LEAVE

Leave means -  ‘leave it, it is boring, pay attention to me I am exciting and rewarding’

As a consequence Leave is a gently spoken command and the dog is verbally rewarded as well as being rewarded e.g. food, play

Remember, the more important the item you are asking the dog to leave is to the dog, the greater the payment you will have to offer.

Would you leave your pen for someone who said please and offered you £2.00?

Would you leave your car for the same price?? I suspect not, but you would for £20,000

STEPS TO TRAINING THE LEAVE

Hold a piece of food in your fingers, as the dog approaches gently say ‘leave’ and close your hand

As your dog retracts its head. Say ‘Good Leave, Take it’ and give the dog the food

When the dog is clear that it has to move its head away from the food in your hand in order to obtain it move to the next stage.

Holding the food in the fingers of your right hand, hold your right arm out to the right. As the dog goes to take the food, say ‘leave’. If the dog  does not move his head away close your fingers and repeat the command. When it moves its head away, bring the food back to your lap (crotch) and tell the dog to ‘take it’ and give it the food……Making the dog come to your lap for the food. When the dog is clear on this move to the next stage.

Repeat in terms of holding the food out to the right. Say ‘leave’ and make some sort of distraction to get the dog to look at you, such as scratch the top of your head.

When the dog looks at you tell it, it is a ‘good dog’, bring the food back to your lap and tell the dog to ‘take it’.

Build up the length of time the dog will look at you, say 10 seconds. Whilst the dog is looking at you say "good dog". If it looks at the food repeat the "leave" command.

When the dog is clear move on to the next stage.

Put some fairly boring object on the floor. As the dog approaches/sniffs the object; gently ask it to ‘leave’ as the dog looks at you verbally praise it, entice it back to you and reward from your hand in your lap with ‘take it’ and a treat.

Repeat with a variety of boring objects.

Once the dog understands this, it may go and sniff the item and return to you. if  you have not said ‘leave’ do not reward the dog rather ignore it. We wish the dog to learn that ‘leave’ is the cue and that you are in control

Practice this stage on a variety of items in a variety of places; e.g. ‘leave’ as you approach a bush and reward the dog as it looks at you.

Once this is going well go on to the next stage

Go back to a quiet area and repeat stages using a variety of more interesting things such as toys.

Then practice in a variety of areas. When this is going well go on to the next stage

Back in a quiet area. Start silly games.

Handler keeps dogs attention using food/toys. Dog should be kept facing the handler –i.e. food/ toys in lap area. As long as the dog is concentrating verbally praise it in a fairly excitable voice.

Silly person should be moving about waving hands, doing the can-can. Judge the activity by the dogs response build up the level as the dog responds to the leave.

RULE: Silly person is not to call the dog or say its name.

If the dog breaks away from the handler the silly person is to stop immediately and totally ignore the dog ( no eye contact) and only resumes once the handler has the dog under control.

If the dog should look at the silly person the handler should gently say ‘leave’ and regain the dogs attention and reward verbally and keep attention e.g. with titbits

If dog breaks away, lure the dog back, using rewards and repeating the command ‘leave’

Practice in a variety of areas with a variety of silly games