" LEAVE IT " - Page 4

 " PHEW" ....LOL...


                Ruger1

Ruger, your puppy is only 6 months old.  If you want to switch commands, go ahead and do it.  From what you say, he's not listening to "Leave it" anyway.  (sorry, couldn't resist teasing you), so a change now at 6 months will be ok, as long as you're consistent from then on.  So if you are going to work at setting him up and training this command, go ahead and choose what you'll use and then stick to it.

As for Pfui - maybe others hear can chime in, but the other day at training someone said "pfui" to their dog for something and the trainer said don't say pfui, keep pfui only for ........  I can't remember! as I was working my own dog, but it stuck in my mind and I meant to ask him later.  I know he had a reason - "Pfui" meant something specific and was not to be used as a general, "no, stop doing that" correction.

Again, not saying I agree with this but I just remembered it and maybe someone else here knows what was meant.  Maybe the person was using it as a correction while doing obedience or something and the trainer was saying no, pfui means STOP whatever you're doing, so don't use it as a correction word unless you mean stop whatever action you're engaged in.

VomMarischal, just read your post.    Love it, and of course you are correct.

 

"pfui means STOP whatever you're doing"

That is EXACTLY how it was explained to me. 

I guess I'm just cursed with a dog who understands me by my tone and the situation at that moment rather than the words I choose to speak.
And if that doesn't work there is always my boot up his ass.
These things you don't want your dog to mess with are distractions.   Very simple.

Now if your gonna say no and leave it,  all day long around the house over every little thing, the dog still knows what you mean, he's just tired of hearing it and tunes you out after a while.
That's when you get up off your ass and move something or put it away with your mouth shut instead of boring him to death.

I have three dogs together often and have to use their name before the command so they know who I'm commanding.
They understand more than some of you give them credit for, or maybe it's just the difference between one dog and another.

If you have to say it more than once you haven't done your job.

That being said, my dogs do not obey me every time, but they obey when from the sound of my tone they know I mean business.
We aren't competing, and I'm not strict on a daily basis, a different life style than some.
 

Moons.




 

I've decided to use "supercalafragalisticexpialadoshus" instead, after all it's so much simpler to have a multi syllabic word when trying to communicate with an animal.  It's also helpful if you have numerous words that mean the same thing, for instance, I change my dog's name every other day because I just like confusing him and putting him into avoidance as much as possible.  As for your "repeat" your "Leave It" command if he/she doesn't drop something in it's mouth, AT THAT POINT IT'S TOO LATE.  Go in it's mouth and get it!!!  Now your "Leave It" has become nothing more than lip service, IT'S IN THE MOUTH AND IT COULD BE DANGEROUS.  Do you want to hold a conversation with an animal whose life is based on survival and loves to play games of possession??  Or do you want to possibly save it's life quickly?

BTW Crys, you are correct with your response about using commands which require no thought.  Commands almost need to be "action" related and not necessarily "reaction" related.  You as a handler/owner need to be able to respond quickly without first having to pull out your book of translated dog terms.

super what?

I always liked the word carbuncle.

Your right Phil,
It's not a conversation and it's not a request, It is a command.
And a distraction is a signal for the dog to pay attention to it's master immediately.

Moons.

You might want to try to teach him what you mean with something different.  I taught Echo to "Leave it" by offering one kind of tasty treat in my left hand and a better treat in my right hand.  I would offer up the left hand, palm up and she would naturally try to snag it and I would say "leave it" and pull my hand back.  Pretty soon she gets tired of trying to get the treat and just sits there looking at it, then I would say good dog and reward her with the better treat.  You could also have a treat on the floor, say leave it and snatch his leash, preventing him from getting to it.  That way you can toss them in his path and correct him with "pfui" and snatch him back until he just looks at it then reward him  Once he has this down it may help in the cat poo dept.  Be sure and have something to reward him when he leaves it.  Good luck...cat poo is like crack to a dog...gotta have it!