If only it were that simple. I taught the leave it command from day one as per instructions with treats for giving stuff up. She will leave a treat at the end of her nose until told to take it, and will usually give stuff up in exchange for a treat. However, I did read something the other day that said if you are giving your dog an instruction because you are having to then it shouldn't get treated for it which I can see is a point. Also, this one will take stuff for attention which I try not to get hooked into.
I personally don't leave anything lying around, chairs are always in, stair gate shut, doors to other rooms closed, etc etc, but enter a visitor...it's embarrassing-you have to go round after your visitor, putting their chair back in every time they get up, picking up their handbag, taking their coat off the back of the chair before the pockets get raided I . It is ridiculous. Yes, you can say leave it and (usually) get the thing back, but my question is...how do you stop them taking everything in the first place???....Surely there should be a time where you can resume some sort of normality in the house?! Children can't play on the floor in my house because any toys they get out are chewed up by the dog! My other dog grew out of this stupidity by about 7 months old' and quickly realised what was his and what was not. I don't think you should have to be performing the leave it command every 20 seconds whenever you have a visitor. Yes I could lock her away but then a) she would think visitors are a bad thing and b) she would not be learning any alternative. This dog doesn't seem to have any ability to generalise. I am completely stumped.