'leave it'

[kizkiznobite]

teaching 'leave it' - you can then use this cue to get a dog to understand that 'it' whatever 'it' is not for him/her to interact with or not to go for - food, toys, other dogs etc - this is not the same as dropping something once it in the mouth - it is used before it gets there

put 2 small bowls on the floor a couple of feet apart - put food treats in one bowl - when s/he goes for them - put hand fingers open and pointing down so fingertips touch the floor between dog and the bowl and say 'leave it' (dont use the word no) when s/he backs off or looks away click and deliver a treat (the reward) into the other bowl - build it up by upping the criteria - putting bowls further apart etc.

eventually stop using the bowls - put a row of treats on the floor and cue the 'leave it' initially rewarding with the food from your hand - then sometimes throwing the reward on to the floor - at the end of the first few sessions - don't let her/him eat the food treats used as bait from the bait bowl or from the floor - make sure s/he watches you pick them up and give them from the palm of your hand.

when fluent you can then point to them on the floor and say a 'yours' cue - this can be something like 'thereyago' then you can use it as a go greet - when telling him/her it is ok to approach another dog.

but...

once something is already in the mouth - then it is not leave it - it is dead or give or drop etc

[deebee]

brilliant
printed it off,ran downstairs to try it.
put two bowls on the floor and rodney grabbed one and ran off!!
changed the bowls to pottery and he made them clang on the tiled floor!!
put newspaper under them, and tried again, lunged at the bowl and i had to prevent him scoffing it. so he lies down and mouthes my hand and grumbles. the split srcond he stopped i clicked and dropped treat in other bowl,i had to point it out  to him.  he slid along the floor to it, didnt bother getting up. then decided the paper was more fun if he couldnt have the treats. there was still one in the 'allowed' bowl. now it s hot but he ran out with the first bowl and he seems to just lie down when i try to do anything with him.
freeshaping? he lies there looking at me and the clicker
hes really pushing my buttons

[kizkiznobite]

hehe - that's a gundog in the making haha - him and ami would get on soooo well !

the first exercise we do is the hand touch - the close recall - start him off on that

[deebee]

i just thought hes being thick, but maybe he thinks 'its just silly, gimme the treat'
will try the close recall tonight

[Mudgie]

You need to keep doing this and doing it.  It took me about a week of doing this each evening and a whole load of treats - mostly eaten when not supposed to be.  

I can now put a treat on Nachos paw (when he is in down position) and he doesnt touch it until I say "on you go"  Lots of damp patches on carpet from saliva though

Need to up criteria though cos if outside and he puts something edible in mouth sometimes he ignores my request!!  If it is not edible then it is left!!  Food fixated mutt.

I enjoy the touch one better - favourite party trick.  

[deebee]

lol mudgie
he gets so annoyed with me when i try these things he even 'yipped'* at me in frustration. he trying to train me not to train him i think!

*puppy bark

[Mudgie]

Just do for a few minutes -or he will get bored.  Little and often.  Do it a couple of times each day for a couple of minutes max.  If he doesnt get it right dont give him the treats he will soon pick it up.  They are a lot of things but stupid isnt one of them!!!   

[kizkiznobite]

no - he is frustrated for some reason - something is delaying the learning - usually it is because the clicker is not fully charged or the click and the treat delivery is not timed correctly - and you must always finish on a good note with soemthing the dog does do so the last thing you do is give a reward.

[Mudgie]

I've never used a clicker - does this speed up the process?

[kizkiznobite]

oh goD yeah - look at that vid with the little minpin - snoozy cued - start to finish 6 minutes max
claires adult rescue william - 'down' in about 5 minutes
 

[Mudgie]

Will do a search for all the stuff on clickers and prepare for big print off session.  Where is best place to buy one? Type?  Here we go again, hunners of questions!!

[kizkiznobite]

you can get them on line - i use the multiclick - parker put up a post with a pic i think somewhere
- if you stuck i can send you one

[parker]

here is the thread with the clicker info on 

clicker

[parker]

and this is the clicker I and Joly have and I think is the same or similar to Kizs

[Mudgie]

Thanks guys.  Add to basket time...