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Teaching your dog to "leave it" is one of the most useful commands you can train. It tells your dog not to touch or take something you want left alone. This can help keep your dog from getting into things he shouldn't, like food left on a table or chemicals that could make him sick. With consistency and positive reinforcement, you can train your dog to resist his natural instincts and leave tempting items alone. So, how to teach a dog to leave it? Continue to read and we will share some tips with you.
Choose a Reward
First, you’ll need to choose a reward to motivate your dog during training. Small, tasty dog treats work well, just make sure they are soft enough that you can quickly give your dog several in a row. You want the reward to be extra enticing to capture your dog’s focus. You can also use a favorite toy or access to play as potential rewards.
Start Small
Don’t start by trying to get your dog to leave a juicy steak. That sets the bar too high in the early stages of training this behavior. Start with less tempting items that your dog is unlikely to get too excited about, such as a toy or dry kibble. This is quite important if you are training an aggressive dog.
Put the Item on the Floor
With your dog on a leash so he can’t reach the item, place it on the floor in front of him. Let him look at it for a few seconds, but don’t let him touch or eat it. Say your cue word or phrase, like “leave it.” Popular options include “leave it,” “off,” or “don’t touch.”
Reward Non-Interest
As soon as your dog looks away from the item or back to you, reward him enthusiastically with dog treats and praise. You want to reinforce any flicker of disinterest in the item on the floor. Be ready to reward your dog quickly in the early stages of training before he loses focus.
Increase Difficulty Slowly
Gradually make the exercise more challenging. For example, let your dog look at the item for longer before rewarding him for looking away, or place it closer to him on the floor. Go slowly though and set your dog up for success by keeping the temptation level manageable. If at any point your dog tries to grab the item, cover it with your foot or quickly pull it out of reach to avoid reinforcing the wrong behavior.
Add Cue and Build Duration
Once your dog is reliably looking away from low-value items on cue, start adding your verbal “leave it” cue as he turns his attention away. Over many short dog training sessions, work up to giving the verbal cue first and then rewarding your dog for obediently leaving tempting items alone. This is where obedience training would come into play. Gradually increase the amount of time your dog must leave the item alone before getting a food reward.
Practice Every Day
Daily short dog training sessions of just 5-10 minutes each can help reinforce the “leave it” behavior. Practice in different locations both inside and outside the home to ensure your dog understands the cue in different environments when distractions and temptations will be different.
Fade the Food Reward
Over time, you want your dog to learn to obey “leave it” just because you said it, not because you’re holding a tasty treat. Once your dog has the behavior down solidly and consistently leaves tempting items alone on just the verbal cue, you can start to wean off frequent food rewards and shift to a random reinforcement model. Reward your dog with food sometimes for obeying on cue, but not every single time. Use praise consistently no matter what.
Test with Real-Life Scenarios
Proof your dog training by having it leave actual tempting items he may encounter in day-to-day life. For example, drop a piece of food from the counter while cooking and tell him to leave it. Supervise carefully and reward success. Don’t test him initially with something so overwhelmingly tempting he can’t possibly resist, however. Set your dog up for achievement in the learning process.
Be Patient!
Some dogs will readily catch on to “leave it” in just a session or two, while it may take other weeks of daily practice. Remain calm, consistent and patient with your dog during the training process. If you get frustrated, he’ll pick up on that energy and it can impede his progress. Keep training sessions upbeat and rewarding. With regular short bursts of positive reinforcement training, your dog will learn this command reliably.
Why Teach “Leave It”
There are countless real-world applications for a solid “leave it” behavior. You can prevent your dog from:
1) Eating food that could make him sick, like chocolate.
2) Getting into the trash can or compost pile and making a huge mess.
3) Running off with dirty laundry to chew apart your favorite shirt or bra.
4) Grabbing tissues to destroy and spread around the house.
5) Snatching dropped medication tablets that could seriously harm him.
6) Going for food kids drop on the floor that isn’t good for your dog.
Final Words
Now you know how to teach a dog to leave it. A well-trained “leave it” command helps dog parents manage their curious canines that are prone to putting anything and everything in their mouths! It’s an essential cue for any dog to learn about health, safety and harmony in the home. With continued reinforcement, your dog can master this behavior, and you’ll find it extremely useful on a daily basis.
