The dog must take the equipment on command, without the handler having to physically put it into the dog's mouth. The handler sends the dog to swim to the steward in the boat. The steward may call the dog, but not by name. The dog will swim out to the boat and come close enough to deliver the bumper or line to the steward in the boat. The steward will reach for it and hold onto it as the dog tows the boat into shore.
Exercise is complete when the boat touches bottom.
The dog will fail if he refuses to take the bumper in its mouth, refuses to deliver the bumper to the steward, does not tow the boat to shore, drops the equipment and cannot be commanded to pick it up. The dog also fails if the handler physically guides the dog after it has been sent in to the water, the dog drops the equipment, the handler enters the water, or the dog comes out of the water prior to completion of the exercise. Spirit is usually pretty good at this exercise, but really made me work in the actual test. For some reason, he took the line, and started swimming toward the yelling steward in the boat. Half way out, he turned and started swimming back to me on the shore.