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Games Good Dogs Play: Leave It!
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The "leave it" game magically turns every opportunity your dog sees to be naughty into an opportunity for him to instead earn a reward! This helps keep your dog safe and helps keep you sane. It is amazing how many problems can be solved by teaching your dog this one simple command.
Since all training should be fun (because like people, dogs learn best when having fun) we teach this command by playing a fun game of skill. We begin by showing the dog an item we know he will want, (not offering it, just showing it!) restricting his access to it and rewarding him when he looks away from the item toward his handler. Although the game will be frustrating for your dog at first, he'll soon catch on and realize it's just one more way to earn a fun reward. With regular practice you can start to generalize and soon your dog will prefer the leave it game to the "eat it", "chase it", "hump it", or "jump all over it" games.
In this game, leave it means "whatever that is, forget about it, I have something better so look over here at me".
The Leave it Game: Beginner Level
Before You Begin
For this exercise you will need a small item that is moderately attractive to your dog and that you can easily hide in the palm of your hand. A bit of food perhaps, maybe a Cheerio or a mini carrot. You will also need many small bits of of treats that your dog goes wild for and a couple of toys your dog really loves, like a ball or a tug. If your dog is particularly mouthy and does not have good bite control, you may also want a pair of sturdy gardening gloves.
We are going to use a mini carrot in this example. (Most dogs love carrots, but not as much as cheese). We also have a bowl of small bits of chicken, cheese, liver, hotdogs, etc on a high counter out of your dog's reach and a toy or two sitting next to it.
Step 1
Show the mini carrot to your dog and palm it. When your dog goes for it say leave it and snap your palm closed. He may try to wrestle you for it, slobber all over your hand, paw your hand open, etc. Ignore him until he stops, sits and looks at you quizzically. Click or say "Good!" (or use whatever marking system you have to mean "yes, that's exactly what I wanted you to do" and you should have one). Put the forbidden item up on the counter and take down a piece of cheese, chicken, spam or liver, offer it to him and say "take it". Repeat 10-20 times.
Step 2
Switch hands. Repeat 10-20 times.
Step 3
Now start to mix it up. Switch hands frequently and don't give your dog a treat every time. Mix up his rewards. Sometimes toss the ball for him, or play tug with him for a minute or two. Sometimes just give him a good scratch while expounding on his brilliance and cuteness. Sometimes just acknowledge that he did good and move on. Do about 50 repetitions till you're sure he's got it, then wrap it up for the day.
Practice Practice Practice
The next day, repeat step 3 with a Cheerio. The day after that, repeat step 3 with some bread. The day after that, repeat step 3 with a toy (If you can fit it in your hand) and the day after that repeat step 3 with a dog biscuit.
Practice Some More!
Once your dog can do this indoors, go sit on your front porch with him and start over from step 1.
Notes: Give your dog a chance to be a good boy. Once he's not mauling your hand anymore, see if you can leave your hand open and still get him to forget about it. Smart dogs will soon look at the item in your hand and then look at you without even going for it. This is what you want and you should mark and reward this behavior. Do not try to encourage him to go after the item in this case. Really smart dogs will soon learn that the goal is to go after the item then stop- that's not what you're going for here!
Remember every time you give him something you want him to take, say "take it". This will teach him when it's appropriate and when it's not.
The Leave it Game: Intermediate Level
You will need all of the same things for this exercise as you need for the Beginner Level game plus you will need to be in stocking feet.
Step 1
Show your dog a bit of carrot and set it down on the floor next to you while saying "leave it". If he goes for it, cover it with your foot. Wait till he calms down, sits and looks at you, mark this behavior with a click or your reward marker word. Then bend down, casually pick up the bit of carrot and put it up on the shelf. Grab a bit of liver (or whatever) and offer it to your dog saying "take it". If your dog does NOT go for the carrot bit after you put it down, reward him and praise him thoroughly. That is exactly what you want. Do not encourage him further to go after it.Repeat 10-20 times
Step 2
Repeat step 1 with some more attractive items. A small toy, a doggie biscuit, a bit of kibble, etc. and mix up his rewards with treats, toys and praise.
Step 3
Walk around your house in stocking feet dropping random things and telling your dog to "leave it". Be prepared to cover the item with your foot quickly. If there is ANY chance your dog will get to it before you, joyously call out "take it". You must always win!
Leave it Game Advanced Level
Before you begin:
You will need a leash, a pocketful of treats and your clicker if you use one. It will help if your dog has decent leash manners to begin with but it's not a deal breaker if he doesn't.
Step 1
Take your dog for a walk in a place where you know there are lots of distractions. If he's a squirrel chaser take him to the park. If he goes ballistic when he sees another dog, take him past neighbors who you know keep dogs in their yard or walk him outside the fence at the dog park. If he is a car chaser, walk him along a moderately busy road. I will be referring to whatever distraction you choose as "the stimulus" from here on out.
Step 2
When your dog starts freaking out about the stimulus say "leave it" then stand stock still until your dog calms down and comes over to look at you. Mark him with a click or say "Good!" (or however you do it) and give him a reward, then continue the walk.
Alternately
When your dog starts freaking out about the stimulus say "leave it" then do an about face and walk away quickly as if your dog isn't even attached to you. He will eventually calm down and start walking at your side again. Mark this behavior and reward him.
Step 3
Continue these walks in different areas where the stimulus is present for about 20 minutes daily (preferably twice daily) alternating the two methods in step 2. Eventually your dog will hesitate and glance over at your before going nuts, mark and reward this behavior.
Notes: Deal with one stimulus at a time. Once your dog has learned to stop freaking out about squirrels, then you can move on to cars and so on. You will find it gets easier with each new stimulus and eventually your dog will start to generalize "leave it" to everything.
Leave It Game Elite
Once your dog has learned "leave it" reliably to the point where you don't even have to say "leave it" but when presented with a slice of pizza sliding from your plate the the floor, your dog will look up at you pleadingly rather than dive for the pizza, you can start letting him "take it". There is no harm in Fido eating the occasional bit of carrot that you dropped while making your salad but you want to make sure he doesn't eat the onion or grandma's medicine. So mix it up. Drop some stuff and say leave it, drop some other stuff and say take it. One at a time please.
You can even use this with other stimuli. For example, my dog loves to chase bugs. I can tell him "leave it" and he can wait patiently while I insure that the bug of the moment is not a bee or a wasp and then I can tell him "get it" and off he goes joyously ridding my house of flies and moths.
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