome of confrontational and non-confrontational training methods (2009)
To go further
Frequently asked questions
How do I teach my dog to hold an object?
You build duration in very small steps: you mark with a "yes!" the moment he takes the object, then wait half a second before marking, then one second, and you always swap for a treat. A closed, calm mouth is the real goal, not simply having the object in the mouth.
My dog chews the object instead of holding it, what should I do?
Chewing simply means you've built the duration too fast: it isn't disobedience. Drop back a notch, mark a shorter but calm hold, without saying "no", and only build up again after several successes in a row.
My dog lets go of the object too quickly, how can I help him?
Go back to a duration where he succeeds easily, even half a second, and praise him while he holds so that holding stays pleasant. It's you who chooses the moment to mark and then to swap, not him: that's what gradually lengthens the hold.
How do I teach my dog "hold" and "give"?
The two are learned together: you add the word "hold" just before offering the object, and "give" just before swapping for a treat. Because you trade every time instead of snatching, the "give" builds itself, voluntary and relaxed.
At what age can I teach a dog to hold an object?
You can gently lay the foundations from puppyhood, with soft objects and very short sessions. This trick asks nothing of the joints, so there's no particular growth precaution beyond the usual rules: you always stop before tiredness sets in.
Which object should I choose to teach my dog to carry?
To begin with, a fabric bumper or a firm-yet-soft toy, clean, the right size for his mouth and with no strong emotional value. Avoid anything hard, heavy, brittle or too small, and above all his favourite toy, which turns the trick into a possession issue.
Read nextNext in this pathÉteins/allume, sonne la clocheReadLoading your progress…