How to teach ‘Leave it’ - advice please wise dog housers.

[AtlasPine]

My lovely 2 year old spaniel won’t give up anything he has grabbed - old napkins, used wipes, sweet wrappers, chicken bones. We live in the city and it’s impossible to completely avoid coming across this stuff on the ground. He has swallowed some hideous stuff. Occasionally I can ‘bargain’ a swap with a high value treat but that only really works in the house, where it’s less dangerous stuff and more annoying stuff he might find like an envelope or a dropped tissue. The more he knows I want him to drop something, the more he clenches his teeth over it. Walking him to the park has become a complete game of who spots it in the gutter first. It’s exhausting. And if he does manage to grab something before I notice, it becomes a battle! I’m worried he will become ill with a chicken bone or wrapper. I adore every annoying little bone of him and it makes me anxious.

What’s worked for you?

Following for advice after a £300 vet visit the other day. Mine also thinks walks are for scavenging and won’t even trade for cheese.

@Scaredypup

Following for advice after a £300 vet visit the other day. Mine also thinks walks are for scavenging and won’t even trade for cheese.

I deeply empathise. It was a similar crisis which prompted this post.

First off, put them on a lead and hold it, drop a treat in front of them and say leave it, in a very firm voice, holding them back, keep doing it, giving more slack on the lead each time and pull back when they go for it, saying leave it again, keep going until no lead is needed, might take a while and be very persistent but they will get it. Spaniels are very clever dogs, do it with their food too, put the food down and make them wait. Good lucj

No help either but 8 month old spaniel with exactly same issue. He even swallowed a fabric face mask whole resulting in the emergency vet trip to tune of £300.

I had to wrestle dead frog, mouldy banana skin as well as cardboard and tissues out of his mouth this week whilst out on a walk. I'm tired of being a crazed woman trying to cajole, plead or simply wrestling with my dog, when all I see is calm owners and dogs enjoying their walks. Not to mention the crap I end up with all over my hands

Leave and drop it are 2 different things

I taught my dog to drop it using a tennis ball and a treat when she drops, but it applies to everything now.

Leave is a bit kite long range, but started with a treat on the floor which I covered with my hand leave
Then slowly take your hand away whilst sit stay
You move further and further away and call them to you if they touch the food you start again
If they walk past it and Leave they get lots of praise
Use other items to reach leave and so on

Obviously if they leave it, they can have it eventually but only when you release them, using ‘yes’ or ‘go on then’ etc …

@ponkydonkey

Leave and drop it are 2 different things

I taught my dog to drop it using a tennis ball and a treat when she drops, but it applies to everything now.

Leave is a bit kite long range, but started with a treat on the floor which I covered with my hand leave
Then slowly take your hand away whilst sit stay
You move further and further away and call them to you if they touch the food you start again
If they walk past it and Leave they get lots of praise
Use other items to reach leave and so on

You’re right - actually he will leave treats I lay on the floor until told he can have them. It’s ‘drop’ I need to teach him. He ignores leave it when it’s a high street chicken bone though…

I don’t use leave for anything they are eventually allowed. So I use an ah ah for stuff that is a don’t touch for now- leave is a never touch. That way they learn over time a whole catalogue of things they are never to touch.
Similar to above I use treats, but I use a cup of treats for them to leave and then give the reward from my hand.
It depends on why your dog isn’t giving up on the drop. Is it because they enjoy playing keep away, in which case get a long line and stop the game. If it’s because the item is to high value, then I’d mix up the treats so they can’t anticipate what you are going to swap out for. I have been known to use a used sock round a tennis ball, but tug-e-nuff toys and hot dogs work well. Keep them guessing on the reward- you don’t want them being able to weigh up if the trade is worth it

That’s so useful - thanks.

How would you work towards expecting them to drop something they shouldn’t have if they absolutely refuse to open their mouths?

