The couple threads on dog barking made me want to post this great exercise. It's easy, it's fun for the dog and it's applicable to your every day life with your dog.
I use it a few times a day. For things like; approaching other dogs, human food I've dropped on the floor, people I do not want them to approach, in general anything that I do not want them to be near/touch.
Before I explain how you teach it, I'll explain the outcome: I drop a piece of ham onto the floor in my kitchen. The dogs are standing there because they smell the meat, and as I'm sure many of you experience everday, they're waiting for something, ANYTHING to drop! LOL
I say, "leave it!", both of my dogs, move AWAY from the meat! Yes, they move AWAY, without eating it!
HOw you teach it:
1. Have piece of hot dog or any yummy treat cut it into small pieces.
2. Have your dog sit. Take three pieces and put it into your hand. Say, in a low, deep tone, firmly "Leave it!", and put your CLOSED hand in front of your dogs face. DO NOT repeat the command, from now on you won't be saying anything, so ZIP IT!
The dog will most likely, lick your hand, gnaw on it try to open your hand etc. Do not say anything. If they move even for a second away from your hand, open it. They'll rush in to try and get the treat, close your hand quick! If you catch their whiskers or tongue great!
The first time, it can take up to 10 minutes. WHen the dog is not approaching the food, even with your open palm, take a piece out of your hand, look at it for a second, then say "take it", and PUT the food into your dogs mouth.
Repeat, repeat repeat!
When the dog understands this part of the exercise:
You know that your dog understands the exercise, when you open your palm, say "leave it", and they turn their head away, or physically get up and move.
Now you can move it to the floor. Now this is the exact same as in your hand, but it helps your dog understand that when you say leave it, it doesn't matter where the object is. In your hand, on the floor (for fallen foods/treats/pills etc) on the table etc. They are to leave it.
Have your dog sit, or lie down. Place three pieces of food right in front of them on the floor, and say "leave it". Now if the dog already has their face at the food, cover it up with your hands. If they move in the slightest away, uncover the food, but be ready to cover it back up!
As always, do NOT repeat the command "leave it", you say it only once and it's for the dog to figure it out on their own. That's part of what makes this method so solid. The dog has to use their own head to figure out how to get the treat.
When the dog begins to move away in the slightest from the food, reward! "good leave it!' good boy!" inspect a piece of food and then "take it", and place it in their mouth.
So that's how you begin training for take it/leave it. There are many other ways to teach it, and this is not neccesarily the fastest way, other methods repeat commands, make it hard to access the food etc.
But the reason I like this method the best, is it's left to the dog to understand/figure it out. In the end, I find it's a more solid "leave it", showing more avoidance than those that have been led/guided/set up to suceed.
There are more parts after this, that I use to proof the command, if you'd like to hear them, let me know!
This post has got long enough as it is! LOL
