Leave
Self Control
Leave
Walking down the street a leaf blows by and puppy strains to run onto the road after it. Changing a dirty nappy and the puppy thinks it might be fun to run away with it. Dropped food at a barbeque, cooked chicken bones and all. These are just a few examples of when you might need your puppy to resist the temptation of snatch and grab. We are going to build up a good solid leave behaviour, starting very simply and gradually making it more challenging.
We are going to teach leave as a self control exercise, not through repeating a cue over and over but by teaching our pups how to make good choices, when they make good choices, good things will happen. With all the exercises we do, we will start very simply and grow them along the way, adding layers of understanding. Don't be tempted to skip ahead too fast.
We could of course just tell our puppies 'leave', but this means we are doing the work and they don't have to think for themselves. We instead want to grow our puppies cognition and so, they have to learn to work out what we are looking for in their behaviour. A lot of training exercises that we do will not involve any 'cues' so although I have named this page 'Leave' it is the behaviour we will get rather than a cue we will be using.
Step One
So step one is to place some extra tasty food pieces in your closed fist, make sure none of your reward can be dropped or teased out with a lick. Hold it at nose leave and allow your puppy to investigate it thoroughly. They will likely nibble, lick, and paw at your hand. During their investigation, your job is to hold still, and say nothing. Make sure none of your reward can be dropped or teased out with a lick. Hold still until your puppy backs away, when they do open your hand, this in itself is rewarding for your puppy, you have brought back the excitement of seeing food.
Step Two
Step two is to reward when your puppy backs off from your open hand. This is a sign they have realise snatching up food isn't going to work and so they are trying a new tactic. Reward them for their patience and using the other hand offer a piece of food.
Step Three
Step three- For now keep practicing with the open hand, after the first reward they know the food in your hand is tasty, you might have to go back to closing your hand a few times before your pup backs off again. Be patient and ready to reward the good choices.
Step Four
Step four – Once they have mastered not mugging your hand for treats we are going to make things a little more difficult. Place the food on the floor and be prepared to cover it quickly should your puppy try to dive for it. You will probably have to be sitting on the floor or crouching for this. Wait for any backing off and reward that great choice.
Step Five
Step five – Once your puppy is happily leaving food on the floor we are going to make it harder again. This time put your puppy in a sit with you in standing position, drop a food reward, be prepared to cover it up with your foot should your puppy try to intercept it. Reward for staying seated or for backing away from your foot covering the food.
Step Six
Step six – Add new things to leave, a ball rolling slowly across the floor will test your pups resiliance to movement.
Step Seven
Step seven – Add movement with your puppy, walk past temptations and make sure to mark and reward each time they look away and back towards you.
Step Eight
Step Eight – Add distance. Take a few steps away while your puppy remains close to a temptation, return quickly, click and reward for self control.
Step Nine
Step Nine – Leave your treat bag on a table and leave the room for a second, return and reward if your puppy has ignored it.
Step Ten
Step Ten – Build duration, gradually increase the time your puppy is left with temptations, but only one at a time, don't leave shoes, food and childrens toys around all at once, but do make sure your puppy has lots of their own toys that they are allowed.
Have you had issues with chewing unwanted items? If so try the troubleshooting guide for chewing.