# How to teach "leave it"



## jencarr (Apr 21, 2009)

Does anyone have steps to teaching "leave it"? I have never used this command but I think it may be helpful with Jackson on walks. I would like to be able to use it for things such as to not pick up trash, to not pay attention to squirrels, to not bark at the old man watering his lawn, etc...


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## emjworks05 (May 30, 2008)

This is how my trainer is teaching me to teach my pup "leave it"
My trainer said that you should always let your pup make his/her own decision if they want to leave it when you told them to the first time then they will get praised if they did as told if not then you reprimand.
1) Tell them to "leave it", whatever it is they were told to leave
2) Let them make their own decision if they are going to leave it or not, if they go at whatever you told them to leave then give them a pop with the leash and tell them "leave it".
3) It's all about repetition, you have to be consistent when teaching something new eventually they will get it.
We have been working with my pup on the "leave it" command and shes got it down, now all I have to say is "leave it" and she does exactly that. I hope this helps.


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## clfike (Mar 20, 2009)

We started in obedience doing this on leash. Tempt him with something, use the "leave it" command and make a correction (very quick tug of leash) if he doesn't pay attention. They catch on pretty quick. As far as the barking, we use the "out" command. That includes excessive whining. Timber just finished his private obedience lessons and started group. 

That's my 2 cents anyway. There are many different training methods out there. Our obedience trainer has been breeding and training GSDs for 30 years and trains police dogs also. Good luck!


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## clfike (Mar 20, 2009)

Looks like we were typing at the same time Jessica.


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## jencarr (Apr 21, 2009)

What is the "out" command? Jackson is a HUGE whiner. He barks a lot, too. When I say "out" the dogs think it is time to go outside so I may have to use something different.


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## mastercabman (Jun 11, 2007)

I used treats.
Start with a treat in your hand and put a treat on the floor.
When he tries to eat the treat,cover it with one hand and give a firm command :"LEAVE IT" If he backs up or leaves the treat give him a treat(the one in your hand)and then pick up the one on the floor.Then reapeat.
It worked for me very quick,but be firm with the commands.


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## victoria_warfel (Nov 29, 2007)

What I teach (it works by the third try) - 
(1) have a treat in each hand, make your hand into a fist so the dog cannot get the treat, usually hot dog in one and kibble in the other. 
(2) hide the hot dog hand behind your hand. Offer your kibble fist to your dog (I squat down or sit down with them, so I am at their level and they are not jumping at me). He will nose at it and try to get to it. When he turns his head away "Good boy!" and pull the kibble hand towards you while you give him the hot dog from the hidden fist. 
(3) get another hot dog piece and repeat. 
(4) when he pulls his head away from the kibble fist on his own and looks at you, mark with "Leave it! Good boy!" and offer hot dog fist.
(5) once he knows "Leave it" try with other things, and wean off the treats. Keep the praise "Good boy" or pet, and occasionally treat or play.
Things to remember - don't give him the kibble, only the hot dog, in the beginning.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Excellent videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNAOe1djDyc&feature=PlayList&p=F09632A4A4BD3DDC&index=2

I use this method, but when I put food on the floor I don't use a leash, I start by sitting on the floor with the puppy and use my hand to cover it if necessary, and work up to being able to stand, using my foot to cover the food if puppy lunges towards it. When you start doing it in motion, you pretty much need to use a leash. 

Another great video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipT5k1gaXhc


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## clfike (Mar 20, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: JenCWhat is the "out" command? Jackson is a HUGE whiner. He barks a lot, too. When I say "out" the dogs think it is time to go outside so I may have to use something different.


"Out" is the command my trainer teaches for excessive barking/whining and barking at other dogs while out (no pun intended.)









You say it in a firm, growly, deep voice very quickly "Out!". If they don't stop, make a leash correction. Always wait for them to stop on their own first though, with a "good boy/girl" if they stop.


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## jencarr (Apr 21, 2009)

Thanks for all the advice. I am excited to start teaching him something new! 
Any advice to help with barking outside off leash? This one is tough because we have a fenced yard and he barks at the neighbors and/or their dogs if they dare to come outside. Very embarrasing - especially at 6:00 in the morning!


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## clfike (Mar 20, 2009)

That's where the "out" command would come in really handy.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

If you are teaching the dog from scratch then you do NOT want to use corrections right off the bat. Corrections should ONLY come into play when the dog KNOWS what you ask and refuses.

