training
Teaching “Leave It” Anna Bradley explains the importance of teaching puppies the “Leave/Drop” cue and why it is an essential skill to train early on ment risks becoming the tactic of choice, e.g. puppy grabs the TV remote and is chastised either verbally or, in some cases, physically. Now, with repeated presentations of punishment, the puppy learns that a better option may be to actually avoid the situation altogether. Who wouldn’t? As a result, the puppy may start to run away or hide as the guardian pursues him and, perhaps, forcibly extracts the item. This is scary and threatening and, be fore long, (after exhibiting numerous appeasement sig nals), the puppy may begin to growl in an attempt to remove the threat, i.e. the guardian. When this doesn’t work, he may escalate to biting. Cue a visit to my practice. Even tugging an item away from a puppy’s mouth, pinching his lips, or Sticks and Stones shouting © Can Stock Photo / Miraswonderland Dogs, like children, use their “leave it” in mouths to explore. Anyone who Making the concept of dropping objects fun and positive right from a confronta the start goes a long way to preventing issues with resource guarding has had a puppy knows that tional man everything goes in there…and ner may be hopefully comes out again. Lots of puppy and young dog behavior is enough to make him anxious about relinquishment. As a result, the orally explorative. We’ve all seen our puppies with stones, soil, sticks, whole concept of dropping things can become negative and “bad.” leaves, animal parts, items of clothing, household items – you name it. Puppies like to learn about texture and form, what’s edible and Making It Fun what’s not. But not everyone makes enough effort to teach their pup What we can do instead is make the concept of dropping things fun and how rewarding and fantastic it is to leave these objects. Instead, punish positive right from the start. We also need to accept the reality that puppies will be eating and exploring things orally. So, from a week or so in, I recommend teaching a good “leave/drop” cue. I like to do this by teaching a “back away” from a fistful of food. Here’s an example: • Have the puppy face you and place a low value treat or kibble in a closed fist. Want to Share your Knowledge • Let the puppy move towards your hand but say nothing. Let and Expertise? him sniff, lick and paw at your hand. Just wait, things might take a little while. Topics may include a particular aspect of training, • As soon as the puppy settles and stops nudging, licking, pawing ethology, learning theory, behavior specifics... etc. and backs away even for a second, immediately open your anything at all your fellow pet professionals hand, praise, and let him eat the treat. would find educational. • Repeat the above until he doesn’t move towards your hand at all and just backs away. • Add in a cue. Say, “leave,” or “drop,” in a happy voice. Remem ber, we want the word to have a happy association. Immedi ately present your hand as before. As long as the puppy is still backing away, open your hand, praise, and let him eat the treat. If he paws, sniffs, nudges etc., calmly take your hand away, wait a moment, then try again. We’ll even do some practice runs with you to help you Once you’ve established the leave/drop cue, you can start working along (if you need them!) with it more in a practical sense. I’ll normally start by saying the cue as SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL TO: I’m holding food in my open palm. I’ll progressively raise the value of the food from kibble, to a favorite treat, to something really high value, petprofessionalguild.com/Host-A-Webinar like chicken. Finally, I’ll work on using the cue with the food on the floor
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ssues surrounding the relinquish ment of objects is a frequent grievance in my behavior prac tice. It is this, plus my battles with my own young Labrador picking up everything at the moment, that has prompted me to write this piece. So many times I hear that Fido, who commonly is under a year old, perhaps even only a few months of age, has started growling when his owner comes near and won’t willingly let go of whatever he has in his mouth. This becomes the primary reason for a guardian’s visit to my practice and it saddens me, be cause it simply needn’t be that way.
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BARKS from the Guild/November 2020
