Dog Training Tip: Leave It

Here at Leash Your Fitness we want to be sure our doggies are the best behaved dogs around!  Recently, we took an Advanced Obedience class through the amazing trainers at Pawtopia. Each month we will share a new dog training tip that will help while working out with your pup!

This month: “Leave it”

It’s very important during our workouts to have our dog’s full attention. We need to be able to pull them away from distractions at any moment.  So, Leave It becomes an extremely useful command.  To master Leave It, use the following steps:

1. Start by just saying “Leave It” 5 times and give a treat to your dog each time you say those words.

2. Then, walk around with your dog.  When they find a distraction (a smell in the grass, another dog, a bicycle, etc.) say “Leave It” with a loose leash and calm voice.  If they do not turn towards you, give a leash correction and firmly say “NO”.  Note: a leash correction is a tug on the leash enough to get your dog’s attention but not meant to hurt them.

3. Repeat the loose leash/”Leave It” and the leash correction/”NO” until they look at you. When they do, give LOTS of praise and give a treat. IMPORTANT: you want your dog to completely leave the distraction, not just turn towards you for the treat then back to their business.  So, make your dog walk towards you/away from the distraction to retrieve their treat.

4. If the dog takes the treat from your hand firmly say “NO” and pull it from their mouth as if it were poison – someday it really COULD be something poisonous to them!

5. The most common mistake is pulling the leash and saying “Leave It” at the same time – it’s instinct to try to pull them away from what they shouldn’t have!  It’s important to break this habit and only correct when saying “NO”.  During the command the leash should always be loose.  Practice this with minimal distractions and slowly advance to greater and greater distractions.

Good luck!