Features
January 2002 Issue
Teaching Your Dog "Off"
10 steps to teaching your dog to leave anything alone.
When they fill out their evaluation forms at the end of a six-week course, my clients frequently name the “Off” exercise as one of the most useful behaviors they have taught their dogs in class. “Off” means “Whatever you are paying attention to right now, I want you to leave it alone.” It can be applied to the roast on the counter, the snacks on the coffee table, the dead skunk beside the trail, the neighbor’s cat darting across the yard, or frail 93-year-old Aunt Martha. It’s one of my favorite exercises for watching a dog’s brain at work as she grasps the concept of “leave it alone.” Best of all, it’s fun and easy. You can do the exercises all in one session if your dog is an “Off” whiz, or it may take several.
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