What You’ll Need
- High-value treats (small, soft, pea-sized pieces)
- Two identical toys or treats for training
- A quiet training area with minimal distractions
- 5–10 minutes per session
- Patience and a positive attitude
Why Teaching Leave It Matters
“Leave it” is a potentially life-saving command that teaches your dog to ignore items on cue. Whether it’s dropped medication, toxic food on the sidewalk, garbage, dead animals, or dangerous objects, a reliable leave it keeps your dog safe from harm. It’s also invaluable for preventing resource guarding and teaching polite behavior around food and toys.
Leave it teaches impulse control and self-restraint — skills that benefit dogs throughout their lives. The American Kennel Club emphasizes that leave it is particularly important for dogs who scavenge or live in urban environments where dangerous items are common. This command gives you control in situations where your dog’s natural curiosity could lead to trouble.
Step-by-Step: How to Teach Leave It
Step 1: Teach the Concept
Hold a treat in your closed fist and present it to your dog. Let them sniff, paw, and lick — don’t open your hand. The moment they stop trying to get the treat and pull back or look away, say “Yes!” and give them a different treat from your other hand. The treat in your closed fist is never given to the dog — they learn that ignoring that item results in a better reward.
Repeat until your dog immediately stops trying to get the treat when you present your closed fist. They should look at you expectantly, waiting for the reward from your other hand.
Step 2: Add the Cue
Once your dog consistently ignores the closed fist, add the verbal cue. Say “leave it,” present the closed fist, and when your dog ignores it, reward from the other hand. Repeat until your dog associates the cue with the behavior. Then try presenting the treat on your open palm. Cover it with your hand if your dog moves toward it. Reward when they ignore it.
Step 3: Increase Difficulty
Place a treat on the floor and cover it with your hand or foot. Say “leave it.” When your dog ignores the covered treat, reward with a better treat from your hand. Gradually uncover the treat while your dog maintains focus on you. Eventually, place treats on the floor without covering them, asking your dog to leave them alone while you reward from your hand.
Practice with toys, food dropped during meals, and items on walks. Always reward leave it with something better than what they’re leaving.
Training Tips
- Keep sessions short: 5–10 minutes maximum — leave it is mentally challenging
- End on a success: Always finish with a successful leave it
- Use better rewards: The reward for leaving something should be better than the item left
- Practice daily: Use real-life opportunities — dropped food, interesting objects on walks
- Never let them have the “leave it” item: The thing you ask them to leave should always be off-limits
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Letting them have the item after saying leave it: This creates confusion — the item is always off-limits once cued
- Using leave it for everything: Have a separate “drop it” cue for items already in their mouth
- Moving too fast: If your dog can’t ignore a covered treat, don’t try uncovered yet
- Getting frustrated: Some dogs need many repetitions to understand — patience is key
Troubleshooting
My dog grabs the item before I can stop them: You’re moving too quickly. Go back to covered treats and keep them on leash during practice. Use less valuable items.
My dog only leaves it when they see the treat in my hand: This is normal early in training. Gradually fade the visible reward, sometimes rewarding, sometimes not. The behavior should become automatic.
My dog leaves it at home but not on walks: You need to proof the behavior in gradually more distracting environments. Use a long line for control and higher-value rewards outdoors.
When to Move On
Your dog has mastered leave it when they immediately disengage from items on cue, even enticing food or toys, and can do so in various environments with distractions present. They should look at you when cued, waiting for their reward. Once reliable, leave it becomes your safety net in countless real-world situations.