Old Mill Homework - Impulse control - Leave it/puppy zen

Impulse control games are great to help dogs learn not to be a pain :) the 'leave it/puppy zen' is a fab exercise for a dog who mugs your hand or cant focus when you have a treat in your hand
In the video I had only had Mia a short time and she had been a stray so was a bit obsessed with food
This is the first time I tried the exercise with her, she did know the clicker ment she had done the right thing and a treat was coming, she knew how to sit and give a paw.

You dont have to use a clicker for this exercise but I find it helps. If you dont use a clicker make sure and mark the EXACT moment the dog has done what you want (I say 'YES' in a happy tome)

Present the treat in your hand to your dog
As they move towards the treat close your hand over
Let your dog mug your hand (if they are likely to nibble wear gloves) do not move your hand or tell them off or say anything, just wait
The very moment your dog moves even slightly away from your hand click for that and reward (I prefer to reward out of the other hand - but you can reward from the same hand)
Repeat
slowly start waiting for your dog to look at you and reward for that
Once your dog starts looking away as you present your open hand this is the point you can add the word 'leave it' (leave it will mean look away from whatever it was you were looking at eventually)

You can then begin moving your hand slightly - this may mean your dog goes back to mugging your hand, just wait as before and reward when they stop mugging
repeat till they can cope with you moving your hand and dont mug it

move your had to an inch off the floor and drop the treat - if your dog goes for the treat place your hand ontop of it and wait for them to look away. Once they stop chasing the dropped treat you can raise your hand so you are dropping from higher and higher (you can use your foot to cover it if they try going for it)