Obedience · Newfoundland
How to Teach a Newfoundland to Leave It
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Short answer
Teach your Newfoundland to leave it by using positive reinforcement to reward them for choosing to look away from tempting items. Because this giant, slow-maturing breed cannot be managed by physical restraint alone, patient repetition helps them build the impulse control needed to reliably disengage.
Teaching a Newfoundland a bulletproof 'Leave It' is an essential safety skill, not just a parlor trick. Because this giant, sweet-tempered breed can easily outweigh their handler and possesses a relaxed yet powerful curiosity, physical restraint alone cannot protect them from hazards like dropped chocolate or roadside debris. Newfoundlands are deeply devoted and eager to please, but their slow mental maturation means impulse control requires steady, patient repetition. Their calm demeanor works to your advantage during stationary exercises, though high-value food triggers can prompt intense focus and dramatic drool production. By utilizing positive reinforcement and clear choices, you will teach your gentle giant that looking away from tempting items reliably unlocks far superior rewards from you.
How to do it
Step-by-step
Tick off each step as you practice it — your progress is saved on this device.
Step 1: Establish the Closed-Fist Foundation
Hold a low-value biscuit inside a closed fist and present it approximately four inches from your Newfoundland's nose. Your dog will naturally sniff, nudge, or drool on your knuckles; remain completely still and wait in silence for them to pull their massive head back even half an inch. The precise moment they back away or break eye contact with your fist, mark with 'Yes' and deliver a high-value sliver of roast chicken from your opposite hand. Practice this for three-minute sessions twice daily; if your dog paws persistently at your hand, simply turn your body away to reset without scolding.
Step 2: Progress to an Open Palm
Place the same low-value treat on your open, flat palm about chest-height for your sitting dog. Give the verbal cue 'Leave It' in a neutral tone right before presenting your hand. If your dog leans in to grab it, quickly close your fingers into a fist to prevent self-reinforcement, waiting until they settle back before opening your hand again. Once they can pause and look at your eyes rather than the food for three consecutive seconds, mark and reward from your other hand across five repetitions.
Step 3: Place the Bait on the Floor
Put your Newfoundland in a relaxed sit, say 'Leave It', and lower a piece of kibble to the floor beneath your foot so you can instantly cover it if they surge forward. Because giant pups can easily knock you off balance if they lunge, keep your core engaged and cover the treat with your sole if their giant muzzle dives down. Wait for your dog to give up sniffing your shoe, re-engage with your eyes, and visibly relax their posture. Mark that deliberate choice to disengage, reward generously from your pouch, and repeat across four daily reps until your foot is no longer covering the bait.
Step 4: Practice from a Standing Position
Stand fully upright with your dog on a flat collar or back-clip harness, dropping a dry dog biscuit from waist height two feet away while cueing 'Leave It'. Standing removes your body block, challenging your dog's self-control while testing their impulse to drop their heavy head. If your dog steps toward the dropped item, smoothly step directly over the treat with your foot before their mouth makes contact. Practice three drops per session for a week, consistently rewarding every eye-contact response with a jackpot of three separate high-value treats.
Step 5: Proof While Moving on Leash
Attach your dog to a six-foot leash and walk past a pre-placed, boring object like a plastic toy stationed three feet to the side. Cue 'Leave It' two paces before your Newfoundland reaches the object, continuing your forward stride without pausing. If your giant dog attempts to pull or drag toward the object, stop your forward motion calmly, anchor your stance, and wait for them to slacken the leash and glance back toward you. Celebrate their attention with lavish verbal praise, high-value freeze-dried beef liver, and brisk forward momentum away from the trigger.
Step 6: Generalize to High-Value Real-World Items
Set up staged scenarios involving high-value real-world hazards, such as chicken bones or discarded socks placed along your standard walking route or living room floor. Approach on a front-clip harness at a generous working distance of six feet to keep your dog under threshold, giving the 'Leave It' cue before their head lowers. If your slow-maturing Newfie gets fixated, increase the distance by two feet and use a hand target cue like 'Touch' to redirect their focus. Repeat this twice a week across varying locations until your dog spontaneously checks in whenever they spot novel floor clutter.
For the Newfoundland
Pro tips
- Keep training bursts under five minutes long, as the Newfoundland's calm, low-energy temperament causes them to tune out or physically lie down if over-drilled.
- Fit your dog with a sturdy front-clip harness during walking sessions to comfortably counter their substantial leverage if they lurch toward scavenged hazards.
- Always carry high-aroma rewards like liverwurst or sharp cheddar, because giant working mouths require potent olfactory incentives to willingly ignore street trash.
Owners ask
Frequently asked questions
How do I handle the excessive drool that occurs during food-refusal training?
Keep a hand towel looped over your shoulder or belt throughout every training session to dry your hands and your dog's jowls between reps. Excessive salivation is a completely normal physiological response for Newfoundlands working around food, so simply wipe down your treat hand so bait remains easy to manipulate and doesn't slip from your grasp. If the drooling becomes extreme, lower the value of the decoy treat to decrease their intense anticipation.
What should I do if my giant Newfoundland uses their full weight to push past my foot toward the bait?
Never try to physically wrestle or shove a hundred-pound dog away, as this creates resistance and turns the exercise into a frustrating physical contest. Instead, secure your dog on a standard six-foot leash anchored behind you or to an immovable post so physical geometry keeps the dropped item just out of reach without leash jerking. Once they realize their mass cannot overcome the physics of the stationary barrier, they will relax and offer focus back to you.
Why does my young Newfoundland seem to master this one week and completely forget it the next?
Newfoundlands are notoriously slow to mature physically and mentally, often remaining goofy, distractible adolescents until they are nearly three years old. Hormonal surges and cognitive growth spurts can temporarily disrupt impulse control, which is entirely normal for this giant breed. When these regression periods happen, temporarily lower your criteria by increasing your distance from the bait and offering higher-value rewards to rebuild consistency.
Can I ever let my Newfoundland eat the item I just told them to 'Leave It'?
No, you should never allow your dog to consume the specific item they were told to leave, as this muddies the cue into a confusing 'Wait' command. 'Leave It' must strictly mean that the target object is completely off-limits forever, protecting them from items that might be toxic or sharp. Always pick up the decoy yourself and deliver a totally separate, higher-value reward directly from your hand or pouch.
Spotted a mistake or something out of date? Email us — we review every report, fix the guide and update its date. Our guides are general education, not a substitute for a certified trainer or veterinary behaviorist.
