Tuesday Training Byte: Teaching your dog to "leave it"

This is such a useful command and applicable for many situations. For the therapy dog tests and upper level Rally, there may be food present in a dish on the floor that the dog must walk by and ignore. We certainly don't want our pups to scarf up a pill dropped accidentally or a chicken bone. I start this training with something less enticing, but safe like a few pieces of dog kibble. I hold them in my hand in front of me and keep them secure so the pup may lick and paw but not get to the treats. Once he gives up on it, I say leave it, then mark the good behavior and offer a better treat from my other hand out to my side. I repeat this process three or four times, saying "leave it" just as I see my pup start to give up trying to get it. Then I reward from the other hand so my dog actually has to step away from the original treat. Most dogs figure this out rather quickly, but we must make sure he is not able to get it out of our hand nor do we let him have it from that hand. We can introduce the word "take it" when we offer the treat for the reward of leaving the food when told. The next day put out a very small dish on the floor with nothing in it. As you walk by it with your leashed dog, tell him to leave it , making sure he cannot reach the empty bowl. If he looks up at you, praise him and mark the good behavior with a "yes!" and treats from your other hand away from the bowl. Put your dog in the crate or have someone else hold his leash while you place a few treats in the bowl. Walk your dog a slight distance by the bowl while saying leave it. Get your dog to turn away from it, praise him and give treats. Practice heeling on leash doing a figure eight around two bowls on the floor. One bowl has a toy, the other has treats. If your dog is a chow hound, put the treats in the bowl you are circling clockwise- with you between the pup and the bowl, and the toy or less enticing item is in the bowl you circle going counter-clockwise. You must make sure that your dog cannot reach the treats or toy! Then walk a couple of steps away and treat your pup from your hand saying take it. When I drop something and my dog is right there, I tell him to leave it as I pick it up. Then we go get a biscuit to reward his good work. Happy training!