# Leave it / drop it



## Gabs (Apr 15, 2012)

How do you start to teach this to a dog? My hav is 2 years old. Today while I was out in the yard a lady was walking her Husky, he stuck his head in my neighbors bushes and when he came out in his mouth he had a dead squirrel!! The lady freaked a bit and said drop it and he did (even tho you could tell he REALLY wanted it). I was impressed (and she was relieved she didn't have to reach in a take it from him  ). But it did make me think I should teach my baby girl the same thing but not sure how to start. Any suggestions? Thx in advance


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## Zarika (Dec 16, 2012)

Well, I use these as two different skills. Leave it means don't pick it up to begin with/don't touch it. Drop it means let go of what you already have in your mouth.

Drop it can be taught as a trade. Have something better than what your dog is playing with/chewing and offer it. Just as the dog is about to let go of what he has, say "Drop it" and praise and/or click and treat if you've been clicker training. (Let him have what you are offering as a trade.) Do this enough and gradually it won't have to be a trade. You can escalate to having a treat hidden and when he drops whatever you want him to drop, a treat is magically produced as a reward. I've also seen people do this without a trade if the dog is VERY in love with fetch. Hobbes loves fetch. He runs and practically throws the ball back in my lap. You can add a drop it command when he brings the ball back (only if you're sure he's just about to drop it.)

As far as "leave it" goes, there are multiple good examples on youtube. I skimmed this article and it seems pretty good except I never give him the treat I'm asking him to leave. I treat from the other hand. The whole point of "leave it" is that what ever he wants could be dangerous. I don't want him thinking that he just has to wait and then he can have it.

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-train-your-dog-to-leave-it.html


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

here's a good leave it video


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## Miss Paige (Apr 4, 2008)

Paige is really good with the "leave it" or Walk through command. Tula & Rom have selected hearing and can't seem to hear the commands.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Zarika said:


> Well, I use these as two different skills. Leave it means don't pick it up to begin with/don't touch it. Drop it means let go of what you already have in your mouth.
> 
> Drop it can be taught as a trade. Have something better than what your dog is playing with/chewing and offer it. Just as the dog is about to let go of what he has, say "Drop it" and praise and/or click and treat if you've been clicker training. (Let him have what you are offering as a trade.) Do this enough and gradually it won't have to be a trade. You can escalate to having a treat hidden and when he drops whatever you want him to drop, a treat is magically produced as a reward. I've also seen people do this without a trade if the dog is VERY in love with fetch. Hobbes loves fetch. He runs and practically throws the ball back in my lap. You can add a drop it command when he brings the ball back (only if you're sure he's just about to drop it.)
> 
> As far as "leave it" goes, there are multiple good examples on youtube. I skimmed this article and it seems pretty good except I never give him the treat I'm asking him to leave. I treat from the other hand. The whole point of "leave it" is that what ever he wants could be dangerous. I don't want him thinking that he just has to wait and then he can have it.


Good explanation of teaching "drop it". I like to go on from trading, to giving the item back some of the time. So that Kodi will even hand me "prized" possessions knowing I'll probably give them back. If he's picked up something I MUST get back from him and I don't have some good in my pocket (I don't always when were in the hose at this point) We make a big deal of running to the cookie jar in the kitchen, where he knows he'll get a cookie.


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## Zarika (Dec 16, 2012)

krandall said:


> Good explanation of teaching "drop it". I like to go on from trading, to giving the item back some of the time. So that Kodi will even hand me "prized" possessions knowing I'll probably give them back. If he's picked up something I MUST get back from him and I don't have some good in my pocket (I don't always when were in the hose at this point) We make a big deal of running to the cookie jar in the kitchen, where he knows he'll get a cookie.


I guess I actually do the give it back sometimes too now that you mention it, in the context of fetch. It's a good idea! I should do it more often with other things.

Hobbes likes to fetch with anything but has one ball he LOVES; he's retriever-level obsessed with it. He likes to shred things so I only let him play with this particular ball for fetch (b/c otherwise it would be ruined and lost). Sometimes I do ask for a drop it during the game and then I give it back by throwing it. I never say drop it and then put it away. In those instances I just take it or pick it up when he sets it down to get water.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Miss Paige said:


> Paige is really good with the "leave it" or Walk through command. Tula & Rom have selected hearing and can't seem to hear the commands.


HaHa Pat, "selective hearing" just like men ehh?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Zarika said:


> I guess I actually do the give it back sometimes too now that you mention it, in the context of fetch. It's a good idea! I should do it more often with other things.
> 
> Hobbes likes to fetch with anything but has one ball he LOVES; he's retriever-level obsessed with it. He likes to shred things so I only let him play with this particular ball for fetch (b/c otherwise it would be ruined and lost). Sometimes I do ask for a drop it during the game and then I give it back by throwing it. I never say drop it and then put it away. In those instances I just take it or pick it up when he sets it down to get water.


