Teach Your Pup to Leave Something Alone and Walk Away

We need to teach should and shouldn't to pups of all ages, all sizes, and all breeds.

Along with "No" and "AH-ah" , there's another phrase you can use when you don't want your puppy to do something.

When we show a pup that he shouldn't  do something, we also show him (or he quickly figures out) what he should  do instead.

• We teach him that he shouldn't  pull on the leash, that instead he should  walk with the leash loose.
• We teach him that he shouldn't  bark in the crate, that instead he should  be quiet and relaxed.
• We teach him that he shouldn't  rush through doors ahead of us, that instead he should  wait until we give him permission to go through.

Dogs perfectly understand the concept of "do this, not that." You're not harming your relationship with your pup by teaching him what he should and shouldn't do – you're doing precisely the opposite by reassuring the pup that you have everything under control and have worked out these clear do  and don't  concepts. It's another one of those important leadership things.

So what is this new phrase to tell your pup not to do something?

It's "leave it" or "don't touch."

With this phrase, you're going to teach the pup that something is off limits, or that you want him to come away from something even though it interests him.

For example....

• You're on a walk and he spots a bag of spilled chips on the ground. "Leave it!" is the perfect command here.
• You're walking with him in a pet store. He stops to sniff at a display stand where other dogs have probably left their urinary "calling card." You decide that you want him away from there before he gets any ideas! "Leave it."
• You bring home a hamster in a cage. When your puppy approaches the cage, sniffing, you say, "Leave it." You want him to back off and look up at you, showing by his respectful body language that he understands.

Teaching "Leave it"

1.   With your pup on leash, place his favorite treat on the floor. Make sure he sees it, then put your foot over it so it's covered by your shoe.
2.   Say, "Leave it." If he sniffs or licks or paws at your shoe, say, "AH-ah" and use the leash to guide him away. Be gentle. He doesn't yet know what you want.
3.   When you've moved him away from the treat, loosen the leash. If he goes after it again, repeat your "AH-ah" and leash guidance. If he persists and persists and won't quit, increase to a sharper tug or switch to some other corrective technique that you know works for him.
4.   When he is no longer going after the treat, praise him, "Good boy." Pick up the treat and put it in your pocket. Take a break, play a game with him or something, then repeat the exercise. You can use different kinds of tempting treats, if you have them.
5.   You want him to learn that when you say "Leave it", he must not pursue something any further, even if he would love to have it.
6.   After a good number of repetitions, place the treat on the floor and say, "Leave it" but don't cover it with your foot. Just be ready! If he goes after it, be quick with your "AH-ah!" and get your shoe over it! Again, do as many repetitions as necessary until he no longer goes after the treat even when it's in plain sight.
7.   The next step is to say, "Leave it" and toss the treat a few feet away from your dog, being prepared to block him or check him with the leash, if necessary.
8.   When he's doing well indoors, practice in your backyard. First go outside without your pup and place some tempting treats or toys in different parts of the yard. Then with your pup on leash, meander around the yard. When he notices one of your "planted" items, say "Leave it" in a firm voice.

Timing is very important. You want to say "Leave it" the moment your pup "locks onto" or makes his first move toward a treat or toy. If you're too slow and he's already lunging after it, it will be much harder for him to stop.