How to Teach Dogs the Leave It Command

The leave it command is possibly the most important command you could ever teach your dog. Whether a stray cat crosses your path or she finds a poisonous chocolate bar, it can save her life or prevent you from being dragged down dark allies. You can successfully teach a puppy the leave it command as early as three months.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 4-6 foot dog leash.
• Training treats cut into small pieces.

1. Put your dog on a sit or down command. Give her both a verbal and hand signal to stay. (Hand signal for stay is a flat, vertical, open hand with your palm facing the dog in her direct line of sight.)

2. Place a small treat a few feet in front of your dog and tell her to leave it. Keep hold of her leash the whole time. If she starts to get up or stretch to reach the treat, give a firm “uh uh” verbal correction.

3. After approximately 10 seconds of correctly leaving the treat alone, give her a slightly larger treat and verbal praise. “Yes!” “Good girl!” Give her a scratch or side pat. Young dogs crave attention and praise and will do almost anything to please you so long as that they understand what you want, so be clear.

4. Put your dog back on a stay and practice the leave it command again. Gradually work up the time to three minutes.

5. Step away a few inches each time as your dog becomes better at the command. Within a week or two, you should be able to let go of the leash or walk around the room. The learning curve will depend upon your dog’s age, breed, temperament, time spent practicing and knowledge of other commands. If your dog digresses or plateaus, go back a step so as that you will set her up to succeed.

6. As she progresses, substitute in more verbal and physical praise in lieu of treats. Favorite toys, can be used substituted for the “bait.” Also practice with distractions such as noise, people walking by, other pets, playing children, thrown balls, etc.

Tips & Warnings

• Always practice commands like "leave it" even after your dog has mastered the trick. If she doesn't practice, she will forget it.

Resources

• How to Raise a Happy and Healthy Dog
• How to Catch an Escaped Dog

[mvalora]

on 10/1/2009 You are right about how important this command is. Our corgi has it so ingrained that he won't even take a piece of meat dropped on the floor right in front of him if you tell him to leave it. 5* and a rec.