The "Leave It" & "Drop It" Cues

Here are a few of the beginning steps to teach Stark how rewarding the “Leave It” cue can be. Living in Brooklyn we can’t have our dogs searching the city streets for all the nasty things they could be eating, so having them understand when things are not for them is imperative. In the end, I start teaching “Find It” which is to tell him to go look for things and be allowed to get them.

To teach your dog the "Leave It" cue, start with food in one hand, show your dog the food but do not let them eat it, and close your hand into a fist and say “Leave it" ONCE.

When your dog loses interest, looks away, or at you mark with a verbal “Yes" or a clicker at the exact moment your dog disengages and either give them the treat in your hand or a new one from your other hand. The first time, as you saw with me, they might lick, sniff or paw at your hand. You must be patient and wait for them to give up. Do not repeat the cue, unless it's been a while since the last time you said it. Next, try an open hand and do the same, if they go for the food pull your hand away. Then you can present your hand again and say "Leave it". Marking and rewarding all good choices

Next, have your dog on a leash, and throw food on the floor, hold the leash short enough so they can not reach the food/treat, say "Leave It" and if they back away, look at you, sit or offer any other behavior besides reaching for the food, mark with a verbal “Yes" or a clicker at the exact moment your dog disengages and either give them the treat with a tasty treat, the first time you can give a few treats as it's a big accomplishment. Keep repeating always ending on a good note. Depending on the dog you can release them to get the food or take it away. For dogs that are always scavenging for food on walks, I would not give it to them.

In the next phase, to make a more realistic situation, we practice by putting piles of food or treats around the apartment, a backyard as you’re seeing this video, or outside on the sidewalk. We practice walking towards these “landmines” where we know where they are and can control the situation to teach them to leave it alone as we prepare for other situations we might encounter on a walk, like a common situation in the city when our dogs might see a chicken bone or something else on the street that they might want to eat. Here’s a video we’re practicing with Georgia, and they’re a beautiful backyard here in Brooklyn.

Here are a few examples of dogs leaving high value food.

Here we teach Red to that loves to eat all the chicken wings o the street to avoid them and look to us.

In this video we are teaching Lana to Leave all things that are in the floor and tables.

Here is Finn's progress after spending 2 weeks in our "Train Away" program. From when we we started and his final exam.

After working on the "Leave It" cue with food we practiced Valentines it with ecery puppies favotrite SOCKS!.

Teaching "Drop" or "Out" cue.

Here is Graham learning to Drop It

This is one way to teach your dog to drop an item in their mouth. Start while your dog has a soft toy, rope or tug in it's mouth, if needed start a game with it. Then place a high value piece of food or treat on your dog's nose and when your dog drops the item mark with a verbal “Yes” or Click and reward with the food in your hand.

Practice many times and start building a reward history, after a few times, say “Drop It”or "Out" and place a high value piece of food or treat on your dog's nose, when they drop it mark and reward with the food in your hand. As you progress we will just say “Drop It” and when your dog does mark and reward.

Use their motivation

Teaching Kenny to "Drop It"

Here is a video from my session with Badass Animal Rescue alum Kenny Chesney, where we teach him to let go of something and the “Drop” cue.

With most dogs, I start by getting them into a toy or a tug or something they’re into, and while they’re into it, I put a piece of food or high-value treat on their nose, which many times leads them to drop the object and then I give them the food over time. I will add the cue, the word that means to let go of the item.

With some dogs that catch on very quickly, like Kenny here “, they notice I’m reaching for the food in my treat pouch and will let go of the item either as I get towards it or hear me grab the food.

Whatever the motivation is for them to drop the food, either putting it on their nose and smelling it, or them noticing me reaching towards the food and getting them to drop the item, I mark it as soon as they drop it. This will help them understand what I’m asking of them.

Once this becomes reliable, in this video, I go quicker than normal just to show the steps. Then I’ll add a word/ cue/ command, “Drop “or “Out” are common ones, and proceed to do what we have learned motivates the dog to let go of the item and over time and many repetitions as we build a reward and reinforcement history, we won’t need to add that extra motivation. They’ll understand what is expected of them.