Today I’m working on the very first step of teaching “leave it,” and I’m using Stuart for his first lesson. This is one of those safety skills I want every puppy to have—because whether it’s dropped food in the kitchen or something sketchy on a walk later on, “leave it” helps your dog make a better choice. I keep it gentle and clear with positive reinforcement, so your puppy learns without any force or frustration. I start with a treat in my closed fist. The moment Stuart stops trying to get it and backs off, I mark it with a happy “yes,” and I reward from my other hand. I also like to pay with something higher value, so he learns: leave the boring thing alone and mama has something better. Next, I open my hand with the treat—if he dives in, I simply close my hand again. I repeat open/close until he’s choosing to leave it, then it’s “yes” and treat from the other hand. As he gets successful, I wait for him to look up at me (not my hand), and then I add my “leave it” cue right before I present the treat. Over time, we build this up to food on the floor and real-life situations.