Release Cues and Leave It With High Distractions

This is a video on a hike I took with the dogs and Dixie had picked up scent from an armadillo that we saw a little later. We are always talking about the power of a release cue. Release cues not only end good behavior, sits, downs, in and out of cars... but they can end behavior off of distractions or unwanted behavior. The dog only knows that when given a release it means you can stop what your doing. In the video I have attached the release cue of "ok" to "leave it" I have told Dixie to quit scenting and leave it alone, it is time to go. Notice that I give her a little time and even cue the sniffing. I built the release in training by asking her to sniff, then releasing her and then allowing her to sniff the same spot AGAIN if she wanted to. Many repetitions of this game strengthened the release cue, using it in a high distraction area is the pay off.