"Leave it" the Problem Solving Cue

The "Leave it" cue is a super power all dogs should have. "Leave it" teaches your dog to walk away from things they cannot have. Teaching your dog to walk away can be applied to most basic problem solving situations and can prevent problems before they begin. Leave it is often the first step to solving issues with barking, or stealing: when a dog takes something they are not supposed to have.

"Leave it" is taught in two simple steps. Step one is to grab a safe item the dog cannot have, such as a shoe or article of clothing. Let the dog sniff the item, tell them "Leave it", and wait until they no longer show interest in it. As soon as the dog pulls their head away from the item, reward them by telling them, "Yes! Good boy, good leave it." Practice step one 5 times. After the dog no longer shows interest in the items when told "leave it", switch to a new item such as food, and repeat the same steps. After successfully transferring the "leave it" cue to multiple items, continue to step two.

Step two will involve calling your dog away from the item after saying "leave it." This step is much easier with a partner. Have a partner hold onto the item and tell the dog "leave it." Once the dog pulls away from the item, encourage the dog to come to you from across the room by using an encouraging tone and only calling the dogs name. Once the dog has started towards you, away from the item, tell them, "Yes, good leave it." Practice this for 15 minutes at a time to make sure the dog has a clear understanding of the cue. After a few days of practice, the cue can be generalized by applying it to various items and scenarios.