How to Train Your Dog to “Leave It!”

Quick Take

• Your dog could nail "leave it" perfectly at home and completely ignore it outside, and there is a specific reason why this happens. Train across environments →
• Most owners don't realize how much the treat you use to reward "leave it" matters, and it's probably not the one you'd expect. See how treat choice matters →
• When your dog lunges for a treat in your open hand, what you say in that moment can silently undo the training. Avoid undoing progress →
• One skipped step in the training sequence turns "leave it'' from a life-saving command into a suggestion your dog can ignore. Don't skip this step →

Training your dog to keep inappropriate items out of their mouth can potentially save their life. Dogs naturally explore their world through their mouths, but this instinct can lead them to swallow hazardous objects such as cleaning products, toxic foods, or sharp toys. Teaching commands like “leave it” and “drop it” can prevent life-threatening choking or gastrointestinal issues. Without this essential training, scavenging or playing with the wrong object could result in accidental poisoning that requires emergency medical intervention. The good news is that it’s not difficult to train your dog to “leave it.”

Start Training with a Covered Treat

Start with a low-value treat held tightly inside your fist. Let your dog sniff and paw at your hand, but ignore the behavior until they look away or stop trying to get it. The moment they lose interest in the treat, praise them, and then open your other hand to give them a high-value treat instead. Repeat this sequence until your dog immediately pulls back when they see your closed fist.

Once your dog is consistently leaving the covered treat, add the “leave it” cue. Repeat this several times to ensure your dog understands.

Train them to Look Away From the Treat

At this point, your dog is likely still focused heavily on the covered treat. Continue as before, but now wait for your dog to look away from the treat. The moment they do, even for a second, mark and reward them. Repeat this until your dog is consistently looking away when presented with the treat.

Now that your dog is becoming proficient at ignoring the covered treat, you’ll want to extend the duration of your “leave it” cue by waiting slightly longer each time. Remember to move slowly and not to expect too much at once.

Training with a Visible Treat

The next step is to hold a low-value treat in your open palm. If your dog lunges for it, quickly curl your fingers closed, say nothing, and wait for them to back away before marking the behavior and rewarding them with the high-value treat from your other hand. Once they consistently master this step, place the treat directly on the floor and cover it with your hand if they try to grab it.

Practice the Cue in Various Situations

Dogs may struggle to generalize cues to new environments, which means they might not immediately understand that “leave it” applies to things on the ground outside or in different rooms of the house.

You want your dog’s “leave it” cue to be reliable. To achieve this, you’ll need to practice in different environments, with different objects, and with various family members giving the cue. Gradually add more treats to increase the level of temptation.

Pair “leave it” with dropping the treat and walking past food on the ground. You can use a short leash in these situations to ensure your dog can’t grab the treat without permission.

Have Patience

Keep in mind that this is a challenging skill for a dog to learn, and that it will take time. You aren’t likely to train your dog to “leave it” in one session; it will take weeks or months of daily training.

Keep sessions short and enjoyable, and don’t hesitate to skip a day if you or your dog need a break. When possible, end your training sessions before either of you becomes frustrated or bored.