Hold Conditioning

[B-Rod]

I am trying to train my lab myself and I am in the process of trying to teach hold. From a lot of what I have read and seen it involves telling your dog to fetch while sticking a bumper in his mouth and then getting him to keep hold of the bumper while saying hold and then give the drop command. This is my first time trying to train a dog and during this process I am running into some trouble. I just started trying this a couple of days ago, so maybe it just takes a little bit of time. What I am running into is that my dog is fighting to get the bumper out of his mouth and it is very difficult to hold it in there for a few seconds. I don't have a training table, so I am trying to do this while he is on the ground. There have been several times when he will roll to the ground to try to get the bumper out of his mouth. Can anyone please help me? Is this just part of the process or am I doing something wrong?

[Mike Perry]

Check your pm.

MP