Teaching "Leave It" to a stubborn sheepie
Here's what the trainer has me doing with her: Show her a treat. Make sure she sees it. She does. She wants it. Close it in my hand, and when she tries to get it, say "Leave It". Ok fine, as as soon as she looks away, Open hand and say "Okay, Take It". Well that's all fine and dandy - she gets the "Leave It" part mostly - she eventually looks away and gives up - but then when I open my hand and say "Okay, Take It" she almost literally raises an eyebrow at me and looks at me like "Well, make up your freaking mind already!". Is this success? It doesn't feel like it. Any other suggestions on teaching this? |
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| In our classes we teach it as a moving exercise (while heeling) with treats on a chair (for the bigger dogs) or under the chair (for the smaller dogs). The chairs are those stackable plastic patio chairs. We place them, and make sure that the dogs know they are there. As you are approaching the treats, tell your dog leave-it. They have been doing heeling for 3 weeks in class prior to this - this is a week 4 exercise. Use distraction, leash corrections if needed, above all making sure they don't get it. After you get past it, super praise the dog and make a real big deal over it! After not very long, they are actually looking away or at their human as soon as they hear leave-it.  The following week we have someone walking against the flow of heeling with a treat bag, crinkling it, etc. Yep, we are truly evil! But we have great success and it transfers over to pretty much anything really easily. Last evening I made taco pizza, and had my plate really close to the edge of the table. I got distracted, and went out on the porch to do something. I walked back in to see Bond gently licking the edge of the crust (thank goodness it was hot!). I got out a quick "leave-it" and he backed right off and looked sheepish.  He's a real food hound, so this is a huge thing!  |
| We may try that approach Dawn. We are still working on some heeling - she's become a real puller and lunger. She also is fascinated by cars on our walks. She used to be scared of them, but now she wants to chase them! So leash manners are my main focus at the moment, as I'm sure it's easier to teach them now, rather than when she weighs 70+ pounds. I just really think the whole Leave It/Take It thing the way we're doing it is super confusing for her little puppy brain. It is really important that she learn it though, as she has started to get really rough with the cats and ferrets. My goal is to be able to tell her "Leave It!" and have her leave the other animals alone. She's not trying to eat them or anything, she just plays too rough. |
| Bond is still fascinated with our cat, and we use leave-it - yep, it works! |
got sheep wrote: Bond is still fascinated with our cat, and we use leave-it - yep, it works! DOES NOT!!   Tiggy knows leave it but she will NOT leave the cat. He is too chase worthy. Mind you the fact that he teases her when the mood takes him doesn't help any. |
| I try the "Leave it" with Teddy with the squirrels on our walks and he doesn't even hear me I think because as soon as he even thinks he sees a squirrel he in a whole different zone. I change direction, sit, heel ,sit, down anything to break his concentration on the squirrel and as soon as we change back to that direction, he scanning for it even though it's gone. He's better than he was a few months ago but it's a constant battle. He is so prey drivin it drives me crazy! I will have to definately try the lure coursing like Dawn suggested because Teddy is super fast and would give those sight hounds a run for the money!.....lol Cindy |
| We also taught "leave it" while in motion, as Dawn described, after "heel" was well ingrained. This was with our first OES, Quincy. We've never taught this to Oscar as such, as I have to go up and tap him to get his attention in the first place, which gets his focus off the object in question. Then I just give a "stay" command, until I've dealt with the situation. Laurie and Oscar |
4 my OES wrote: I try the "Leave it" with Teddy with the squirrels on our walks and he doesn't even hear me I think because as soon as he even thinks he sees a squirrel he in a whole different zone. I change direction, sit, heel ,sit, down anything to break his concentration on the squirrel and as soon as we change back to that direction, he scanning for it even though it's gone. He's better than he was a few months ago but it's a constant battle. He is so prey drivin it drives me crazy! I will have to definately try the lure coursing like Dawn suggested because Teddy is super fast and would give those sight hounds a run for the money!.....lol Cindy I must say my boys suck at leash manners. I tried and gave up on heel. Stay is optional. The only thing I insist on is "leave it", because of squirrels. We have tons of them around here and they tease the dogs. On walks they hunt, will spot squirrels, but they don't lunge or drag me once I say "leave it". They still watch but thats it. |
| I was always taught that they never get the leave it treat. You use two treats, one they leave, the other they get when they do what they are supposed to. I taught all our dogs this way and I can leave food on the table or couch with out it getting touched. |
| I gave up on this command long ago Bloo has no food manners at all! When i attempted it, i put a REALLY NICE treat in my one hand and a yukky biscuit in the other, offer the nasty biscuit/treat, if ava tries to eat it close your hand and say leave it. When she looks away give the YUMMY ttreat. BUT it didnt work. Good luck xx |
| Somehow or other Butch is very good about leaving food alone even if we walk away. I'm sure it's because of him and not something we did right. Walking on a leash and heeling is not great with him, he does much better off leash but with our physical problems it's hard for us to do the proper correction so he doesn't get the concept. |
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