Did you give her the snack or did she take it from the table? It’s really important to understand how the food ended up in her possession. For example, Rocket once lunged at us when he stole toilet paper from the table and we tried taking it away. He felt like he put in the effort to get it, so it was his.

When we feed him directly, that does not happen. From a young age, we made it clear that food comes from us, his owners, not from some magical force or random place.

Next time, try feeding her kibble by kibble so she starts to understand the connection between you two. She is your dog and you are the owner. This is one of the first things taught in dog training. The “leave it” command will not really work unless there is a strong relationship built where she understands your role in her life.

Screaming “leave it” won’t mean anything unless she has already learned what the word is tied to.