How's The Training? Week 3

Today's lesson: Leave it AND down

To preface anything we use "Drop" for down. So don't confuse anything!

To leave it:

Have food in both hands. This is a necessity. To learn leave it, you don't ever reward with what you do not want them to have.
Step 1: Take food in both hands, put one hand to your side or behind your back.

Step 2: With your other hand, stick it in front of his face so he can smell, open your hand and say, "Leave it."

Step 3: If he tries to get at the food, close your hand. Say leave it only ONCE.

Step 4: The minute he turns away and leaves it alone, reward with the food from the opposite hand.

Step 5: Switch it up - switch hands, put the food on the floor, put it on his paw, etc... We practice with rolling grapes too.

Rusty is pretty good! I can't say that he doesn't want the food because obviously, dogs need to practice their impulse control. So we're working on it! You can put a grape on his paw and he won't eat it. Which is fabulous!

Teaching down - oops, I mean we say drop.

Step 1: Put them in a sit position.

Step 2: With the treat in your hand, bring it down to the floor in front of him but don't give it until he's all the way on the ground and click your clicker.

Step 3: Reward and praise.

Step 4: Practice!