Advanced "Leave It" Training: The Dropped Food Test for Goldendoodles
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If you live with a Goldendoodle, you know that they are essentially fluffy vacuum cleaners. The moment a piece of onion, a grape, or a stray pill hits the kitchen floor, it’s a race to see who can get to it first. As a professional breeder, I’ve seen far too many "emergency room" stories that started with a dog eating something they shouldn't have.
When Charlie was 10 weeks old, we started the basic "Leave It" game with a treat hidden in my hand. But now that he’s 13 weeks, we’ve moved into what I call the "Expert Level: The Dropped Food Test." This isn't just a trick; it’s a life-saving skill that every dog owner needs.
The Psychology of "Leave It"
Most people think "Leave It" means "don't eat that." But in my training system, "Leave It" actually means: "Ignore that boring thing on the floor because looking at me is the only way you get rewarded." We want to change the dog's mindset from "I need to grab that!" to "I should check in with my human first." For Charlie, the reward for not eating the dropped food has to be better than the food itself. If I drop a piece of kibble, he gets a piece of freeze-dried liver from my hand for ignoring it.
Step 1: The "Covered" Method
We started by placing a treat on the floor and covering it with my foot or hand. The second Charlie stopped sniffing or pawing at my hand and looked up at my face, I said "Yes!" and gave him a different treat from my pocket.
Breeder Tip: Never give the puppy the item they were told to "leave." If they think they might get to eat it eventually, they will just stare at it and wait. We want them to forget the item on the floor entirely.
Step 2: The "Drop and Cover"
Once he mastered the stationary treat, I started dropping it from waist height while he was on a leash. This mimics a real-life scenario in the kitchen.
If he lunges: The leash prevents him from reaching it (no "self-rewarding").
If he looks at me: He gets a "Jackpot" of three tiny treats and lots of praise.
I use a specific 4-foot leather training leash for these close-quarters drills. It gives me a firm grip and doesn't tangle like nylon. You can see the exact professional training leashes I trust for Charlie on my Gear Page.
Step 3: The "Cold Turkey" (Off-Leash)
This is where we are with Charlie right now at 13 weeks. I drop something high-value, like a piece of cheese, while he is off-leash in the kitchen. If he can look at me instead of the cheese, I know his impulse control is solid. This is the goal for every dog I breed—a dog that thinks before they act.
Why This is Non-Negotiable
Goldendoodles are "mouth-first" dogs. Whether it's a piece of chocolate that fell off the counter or a dead bird in the yard, a rock-solid "Leave It" is your only line of defense.
If your pup is currently treating your house like a 24-hour buffet, you need to tighten up your communication. I walk you through every stage of the "Leave It" progression—from the very first hand-game to the advanced "Distraction Walk"—inside the Puppy Foundations module of my Goldendoodle Academy. For $45, you’re not just buying a course; you’re buying a safety net for your dog’s entire life.
Final Thoughts
Training "Leave It" takes patience and about a thousand repetitions. But the first time you drop a piece of garlic or an ibuprofen and your dog sits and looks at you instead of eating it, you’ll realize it was worth every second of work. Start small, be consistent, and keep Charlie’s example in mind: focus on the human, and the rewards will follow.