Leave It –
The "Leave It" cue is to be used when something (such as food or whatever) has fallen,
or peaked your puppies interest, and they need to leave it alone while you get it picked up,
or if you see something or someone that interests them while on your walks and you need to
get past it, etc.
So you see, this behavior is not only going to be used with food. That is just what we use to
start teaching it. It will also be used with slippers, things found along walks, accidentally
dropping your glasses on the floor (or the dog finding them on the table), and everything in between.
A Side Note: Telling your pup to move away from a turkey tidbit at one time will not prevent them from seeing a turkey tidbit later on and thinking "I should really leave that alone" If that happens, you have one of the smartest pups in the world!
Hold a “poison" treat in one hand, the "poison" treat is nothing but a regular treat. Place the reward treats in your other hand. Show your dog the "poison" treat. Place the treat on a chair, or floor, or... with your and over it so he can't actually get the treat. Let your dog try to get it, when he stops reward him with treat from other hand. When he starts leaving the poison treat, use the phrase “Leave It” as he turns away and gets the good treat from the other hand. Once he is totally leaving the "poison" treat hand alone, up the ante by placing it farther away and removing your hand. But be sure to cover it back up if your dog tries to get it. Next step is to have poison on floor, etc…
REMEMBER , YOUR DOG NEVER GETS THE “POISON” TREAT” – we don’t want to teach him that he can go back and get it later.
You can also start using this cue when you are out walking and you see your dog going towards something he shouldn’t have. Reward him for looking away from the object and/or coming back to you. The “Leave It” treat should be a better treat so you have good ammunition to battle with the dead birds, etc, he may find along the way.
Drop It - These two video tell it all
Preventing Toy Guarding in Puppies