So, here's how I do it. I put the dog on leash, place a treat on the floor and have a better treat in my hand. I let the dog approach the treat on the floor and see it but not get to it. When the dog is focused on the treat I say LEAVE IT and wait.

I wait - however long it takes - for the dog to turn back and look at ME. At that instant I say GOOD LEAVE IT!! and reward using the treat in my hand.

I NEVER let them have that treat on the floor. That way they know they never get to have whatever it is I said to leave alone. I may pick it up and give it to them but they never get to take it themselves.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Oh Lauri Thank YOU!! I've been trying to figure out how to teach leave it on the floor and take it only from my hand more efficiently. I think that's the ticket.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Michelle, did you watch the videos I posted?


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: Cassidys MomMichelle, did you watch the videos I posted?


I watched the first one. Ok, I fast forwarded through it.









I don't see the point in how she starts - by using the food-in-the-hands technique and then moving to what I described. Why not go right to what I described?

And, like I said, I prefer my dogs to know that they NEVER get to take the thing I told them to leave. I think it's less confusing for them.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Cassidys MomMichelle, did you watch the videos I posted?


No. Not yet. I'll do that later. Have a vet for the horse coming tonight.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Lauri & The Gang
> And, like I said, I prefer my dogs to know that they NEVER get to take the thing I told them to leave. I think it's less confusing for them.


That's what I want Jax to learn. She anticipates my next command (always) so if I do it any other way I don't think it will work for her and it has to be very, very consistent. I've already yelled at a few people for throwing food on the ground for her to eat. I don't think they like me anymore.


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## adas (Nov 22, 2008)

Aloha, here is a simple clicker one on YouTube that I like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i-L3-gqWic

frank


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

I always start teaching leave it with food in my hand and work up to food on the floor, but I guess it's a personal choice. By the time the food is on the floor they already have the general concept and I don't need to use the leash to keep them from getting the food, I can body block or simply cover it with my foot if necessary until they back off and look up at me, and then I mark and treat from my hand. I prefer to do most of my training at home off leash so normally I can't rely on collars and leashes to restrain the dog. When I'm working on leave it with food in the hand I don't use THAT food to reward, I treat from the other hand, and the "leave it" food goes back in the bag at the end of the exercise, of if I'm using something different like a dog biscuit, I put it away until the next training session. No confusion because they don't get whatever they were supposed to leave alone once I've given the leave it command. 

I also like the second link, which is not really a leave it per se because you never give the dog a command - instead she calls it an impulse control exercise. I like to think of it as a default leave it, where they learn that food - in your hand, on the floor, whatever, is not available unless you give it to them, you don't have to specifically ASK them not to take it. Sort of like the difference between eye contact on cue, and attention as a default behavior without having to always ask for it. Both are good skills to teach. 

In this exercise they DO get the food in your hand, (or picked up off the floor), but only when you actually give it to them, they may never just take it on their own, nor are they ever released to take it. They must back away from the food in your hand in order for the hand to open. They must control their impulse to dive for the food or the hand closes again. As long as they remain backed away from the food you slowly feed it to them, piece by piece. Halo often ate much of her lunch kibble this way.

I don't think this is confusing either, at least it hasn't been for my dogs, and it should not degrade your leave it command because you never give a command, the dog is responsible for making the right choice. Leave it still means you don't get that thing, ever, but the presence of food comes to mean you may not have it unless I give it to you, it's an implied command. And it gets much more challenging, to the point where dog is heeling around containers of food, going in and out of the crate right over food on the floor, and treats are being bounced off their heads. The dog only gets any of the food if you pick it up and give it to him.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

my trainer used a very simple method for teaching leave
and there was no leash popping or quick pulls on the leash.
she simply placed a treat or food on the ground. she walked my dog to the treat. as my dog went for the treat she turned him away from it saying leave it. once he caught on i would place a treat or food on the floor and tell him to get it. when he got close to the treat i would say leave it and he would. leave it
really comes in handy.

for barking and whining i taught my dog "quiet" and "no barking".
he obeys either command.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Lauri...I worked with Jax on this last night. She seemed to get the idea quickly. last night I only had horse treats but tonight we'll work on hotdogs!!


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Michelle - how's the training going?


