How to Train Your Dog to “Leave It”

If your dog understands to “leave it” on cue, it’s time to take it a step further! When training your dog to “leave it,” take it in small steps for maximum effectiveness. Usually, this article is step 3 for most dogs, but if your dog will reliably ignore treats in your hand 80% of the time when given the “leave it” cue, it’s time to step it up a notch.

Why Dogs Eat Things Off the Ground

There’s something about food on the ground that makes most dogs go bonkers! Usually, this is a learned behavior. They’ve been rewarded by finding small tidbits hidden from the naked human eye so this explains their enthusiasm. Shoot, I would be looking under cabinets too if I found hidden $100 bills down there. 🙂

How to Stop Your Dog From Eating Off Floors

Hidden Food Hand

While holding a treat in your closed fist, lower your hand to the ground. As you’re lowering your hand, say “leave it.” By now, your dog has learned “leave it” means to ignore your “closed treat hand,” but sometimes he regresses. The food is now on the ground, oh my!

Once your dog ignores your “treat hand,” click and give him the treat in your hand. Practice 5 times and end the sessions. Over the next two days or so, practice using treats or a few pieces of kibble from your dog’s meals.

Treat in Open Hand

Once your dog successfully ignores your hidden food hand on cue, it’s time to make it a tad tougher. Place open hand with back of hand touching ground and treat inside palm. As you’re lowering your hand, say “leave it” and open your hand. Most dogs will rush for the treat, they can see it now. Once he starts moving toward your hand, close it so he can’t get the treat. Once he moves back from your hand, click and give him the treat.

Dogs are fast! If he successfully gets the treat from you, tether or ask someone to hold the other end of the leash for you. If your dog strains to reach the visual treat, take a step back to “hidden food hand” or try with a piece of kibble instead of a hot dog. Some dogs will do anything for hot dogs! 🙂

Practice 5 times in a row, then end the training session, regardless of success. Breaks are invaluable in dog training. They prevent boredom, and I’ve found dogs excel at the next training session. It’s almost like they marinated over the previous training session, worked out the kinks, and are much more successful during the next training session.

If, even after a break, your dog is still confused, take a step back to “hidden food hand” or “adding a cue.” It’s perfectly normal to take a step back. It’s like learning a new language where you’re confused on when or how to use the new word you learned. 🙂

VIDEO: How to Train Your Dog to Ignore Food on the Ground

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