The ‘Leave It’ command is one of the most important things you can teach your pup. You might tell her to ‘Leave It’ when you accidentally drop food on the floor, ‘Leave it’ when she tries to investigate a spider or snake, ‘Leave It’ when she wants to approach an unknown dog while on a walk, and ‘Leave it’ to any other objects you wish for her to steer clear from. I’m going to share with you how to teach ‘Leave It’.
When beginning to teach ‘Leave It’, think of it like a trade. Grab a boring flavored treat, like her kibble, and a supper yummy, smelly treat like a hot dog. Now that you’re ready to start your training session, take your pup to a quiet space in your home with the least amount of distractions.
Hold the boring kibble in one hand, making a fist. She is going to sniff your hand, and when she does, say ‘Leave It’ once and wait for her to stop sniffing. Use your marker word “yes” or a clicker to mark when she stops sniffing and reward her with the yummy treat.
After however many repetitions it takes for your pup to understand what ‘Leave It’ means, start practicing by placing the kibble on the floor and saying, ‘Leave It’. Cover the kibble with your hand when she goes to sniff it. Once she stops sniffing, you will mark it and treat with the yummy treat. Keep repeating these steps until she has a solid understanding that if she ‘Leaves It’, she’ll get something even better!
Over time, you’re going to add in more distractions. If your pup doesn’t ‘Leave It’ to an object, take a step back in your training and work your way up or ask to speak with our Lodge & Learn trainer. Leave the work to us, ‘Leave It’ is included in our training curriculum.
Until next week…Well Wishes and Puppy Kisses!
XOXO,
Baelyn
At Pawderosa Ranch we welcome all dogs to come play and stay with us! Each rancher is cared for by a specialized staff who understand the benefits of dog daycare and lodging and who are passionate about making Pawderosa Ranch the best dog boarding in San Antonio. We can’t wait to see your pup!