Is he toy or food motivated?
You need to swap whatever he’s grabbed with something of higher value.
So if he grabs a nasty half eaten chicken leg, a plain old dog biscuit isn’t going to cut it. But a bit of liver cake or sausage might!
Don’t let it become a game that he does to get you to chase him, so on a lead until he learns or muzzle him while off lead, so he can’t grab anything.

Ok mine does leave it too, I taught this with tug of war. Play, say leave it, when they do, mark and treat and repeat until it is ingrained. Lots of repetition and lots of different toys/objects

@Witchymcwitch

Is he toy or food motivated? You need to swap whatever he’s grabbed with something of higher value. So if he grabs a nasty half eaten chicken leg, a plain old dog biscuit isn’t going to cut it. But a bit of liver cake or sausage might! Don’t let it become a game that he does to get you to chase him, so on a lead until he learns or muzzle him while off lead, so he can’t grab anything.

This is on the roads so he is always on a lead. In the park there is less temptation although he’s only need with me since autumn so we have picnic season to navigate.

He’s so quick and where we live the streets are pretty dirty so it’s a question of me becoming better at spotting things before he does. He has his nose though which gives him a huge advantage. You never know which bit of paper conceals a chicken wing bone. I will try mixing the rewards and see if we can get somewhere - thanks for your help.

He’s definitely good motivates.

Quite frankly if mine refuses to drop I stick my fingers in there and take it out, but that’s not for everyone and depends on the dog. The best thing to do is build up the drop over time with lower value items, it will take a while.

In the short term- If it’s always going to the park, what’s he like carrying stuff? Maybe keep a toy only for walks for him to carry and give him a job to do, if there’s something already in his mouth he can’t pick stuff up.
You could try rather than offering a treat out, catching him by surprise and bouncing a ball for him to catch so he drops the other item by default?

Food motivated - sorry!

@MrsWinters

Quite frankly if mine refuses to drop I stick my fingers in there and take it out, but that’s not for everyone and depends on the dog. The best thing to do is build up the drop over time with lower value items, it will take a while.

In the short term- If it’s always going to the park, what’s he like carrying stuff? Maybe keep a toy only for walks for him to carry and give him a job to do, if there’s something already in his mouth he can’t pick stuff up.
You could try rather than offering a treat out, catching him by surprise and bouncing a ball for him to catch so he drops the other item by default?

I do the fingers in the mouth thing - usually manage to fish out the bone/paper bag etc but not always. I’ll try giving him something to carry - that’s a good idea. He’s not very interested in balls but has a favourite tug toy which might work.

One way to teach "drop it" is to start with a toy that the dog has an interest in but isn't a favourite. You give him the toy to play with for a minute or two. Then show him a high value treat. Usually the dog will drop the toy immediately to get the treat. You can use a clicker or a word like "yes" to mark the behaviour, then give him the treat. Continue the same process several times, then add in the verbal cue of "drop it." Repetition is the key. Soon the dog will drop things on command and look at you for a treat. Once he's reliable with a toy, you can up the ante with other objects and eventually phase out the treats.

Drop is easy peasy to teach.

First way ( this will work it is sooooo simple it is magic!)

Randomly walk up to your dog, say thank you and give them a treat.
Your dog is doing nothing and has nothing in their mouth.
Keep doing this over a few days.

You will see your dog beginning to come towards you when you say thank you and (the magic bit!) opening their mouth ready for the treat.

Next dog has an item in their mouth you say thank you dog comes towards you to get treat opens mouth and drops the item.

Drop Method 2

Have two toys one in each hand. Animate one toy and get your dog to play with it tug it etc. When your dog is onto one toy hold it still and animate the other toy . Your dog will swap to the animated toy. Ehen this becomes easy for you and the dog when it lets go of the first toy start to say drop.

Leave it
Hold some food in your hand or cup your hand over some food on the floor.
Let your dog sniff it, maybe paw it, lick you hand etc at some point your dog will slightly move back from the food at this point give them a treat from your other hand.

If you do this enough times the dog will back away from the food quickly and at this point you can add in the leave it command.

You can then build up to dropping the food onto the floor and asking the dog to leave it - if they go towards it cover with your foot.