I do admire Harv's self-restraint sometimes ... One of our training classes takes place in a school hall (with rubber matting placed around the edge, and also criss-crossing, to prevent slipping by dog or human). In one particular exercise we were given a series of instructions to perform on a designated route around the hall. While each person undertook the tasks the rest waited along one side of the hall. I decided to take the opportunity to practice Harv's Leave It cue - I placed him in a Down and gave a Leave It cue as I placed a piece of cooked chicken on a front paw. All was going well until the GSD in front of us caught the scent of the chicken! Try as she might the owner couldn't hold the GSD back as it pulled towards Harv and then snatched the chicken. Harv calmly watched all of this without a sound and without moving an inch. And then he just turned his head and looked at me as if to say "Well, what now?!" I put another piece of chicken on his paw with another Leave It cue but followed with a Take It almost immediately. A number of people said that their dogs would have reacted very differently (taking exception to the stealing of their food). I'm so proud of the little chap sometimes
Wow, that is very impressive! You must be so proud ☺ Ella is pretty good with her food but I'm not sure how she'd react if someone else stole it from her!
That's brill! Well done Harv. I once heard a trainer say that a measure of good impulse control is not reacting to another dog nicking something - because if a dog has really "given it up" then that applies to not guarding the food/toy if another dog nicks it. Sadly, at the time, it was my dog doing the nicking. As always...