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## StarryNite (Jun 2, 2009)

With Lulu it has been pure repitition. I treated at first but don't treat for it now that she has it down. I basically watched her like a hawk every moment and the moment she either picked up something she shouldn't or went to sniff something she shouldn't I would say "leave it!" and either go take the item or pull her away from sniffing, after doing this morning to night every day for a few weeks now even if she has something she really wants in her mouth I say "leave it!" and she drops it immediately. I also did the treats where I would put a piece of chicken in front of her nose with another in my other hand hidden and treat her with the hidden one when she left the first one alone. I learned that one on "It's me or the dog" on discovery channel, that show has some great training tips, moreso than dog whisperer as far as practical IMO.


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## gnusounduave (Apr 20, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Emjworks05This is how my trainer is teaching me to teach my pup "leave it"
> My trainer said that you should always let your pup make his/her own decision if they want to leave it when you told them to the first time then they will get praised if they did as told if not then you reprimand.
> 1) Tell them to "leave it", whatever it is they were told to leave
> 2) Let them make their own decision if they are going to leave it or not, if they go at whatever you told them to leave then give them a pop with the leash and tell them "leave it".
> ...


This is exactly how I taught my GSD how to "leave it" while walking on a leash. Even if she picks something up that I didn't notice she knows how to "drop it" when told to 100% of the time.

Oh and I also practice "leave it" with treats. Funny thing is i taught her "leave it" on the leash before the treats so when we moved that into her training routine with treats she knew what was expected from the first time we tried it.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Lauri & The GangMichelle - how's the training going?


I've been so busy at the stables, the garden, strawberries that I haven't carried on with it. Tonight I'll be home and will have to start over with her.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

This is interesting! All these different methods. I've seen it taught three ways. All positive. I can't see the videos so apologize if repeating anything. 

First way, food scattered on the ground, better food in hand. Use the heel command to walk through the food with the dog, tell the dog to leave it and give the higher value treat for doing so. Using voice (happy) and relationship are key in this method and since Bella was not food motivated at the time, she had no problem with her and this method. My other dogs would have had a harder time. 

Second way, in our therapy dog/CGC class, they would line up 3 leave it items-starting with three really low value items that dogs really don't care about. And just walk past telling them to leave it, good leave it, treat. Each class the leave it items got more interesting-including a piece of kleenex, McDonald's, moving toys at the end. But since the dogs were building up, the better distractions didn't phase them as they had already learned the leave it with such low value items. This was with Ava and she's much more into food, kleenex, etc. It really set her up to succeed. 

Third way, this was Bella again, and in an advanced class (she won the Leave It competition







on the last day of class) the item was food, and as the dog went to get it, you would take your treat and lure the dog's nose toward you with it so that-and this is what I loved-not only were they leaving it they learned to look to you as soon as you said the words leave it. So it became, as the behavior got shaped, the command leave it-dog looks up at you-treat. So now not only are they leaving it, they are focused on you. 

So I combine methods-I use the really low value items to start, and lure with good treat to get them to look at me. Then we work on higher values and treat gauntlets.

I want my leave its to be rock solid. Ilsa and Bruno were playing catch with a rabbit that had unfortunately wiggled into the yard-I yelled out leave it and they ran to me for their better treat. Bruno is a rodent hunter by nature (Schip mix) and Ilsa has high prey drive. So the positive really works even on these guys. 

-I always train it positively. 
-They never get the leave it item. 
-We have fun with it-we play leave it games from time to time. 
-A correction for leave it is-once the behavior is trained and truly learned-does happen if the dog makes a mistake-but they are good about it (Mario needs some work, I will admit). 

Our leave it item the other night: 









Ilsa and Mario followed me while I helped the toad leave the fenced yard-so it was very tempting to them-but they didn't touch it. Even Mario!


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

oh thank you Patti. The treat gauntlet gives me something to work towards. I dropped an advil last night and had to tell her twice, as I was diving for it, to Leave It. Stay and Leave It are the top two commands I need her to be solid on. I think those are the ones that could potentially save her life someday.


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## StarryNite (Jun 2, 2009)

LOL Jean, re: frog pic! Reminds me of when our border collie was outside playing with a frog (gently) and we called her in, so she ran by us with this guilty look in her eyes to her bed and my boyfriend at the time and I just looked at each other and he said "was that a frog leg coming out of her mouth?" so we ran in the bedroom and there was Shadow laying on the bed with this guilty smiley looking face staring at us and then she kept darting her eyes to the corner of her bed like she was hoping she was getting away with it. Sure enough the frog came hopping out from under her bed, completely unharmed! She just wanted to bring it inside to play with







One of the funniest things I ever saw! If you saw her face.... LOL


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

that is too funny!! *L*


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