Actually, it's fine to take it from him and put it away at the end of the game. That creates more value in YOU playing with him, than in the ball itself. You always want to make sure that YOU are the most fun, exciting, amazing thing in your dog's life. That's the way to build a really enthusiastic learner!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

is your hav a rescue? I am just a little confused why he doesn't know these super important commands already?? We wouldn't have survived the puppy years without the DROP it command. I use both leave it AND drop it on a fairly regualr basis around here!
everyone has given you great advice! let us know how the training is going!


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## Gabs (Apr 15, 2012)

Thx for all the tips!!! I've had my baby girl since she was a pup but she's never been one to get into things, she loves fetch but always just naturally drops her toys for me to throw. But after seeing the Husky yesterday I saw how important it was to learn just in case.


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## Pipersmom (Jul 27, 2009)

This is the method my trainer is using to teach Riley "drop it". I'm interested in what people think of this as it's not something I've seen before.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Gabs said:


> Thx for all the tips!!! I've had my baby girl since she was a pup but she's never been one to get into things, she loves fetch but always just naturally drops her toys for me to throw. But after seeing the Husky yesterday I saw how important it was to learn just in case.


When "leave it" becomes critical is when something gets dropped that could be dangerous for the dog. For instance, I was browning meat and onions once, and managed to drop a BUNCH on the floor. Onions are poisonous to dogs and, of course, the meat all over the kitchen floor was VERY attractive! But because he knows "leave it!" I was able to back him off immediately. He waited until I cleaned it up, and then I gave him LOTS of goodies in reward!!!


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## Gabs (Apr 15, 2012)

krandall said:


> When "leave it" becomes critical is when something gets dropped that could be dangerous for the dog. For instance, I was browning meat and onions once, and managed to drop a BUNCH on the floor. Onions are poisonous to dogs and, of course, the meat all over the kitchen floor was VERY attractive! But because he knows "leave it!" I was able to back him off immediately. He waited until I cleaned it up, and then I gave him LOTS of goodies in reward!!!


i couldnt agree more - its all about keeping our havs safe. I taught Gabby "place"; we practice it all the time and she's got it down pat. The other day I was in the kitchen, she was in the living room... I broke a glass and it shattered (with some pieces falling to the floor) - I told her to "place" and she stayed in the living room (i could see her and she was VERY interested in what had happened, but she didn't budge!) - I was so proud and happy that all our practicing and time spent learning "place" paid off in a real situation. So I can definitely see the value and importance of "leave it and drop it" . Thanks again for the advice and tips!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Pipersmom said:


> This is the method my trainer is using to teach Riley "drop it". I'm interested in what people think of this as it's not something I've seen before.
> 
> Teaching Your Dog to "Drop" - YouTube


I haven't done I quite that way, but it looks like a well-thought out, well executed method. It looks like it would be particularly useful in cases where the dog picked up something tiny, and you really need them to spit it out, to avoid fishing around in their mouth. I've done that from time to time with Kodi, and he tolerates it. But I think it could be dangerous with a big, strong, jawed dog!  This method would be WAY better for that type of dog.

There are often LOTS of good ways to teach any behavior. Sometimes it pays to play around with several to figure out what your dog understands best.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Gabs said:


> i couldnt agree more - its all about keeping our havs safe. I taught Gabby "place"; we practice it all the time and she's got it down pat. The other day I was in the kitchen, she was in the living room... I broke a glass and it shattered (with some pieces falling to the floor) - I told her to "place" and she stayed in the living room (i could see her and she was VERY interested in what had happened, but she didn't budge!) - I was so proud and happy that all our practicing and time spent learning "place" paid off in a real situation. So I can definitely see the value and importance of "leave it and drop it" . Thanks again for the advice and tips!


Place is another very good one! Congratulations for having that one down pat!!!


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## Zarika (Dec 16, 2012)

Gabs said:


> i couldnt agree more - its all about keeping our havs safe. I taught Gabby "place"; we practice it all the time and she's got it down pat. The other day I was in the kitchen, she was in the living room... I broke a glass and it shattered (with some pieces falling to the floor) - I told her to "place" and she stayed in the living room (i could see her and she was VERY interested in what had happened, but she didn't budge!) - I was so proud and happy that all our practicing and time spent learning "place" paid off in a real situation. So I can definitely see the value and importance of "leave it and drop it" . Thanks again for the advice and tips!


