
By Stacy Braslau-Schneck for Exceptional Canine
Most people who picture a pleasant hour or so with their dog at a coffee shop or sidewalk cafe concentrate on what the dog should not be doing. Don’t eat the food off the table. Don’t jump on the waiter. Don’t jump on passersby. Don’t chase the kids on skateboards, the baby strollers, or other dogs or trucks. Don’t fret about strangers who stare at you, lean toward you, reach toward you or even touch you.
This is a set of skills that requires the command of, basically, “Leave it.” Oh sure, a good “Settle” -- or its stricter older cousin, “Down-stay” -- is helpful too. But with “Leave it,” even if your dog spends most of the time standing or sniffing a few feet around your table, you’ll have a nice outing at the cafe.
It’s a Zen Thing
In fact, “Leave it” is one of my favorite things to teach. Some people call it “doggy zen” because the dog learns that “to get what you want, you have to give up what you want.”
To train your dog for this, start with a treat in your closed fist. Allow your dog to sniff it or lick at it -- but pretend you’re holding some forbidden food like chocolate, and don’t let him have it. Instead, wait patiently until he gives up trying to get it. At the moment he backs away, click your clicker or say “Yes!” and reward him with a different treat from your other hand. Repeat this, and once he is doing it predictably, start saying “Leave it” just before he backs away.
You’re looking for the moment when he gives up trying to get it. That’s when your dog has learned to be “zen” -- so you click or say “Yes!” and reward your dog. You can use toys or other distractions instead of food as well, of course.
Practice and Expand
After practicing this a bit, your dog will learn that “Leave it” means backing away from whatever has his interest. You can use this for food on the table, crumbs on the floor, dogs, people and strollers passing by. Teaching a good and generalized “Leave it” will make outdoor dining and almost any public outing more pleasurable -- for both you and your dog.
Stacy Braslau-Schneck is a longtime dog trainer and a professional member of the Association of Dog Pet Trainers. She works closely with the Human Society Silicon Valley and is the owner of Stacy’s Wag’N’Train, which offers small group classes and private lessons in San Jose, Calif. Stacy writes frequently for Exceptional Canine.