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 Quote: Kory Fox

Don't mean to jump this thread but how exactly are teaching the leave it, drop it or yuck command? Specifically for my 9 week old rottie.

Here's how I teach "drop it."

Give the puppy a toy or bone they like. Have handy some really good high-value treats (something better than the toy). While they're chewing on the toy, put the treat in front of their nose. When they drop the toy to take the treat say "drop it." You take the toy. Then immediately give the toy back to the dog. Repeat frequently with different items (toy, stick, ball).

You're basically teaching the dog to "trade" whatever it is in their mouth for a reward.

And during the training phase of this if you do the exercise with something you will give back to the dog, it teaches him that it's okay to give you what he has--because sometimes he gets it back, and in any case he gets a reward for releasing it, even momentarily.

This not only teaches him the "drop it" command (release whatever is in his mouth)...but helps condition against resource guarding.

If you do this when he's little with a toy that you "trade" and give back, then it will be much easier down the road when you are in a less controlled situation and want him to "drop" something that he's not going to get back--dead bird, prescription medicine, broken glass.

What you DON'T want is to rely on your ability to *force* the dog to give up what he has. It might work for a short time when he's little, but it will just teach him that when he finds something "good" he better run away from you and hide with it because you're going to make him give it up. And he'll always be faster than you. Better to condition him that giving up his treasures to you is no big deal...because he usually gets something better, and sometimes you'll even give it back.

Hope that helps.