Leave It
This is a command that tells your dog to leave something alone.
Overview
The "Leave it" command helps keep your dog away from things they shouldn't have, such as food on countertops or dangerous items like chicken bones. It's also useful for situations where your dog is fixated on another dog or person.
Situational Examples:
Food or Objects: If food or a tempting object falls on the floor, say “Leave it” and ask your dog to back away.
Other Dogs: Teach your dog to stay away from another dog that is eating, playing, or guarding an item like a toy or bed. Also, train them to avoid staring and maintain a comfortable distance from the guarding dog.
Turn-taking: When one dog is getting attention, petting, or playing with a toy, other dogs should leave it and go to their own bed or space.
During Treats: When one dog is getting a treat, others should leave it and stay away from the treat.
Meal Time: Teach your dog to go to their bed when people are eating, instead of guarding under the table.
Videos
Teach Leave It
Learn the first steps in teaching a dog to leave it.
Session 1 - Build Look Away Behavior
Session 2 - Naming “Leave It” When Hand is Presented
Session 3 - Naming “Leave It” With Food on Floor
Session 4 - Advancing & Testing
Session 5 - Surprise Floor Exercise
Session 5 - Outside Floor Surprise Exercise
Leave It Challenge
How to Teach Leave It
Steps
Phase 1 - Acquisition (Learning and Luring)
Start with a Treat in Your Hand: Hold a treat in your hand, fist closed and place it near your dog. They should show interest and try to get it.
Wait for a Movement Away: Don’t move your hand. Wait until your dog gives the slightest movement away from the treat. Mark and reward from your other hand immediately. The key is to never reward them with the treat you told them to leave, so they understand the game isn’t just about pausing.
Use High-Value Treats for Rewards: Reward with treats that are equal or of higher value than the one they’re leaving behind.
Gradually Increase Criteria: Repeat the process but gradually wait for bigger and bigger head movements away from your hand before marking and rewarding.
Phase 2 - Automatic (Motivation)
Name the Behavior: Once your dog reliablyignores or moves away from your hand, you can introduce the cue. Say “Leave it” and then present your hand with the treat. Mark and reward with your other hand when they leave it.
Switch Hands: Repeat with the other hand for more practice.
Open Hand Presentation: Present your hand open (palm facing the dog). As soon as your dog ignores or looks away, mark and reward. If they attempt to grab the treat, close your hand and wait for them to look away, then mark and reward.
Move Hand Towards Dog: Once they are reliably ignoring the treat, say “Leave it,” present the open hand, and start moving it toward them. If they move away or don’t go toward it, mark and reward.
Generalize the Behavior: Do these steps with both hands and in different environments to reinforce the behavior.
Table Exercise
Setup: Place treats on a table, coffee table, or counter, ideally on a plate. Stay within arm's reach so you can cover the treats if needed.
Command: When your dog shows interest, say "Leave it." If they look away or hesitate, mark and reward with a treat. It can be the treat on the table or one from you.
Correction: If they go for the treats, say “Nope” and cover the food or use a leash to stop them. Once they stop trying to get the food, mark and reward with a treat.
Progress: When your dog successfully ignores the treats 5/5 times on the first attempt, increase the distance between yourself and the table. If needed, ask someone for help to protect the food or keep your dog on a leash.
Floor or Ground Exercise
Setup: Place food, trash, or any tempting object on the ground.
Command: When your dog notices the object, say "Leave it." Reward any response of looking away from the item.
Correction: If they go for the item, say “Nope” and use a leash to stop them.
Distance: Begin by passing the object at a safe distance where your dog cannot reach it. Gradually reduce the distance as your dog improves.
Progress: Continue practicing with various objects on the ground, rewarding your dog for responding to the “Leave it” command. Ensure your dog stays far enough from the object to avoid temptation while building their response.
Spontaneous Floor Surprise Exercise
Setup: Put your dog in a separate area where they can't see you. Place tempting food items on the floor in another room.
Training: Walk into the room with your dog, just as if the food has always been there. Follow the Floor or Ground exercise steps.
Reinforce: This helps your dog learn that "Leave it" applies even when food is already out, without prior interaction from you.
Goal: Your dog will understand that the "Leave it" command is consistent, regardless of how the food appears.
Week 1 Homework
Practice Phase 1 and 2 every day 1-2x a day of getting them to leave your hand alone. These sessions should be focused just on leave it so they don’t get confused about following your hand lure like with other training.
Some dogs take a little longer to get it so that’s where your marking timing of that exact moment they move just a little bit away from your hand is so important.
You should be at a place where you can say “Leave it” present your hand and they either ignore it or actively avoid it.
Week 2 Homework
This week you will work on leaving objects that are on the ground. Start by having them leave food in your hand to warm them up.
Then say “Leave it” and place food on the ground (or toss it). Make sure they can’t get to it and mark and reward them from your other hand when they stop trying to go for it or if they already ignored it.
Week 3 Homework
Once they are reliably leaving items that you set down or toss then you can start working on generalizing “Leave It” to mean any object. You can play the floor exercises, table exercises, and while out on walks (bushes, sticks, squirrels, etc.)