How did you teach "place?" Hobbes is decent at stay and good at wait. (I use them differently); Stay is not his best skill but he's fairly decent and we're working on it. I would like him to learn "crate" to mean place. In other words, I would like to get to the point where we could be in the living room and I could tell him "crate" and he would go to it in the other room. I realize this will take lots of time and lots of practice but I'm not sure where to start from here. My last dog just picked up "go to your bed" automatically; I didn't consciously teach it and thus I'm sure it wouldn't have worked if there was something she wanted to be doing instead. I just told her that when it was bed time.


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## HavaneseSoon (Nov 4, 2008)

Great video! I ended up training Dexter to "Trade" because he would never drop something he had in his mouth. 

Jack, on the other hand.....I can go up to him and just take whatever he has in his mouth, no questions asked! My fur babies are so different!


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## showelott (Oct 12, 2012)

@Zarika - 
I clicker trained my previous dog. But how I would do it without a clicker is EVERY SINGLE time I put the pup in the crate she would get a cookie (which of course was some sort of dog-appropriate treat). Then I'd start giving her a cookie every time she happened to put herself in the crate when just walking by it. After she made the connection that crate=cookie, i'd back off and just start treating her at bedtime. 

Another way to do it is to sit in the room with the crate and toss cookies inside. He'll run in the crate to get them. Turn your back and do something else (or you can also lure him out of the crate) and then toss a cookie in again. Eventually he won't want to leave b/c he associated it so strongly with getting rewarded. Then you start adding distance (slowly) Eventually you can name the game "go to bed" or "crate" .

I also feed dogs in their crates - keeps them out from underfoot when I am making dinner and keeps up the association that being in the crate is where all the goodness happens.

I also love Training Games by Sue Ailsby - she has all sorts of great games and skills to teach your dog and she breaks it down into tiny very manageable steps you can do in between everything else you have going on.


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## Gabs (Apr 15, 2012)

Zarika said:


> How did you teach "place?" Hobbes is decent at stay and good at wait. (I use them differently); Stay is not his best skill but he's fairly decent and we're working on it. I would like him to learn "crate" to mean place. In other words, I would like to get to the point where we could be in the living room and I could tell him "crate" and he would go to it in the other room. I realize this will take lots of time and lots of practice but I'm not sure where to start from here. My last dog just picked up "go to your bed" automatically; I didn't consciously teach it and thus I'm sure it wouldn't have worked if there was something she wanted to be doing instead. I just told her that when it was bed time.


This is what i did - "Place" was something that we built up to. So she 1st mastered sit, she would sit but wouldn't stay seated, so we worked on that - I would get her to sit and stay seated. I then taught her a release word - "break". Sit - break (get up from sitting) - treat. Then I started Place. I used a blanket on the floor, had a long leash on her, pointed to the blanket, said place and walked her to the blanket (we were right next to the blanket so it was like a couple of steps), then treat. We did that over and over until she knew to go onto the blanket herself. Then we stepped further away from the blanket and repeat. Then added the sit command, place - sit - break - treat. I would gradually walk further away each time until I could be in another room out of sight and she stayed in place until I said break. Today I can say Place and she knows to sit, I don't have to say it anymore. She learned it with treats but now we just practice it with toys. I'll get her to place, throw a toy then release her, she runs for the toy and wants to do it all over again


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## Gabs (Apr 15, 2012)

Just an update --Leave It is going really well!! Still got some work to do but it's going really well so far.... Once we get this down pat well move onto drop it


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Gabs said:


> This is what i did - "Place" was something that we built up to. So she 1st mastered sit, she would sit but wouldn't stay seated, so we worked on that - I would get her to sit and stay seated. I then taught her a release word - "break". Sit - break (get up from sitting) - treat. Then I started Place. I used a blanket on the floor, had a long leash on her, pointed to the blanket, said place and walked her to the blanket (we were right next to the blanket so it was like a couple of steps), then treat. We did that over and over until she knew to go onto the blanket herself. Then we stepped further away from the blanket and repeat. Then added the sit command, place - sit - break - treat. I would gradually walk further away each time until I could be in another room out of sight and she stayed in place until I said break. Today I can say Place and she knows to sit, I don't have to say it anymore. She learned it with treats but now we just practice it with toys. I'll get her to place, throw a toy then release her, she runs for the toy and wants to do it all over again


Does she have to stay sitting the whole time? I would think that a down would be more comfortable if you want her to stay put for an extended period.

Some people use 3 separate commands... "sit" and "down" (which are obvious) and "settle", which means you have to stay here, but you are welcome to change position at will.


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## Gabs (Apr 15, 2012)

Oh Yah, to teach it we used Sit exclusively, so it was constant and she just caught on quicker. As she learned Place we then interchanged between down and sit so now I can say Place and she will sit or lay down. It's a great command, works inside and outside.


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