[Jaeger1244]

I've started FF with my 8 month old black lab. I'm working on hold right now. He really like to gnaw on the paint roller. I've been told just to tap the bottom of his chin when he does this. It'll work for a few seconds but then right back to the gnawing. This is my first time doing FF, will this go away the longer he's working on it?

 

[john fallon]

I've started FF with my 8 month old black lab. I'm working on hold right now. He really like to gnaw on the paint roller. I've been told just to tap the bottom of his chin when he does this. It'll work for a few seconds but then right back to the gnawing. This is my first time doing FF, will this go away the longer he's working on it?

Are you using a training table?

I would go back to having the dog "hold" the first two fingers of a gloved hand.

For a gnawer a paint roller may not be an appropriate next step, perhaps a hard plastic bumper may be more suitable

Look this over it may give you some ideas

http://dobbsdogs.com/library/retrievers/rjpart1.html
john

 

[Howard N]

Giving the dog another job to do while he's holding can help a lot. Have him walk around with you on heel. Have him hold, watch a bumper being thrown, take the bumper he's holding and send him for the mark. Have him stay, you walk away and call him to you. Have him sit, then down, and then sit again (if he's trained to that standard) all while holding. Get him doing other things and they forget to be nervous about the hold. I know it works with some dogs, not all I'm sure.