"Leave It"

[chowfrnd88]

You guys know what a huge fan I am of the "leave it" cue. I just think it's so vital. In our enighborhood people love to toss out bones and half eaten hamburgers, etc. Plus, you can use it for anything. You don't want your chow to approach a dog? Leave it. You don't you chow to pee on a car? Leave it. You don't want your chow to go after a squirrel? Leave it. I love this cue!

Anyhow, so leave it and come are cues I always reward even now. I think they're too important and I don't want Special D to belive to there's nothing in it for him. That squirrel will always be more exciting than nothing if I offer nothing. But lately, I'd say for the past three months or so, Special D goes to lift his leg on a car and I say leave it and try to offer him the treat... and nope, he doesn't take it. He just puts his little leg back down and maybe glances at me, but then we're back to walking again. Then last week, there were a series of little bones scattered about and he began sniffing around so I said leave it and he did without question (as he's been doing for years now), but again he didn't even take the reward!! He's so funny. I'll keep offering it to him, in case he changes his mind, but gosh is he wonderful or what?

I think it's just become routine, I say leave it and he keeps going with his walk. But it still doesn't explain why the treat hasn't become routine. The only thing I can figure is that the promise of squirrel-y smells and other treasures encountered during our walks has become more exciting than my stinky old liver and salmon treats.

[Auddymay]

Lily does leave-it pretty good, I think it is because I am using a higher pitch, and am more excited than for most commands...Pip killing the ground mole last summer comes to mind. Me first yelling GET IT, GET IT, GET IT! then, LEAVE IT, LEAVE IT, LEAVE IT! Poor Pip must have thought me crazy!

[cheriekynb]

MY FAVORITE COMMAND! It's one of the ones that Sid actually obeys 85% of the time. I even use it when I want him to give me a ball or stick on the RARE occasions he brings them back. LOL..

[Layla]

I'm a huge user of this cue as well. Mine respond in very different ways to it, which interests me as I didn't notice (at first) now good Alf is at it. It was actually taught in Millie's Obed. 101 & I have SO many uses for it. It was a life saver with Mr Milo

As for treats, M&A don't always take them, sometimes I think they cue into my happy tone & are already moving on to the next tree to sniff. The treat would slow that down

[cheriekynb]

LOL, that's actually how I taught the word "leave it".. I held a treat in my hand, just in front of Sid's nose, and when he went to grab it, I'd say "leave it" and he would have to wait until I said OK. We started off with just a few seconds and built up the time from there.
OH, and Sid will sometimes turn his head and snort and not take the treat, AND sometimes, he will take the treat and spit it out on the floor. LOL.. Now THAT'S funny. hahaha..