Teach Leave-It Command to Dog

If trained properly you can use this to ask your dog to not eat trash on a walk, chase a cat, or even investigate something off limits.

What you'll need: Lots of tasty treats or other reinforcer Consistent Reward Marker 4 P's- Patience, Practice, Persistence and Praise 3 F's- be Fun, Fair and Flexible

Practice in 5 to 15 minute sessions 2-5 times a day. Start in a quiet area with little to no distractions.

To Begin:

1. Put a small treat in one hand without letting your dog see you do so.
2. Close your hand into a fist with the treat inside.
3. Present your fist just above the dog's head to one side and wait for a long second.
4. The moment your dog looks away, turns away or looks up at you, mark and reward with a treat from your opposite hand while saying “take-it”. If the dog is persistent and will not look away from your baited hand then give your No Reward Marker ('eh-eh' or 'oops') and remove your hand then try again.
5. Repeat these steps until your dog looks away every time you present your hand. Once he does this reliably then we add the cue of “Leave-It”. 6. Give your cue “Leave-it” at the same time you present your baited hand and repeat steps 1-4 for a few additional sessions. Never say the cue more than once.

Remember: consistent use of the reward marker to pinpoint the moment your dog looks away or moves away from the bait. Always jackpot perfect performances like looking or moving away immediately or moving further away. In the beginning the treats you use as rewards should always be better than the ones you are asking your dog to leave alone. Also, never give your dog the forbidden treat.

Raising the Bar:

1. After you add the cue to the least enticing bait, make it a little more challenging by keeping your hand open with the treat visible to the dog. This is a little more enticing for him.
2. Present your open hand with the treat in it to the dog.
3. When your dog turns away, looks away or looks at you, give your marker and say “take-it” as you reward from the opposite hand. If your dog makes any forward progress towards the forbidden treat, immediately close your hand and give your no reward marker. If the dog is still persistent about getting at the treat in your hand then give your no reward marker again and calmly but abruptly leave the training area for a few moments.
4. Repeat the steps as you make the forbidden object more and more enticing and easier for the dog to reach. You can test his knowledge of the cue by switching hands before eventually reaching the point of putting the treat or object on the floor.
5. Keep it interesting! With plenty of practice by this point you should begin practicing Leave-It with a wide variety of forbidden objects. Start with random, insignificant objects like a bicycle helmet or a plastic cup before asking your dog to leave alone more enticing objects like a child's toy. Anytime your dog gets something they shouldn't have, practice this exercise to teach your pet whatever the object is, it is forbidden. Once you are ready to use this cue to have your dog not bother other dogs or people, it is extremely important you have properly socialized your pet beforehand.

Training Tips Make sure to follow the entire program with each new object so you do not build a negative association with the things you're asking your dog to leave alone.

Anytime you make it more challenging, use higher value rewards than the forbidden object.Leave-it should be used to teach your pet that something is off limits. Use this game with paper towels, pens, shoes, baby toys, garbage, human food and anything else your pet is not allowed to have.

Leave It - Do not allow the dog to approach the treat after the Leave-It cue has been given. You do not want to teach the dog that “Leave It” means to ignore it just for a second then rush in to take It.

Take It - Remember to always bring the treat to the dog when you say “Take It.” The biggest mistake people make when they start presenting their open hand is pulling it away as the dog tries to grab the treat. The dog will not learn to back away if you do this. Watch closely to see the dog learning to back away each time you say “Leave It.” Also, make sure you are giving the Leave-It cue as you present your hand. It is too late for the dog to stop her forward movement if you present your hand first and then say “Leave It.”Drop-It - teaching your dog to drop whatever they have in their mouth Leave-It – teaching your dog that something is off limits and forbidden. Once you teach your dog to leave something, make sure to limit their access to the item(s) so they do not learn they can ignore your request. Critical in Anti-Counter Surfing.