Glossary

Leave it

A cue that tells a dog to stop paying attention to something, such as food on the ground, and turn away from it.

Also called: leave-it cue, ignore it, leave command

"Leave it" teaches impulse control. The dog learns that ignoring something it wants, such as a dropped treat, trash or another dog, earns a better reward from the owner. A usual first step is to cover a treat in a closed hand, wait for the dog to stop sniffing and pawing, then mark and reward from the other hand.

Over time the object is left uncovered, then placed on the floor and then dropped, and the dog learns to look back at the owner instead of going for it. The reward for success should be better than the thing that was left.

It differs from drop it, which asks a dog to release something already in its mouth. It is a safety behavior but not a guarantee, so keep dangerous items out of reach.

Last reviewed November 8, 2026

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Related terms

Drop it A cue that asks a dog to let go of something in its mouth, taught as a trade rather than a struggle. Recall A dog's trained response to turn and come straight to its owner when called, one of the most important safety behaviors. Basic obedience The core manners most pet dogs are taught, usually sit, down, stay, come, walking nicely on a leash and leave it. High-value treat A food reward the dog finds especially tempting, such as cooked chicken or cheese, saved for difficult training moments.