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Find a word or phrase that you are comfortable with and make that your command for your puppy to not touch whatever is tempting her. Common commands are "Leave it," "Off," or "No."

"Off" is a convenient command to keep your puppy from grabbing at food or other items without invitation. As demonstrated here, the puppy is allowed to take the food when it's offered, but not allowed to charge in and grab it without it being offered.

This can be used to keep your puppy from touching anything from food on the floor to garbage in the park. You can also use it to tell your dog not to jump or a person, chase a rabbit, get on furniture, steal personal items and chew on furniture. Obviously, some of these applications are more advanced, but it all begins with the proper introduction and definition of your command.

This process of instruction is simply, "show and tell." You tell your puppy what you want and immediately show her what it means.

It might take a thousand repetitions, but eventually your puppy will associate the command or phrase with its definition. Make sure your definition is 100% clear that your puppy is not allowed to touch the item she desires. If you let your puppy get the item, then you will inadvertently be teaching him to be fast and sneaky. He will think this is a game to see who can get the item first. The quicker of the two of you will win and you will simply be honing his fast and sneaky skills. Success will then be even more difficult.

If this happens, then choose another word (new command) because the first one has already been contaminated with a meaning you don't want. Then repeat the training making sure you are quicker than your puppy. Set your puppy up to succeed at failing to get the item once you've given the new command. This might mean putting your puppy on a leash that when fully extended prevents the puppy from getting close enough to the object or item you are working with.

If your puppy does not trust or respect you, then this exercise will be futile especially in the more advanced stages of training when you are not in a position to make sure your puppy cannot touch the forbidden item. It's important to gradually add time and distance between the puppy and the forbidden object and yourself, but once the puppy knows and understands the meaning, he will comply simply because he respects you. If the respect is not there, then he will think, "Who are you to tell me what to do?" And you will be like two 5 year-olds fighting between yourselves.

The cradle and chill exercises will help develop your puppy's trust, respect and confidence in you.

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Training Your Puppy To Stay Off or Get Away From Something

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