Hi All,
I need some more Ideas on how to teach my GSD to hold the barbell quietly!

At one club I attend, they said when she brings the "wood" to grab hold of the barbell and play tug with her a bit, Then release the barbell, keep her moving around, then place her in a sit (without sit command), then "out" her from the object.They Also said for me to "bop" her under the chin lightly when she mouthed the barbell?
This did not seem to work.

The second club I attend, the Master Trainer said "do not play with her with the barbell".
Instead when she brings the object to me, grab her by the snout with both hands, place her in a sit and each time she mouths the object "Loudly" (not screaming)tell her "Nine". Keep hold of her snout until she is quiet then move my hands away for 1 or 2 seconds, then Command "AUS", then reward with game of tug from bite sausage.
I have noticed a small amount of progress doing it this way in about 3 months, She will now try to hold the barbell quiet after I have told her "Nine" about 4 times instead of the 10 times it was taking.
Any other Ideas that I can pass along to the master trainer?

You could check out the motivational retreive section for suggestions. Here is a recent thread:
http://www.leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/165796/page/0/fpart/2

I am in the process of "backchaining" starting with teaching a quiet hold and marking successively longer quiet holds.

I have used the tug method to reward the retrieve, but it has not eliminated mouthing. Hitting my dog under the chin just lowers his drive for the item, as does holding his mouth shut so trying this other method now!

Good luck!