The Leave It Command
You'll teach your dog the leave it command with treats, and then transfer the meaning to other things he would otherwise pursue with abandon if unimpeded by your command. During the process of teaching your dog to “leave it” on command, you'll also teach your dog to “take it” on command, so this is really a two-for-one lesson deal.
In the Beginning
To start, you're going to teach leave it as a food refusal exercise. You're going to need lots of soft, pea-sized treats, so make sure you have them ready before you start your training session.
The following shows the procedure to follow:
Hold 1 treat pinched between your thumb and index finger, say, “Take it,” and give your dog the treat. Repeat 3 times.
On the next repetition, present the treat as before, but don't tell your dog to take it. Hold the treat securely, so your dog can smell it but can't get it. Keep your hand as still as possible and let your dog do whatever he wants, short of chomping on you. If he does, boink him lightly right under his nose with the fingers that have the treat in them.
Wait for your dog to give up trying to get the treat, even if the only reason he does is to check the floor to see if you dropped the treat.
The moment he stops trying to get the treat, insert the command and CR, “Leave it! Yes! Good leave it.” Say “take it” and give him the treat. Repeat 5 times
On the next repetition, say, “Leave it” as you present the treat.
CR/treat if he immediately backs away from the treat. If not, don't repeat the leave it command; just wait until he gives up trying to get the treat again and insert your command as you've been doing, then try again.
As soon as your dog is readily leaving the treat, raise your criteria so he also has to give you eye contact before you CR/treat. Make a tiny noise to get him started if you need to.
When your dog is leaving the treat immediately upon command and giving and maintaining eye contact with you, it's time to move to the next step.
Good timing is essential for this exercise, both to insert the command at the exact right time, and to CR/treat your dog for getting it right. Practice some of the timing exercises in Chapter 5 to help you help your dog be successful quickly.
Now You See It
For the next step in the “leave it” teaching process, you're going to move the treat from between your pinched fingers to the palm of your hand, so your dog can see, not just smell, what he's leaving. The first few sessions, you can start with a couple of repetitions of “leave it,” as he already knows it, with the treat pinched between your fingers. On the third repetition, instead of pinching the treat, place it on your open palm, and bring it down to, or a little lower than, your dog's nose level. Say, “Leave it” as he sees the treat. If he backs away and gives you eye contact, immediately CR/treat. If he can't resist the sight of the treat and tries to get it, quickly close your hand around it. Do not tell him “no” or jerk your hand away. Just close your hand around the treat, and if you catch a whisker or lip in your fist with it, poor puppy, he should have listened! As soon as your dog stops trying to get the treat from your closed hand, open it so he can see the treat again. CR/treat or close your hand again, depending on what he does. Make sure you only CR/treat when he is making the choice to leave the treat and look at you when your hand is open. If your hand is closed around the treat, he's not leaving it; you're just preventing him from getting it. Repeat 5 times per session. When your dog doesn't even think about looking at the treat in your open hand after you've said, “Leave it,” you're ready to move on to the next step.
