Mastering Leave It – Your Ten Steps To Success!

Earn Continued Education Units While You Learn!

PPAB  4.5, IAABC 3.75, CCPDT 4.5.

A Leave It Cue Should Not Should Not Rely on the Startle Response

Louise Stapleton-Frappell developed this program as an alternative to many of the traditional methods often used to teach the cue “Leave It.”

Too often, we see success with this cue attributed to techniques that rely on either punishment or a cue delivered in a manner that startles the dog, causing them to move away from or relinquish an item. While these approaches may suppress behavior in the moment, they do not necessarily teach the dog what to do instead, nor do they reflect the principles of force-free training.

At DogNostics Education, we believe that cues should be associated with positive outcomes. A cue should be meaningful, clear, and enjoyable for the dog to hear – not something that causes concern, hesitation, or alarm.

This program teaches a comprehensive, force-free system for developing a reliable Leave It cue through positive reinforcement. Rather than relying on interruption or startle responses, dogs learn to willingly disengage from an item and re-engage with their guardian because doing so has a strong history of reinforcement. 

The result is a cue that is not only effective but also preserves trust, strengthens communication, and supports a positive learning experience for both dog and guardian.

Suitable for Pet Guardians and Pet Professionals

Pet Dog Guardians

Whether you’re raising a puppy or working with an adult dog, this course provides a complete roadmap for teaching one of the most useful life skills a dog can learn.

Pet Professionals

Dog trainers, behavior consultants, pet care professionals, and dog walkers can immediately use the DogNostics 10-Step Training Plan as part of their own services, classes, workshops, or behavior programs.

The Course Highlights

Part 1: The Power of ‘Leave It’.

• Understand the opposing views and debates surrounding this essential skill.
• Explore the reasons why teaching the ‘leave it’ cue could be vital for your dog’s well-being.
• Understand the many applications of this cue in everyday life.
• Understand the importance of a clearly defined cue.
• Learn the precise goal behavior for ‘leave it’, leaving no room for confusion!
• Prepare for the 10-Step Training Plan by learning how to use respondent conditioning to elicit a positive emotional response to the verbal cue.

Part 2: Recipe for Success.

• Dive into DogNostics’ 10-step training ‘recipe’ that provides the essential ingredients for a happy, quick, and willing response from your canine companion.
• Via clear explanations and lots of video demonstrations, you will gain a clear understanding of how to teach Steps 1-5 of the 10-Step Training Plan.
• Understand how to adapt the criteria, when needed.
• Learn alternative ways to not only teach the training steps positively, but also to proof them.

Part 3: More Training Games for Success.

• Dive into engaging training games that cover training Steps 6 to 10!
• Discover the “Train-Test-Train” method for impeccable results.
• Learn how to tailor the 10-step training plan to your dog’s unique needs.
• Learn how to effortlessly generalize the skill.
• Understand how to use respondent conditioning to ensure that the verbal cue elicits a happy response!
• Master the art of proofing your dog’s response through enjoyable activities.

Embrace the complete Mp4 experience by listening to each of the above sections in one seamless session or journey through our convenient bite-sized lessons!