The Leave Command

For a sighthound, “Leave” is one of the most useful commands you can teach. Greyhounds, whippets and lurchers are built around an intense visual prey drive, so a reliable “Leave” gives you a calm, clear way to interrupt that drive before it takes over. This guide builds the command in three stages, from a still treat in your open hand to a moving object on the ground.

Work at your hound’s pace. Sighthounds respond to lower repetition and higher reward, so keep sessions short, mark every success clearly, and only move up a level once the current one is reliable.

Beginner: the open hand

Start with a low-value treat resting in your open palm, and a high-value toy hidden behind your back. Present your open palm near your dog’s nose so the treat is on offer but not given.

The moment your dog moves toward your hand, say “Leave” clearly and firmly, and close your hand into a fist. If your hound sniffs or paws at the fist, ask for a “Sit” to reset. Many sighthounds find sitting uncomfortable, so do not force it, and reopen your hand to repeat once your dog settles.

When your dog looks away from your hand, mark it instantly with “Yes!”, then bring out the hidden toy and start a game. The lesson lands when ignoring the treat earns something far better.

Once this is reliable at home, repeat it in a more distracting environment to prove the command holds under pressure.

Intermediate: the controlled drop

Now move the temptation to the floor. Hold a low-value treat between your fingers, keep the high-value toy concealed behind your back, and drop the treat about six inches onto the floor.

As the treat falls, say “Leave”, and cover it with your foot the instant your dog moves toward it. If your hound paws or sniffs at your foot, ask for a “Sit”, stepping back to give those long legs room. Lift your foot and reissue “Leave” to reset.

When your dog looks up and makes eye contact, mark it with “Yes!” and toss the toy well away from the treat on the floor. Rewarding at a distance teaches your hound that the prize never comes from the thing they were told to leave.

Advanced: the moving object

This is where you meet the heart of the sighthound: the visual lock onto something that moves. Keep your dog on a lead if the chase instinct is strong, and use a low-value treat ball or toy. Roll the object three to five feet away.

The millisecond it moves and your dog’s tracking switches on, say “Leave”, and step on the object to stop its motion. If your hound lunges or pulls toward it, command “Sit” to break the visual lock, then wait for genuine stillness before you roll it again.

When your dog turns away from the object and looks directly at your face, mark it enthusiastically with “Yes!” and throw a favourite toy in the opposite direction. Over time, your hound learns to check in with you instead of giving chase, which is exactly the response you want out on the Heath.

Want help building this in person?

The Leave command is one of the foundations we work on during residential training, alongside the rest of the Big Six. If you would like hands-on help tailored to your hound, see how residential boarding and recall training works or get in touch to arrange a meet and greet.