Done

Quick Answer

You say "done" once, the moment you want your dog to let go of a toy, a chew, or whatever activity needs to end. Mark the release, reward away from the item, and hold the boundary afterward: nothing gets picked back up until you allow it. One limit worth remembering: repeating the cue teaches your dog the first one didn't count.

Why This Happens

"Done" is a disengage cue with a specific job: it tells your dog that a particular activity, whatever they're doing right now, is over, and it holds until you release them. That's a different job from two cues that sound similar. Leave It stops a dog from engaging with something in the first place, before they've touched it. Out asks a dog who's already engaged to physically move away from the object or the space. "Done" doesn't require your dog to move anywhere; it asks them to let go of what they're doing and stay let go, whether that's a tug toy, a bone, or a behavior like jumping on the couch.

The reason this works is consistency, not correction. Every time you give the cue, the payoff for whatever your dog was doing stops immediately and doesn't return until you say so. A dog who can predict that pattern stops testing it, the same way a kid stops arguing about bedtime once "bedtime" reliably means bedtime.

Why It Matters

Picture your dog gripping a sock she isn't supposed to have, or ten minutes into a tug game that's gone on long enough. Without a taught cue, that moment usually turns into a chase, a tug-of-war over the object, or you repeating yourself while your dog tunes it out. A dog who knows "done" lets go and steps back within a few seconds, no negotiation, because the cue itself is the whole instruction.

That reliability matters beyond the toy in front of you. "Done" is the cue that ends an activity cleanly, whether it's play, a chew session, or something you'd simply rather your dog stop doing, and a dog who honors it gives you a genuine off switch instead of a wrestling match every time playtime needs to wrap up. It's a small piece of vocabulary with an outsized payoff, and Partners Dogs trainers have been building it into dogs' daily routines since 1997.

Before You Begin

Start with a low-value item, a plain toy your dog likes but isn't obsessed with, not a food-stuffed bone or anything they've ever guarded before.
Choose a marker, a word or a clicker, and keep it identical session to session, so your dog knows precisely when they got it right.
Have a reward ready that's worth the trade. Asking your dog to give something up for nothing is a harder sell than asking them to trade up.
Decide which mark and cue wording the whole household will use, and have everyone use it identically. A cue that changes shape person to person takes longer to stick.
If your dog has ever stiffened, frozen, or growled when you reached for something they had, don't start "done" training on those items yet. Resource Guarding covers how to work through that first.

The Partners Dogs Method

Teaching

Introduce "done" during ordinary play, while your dog is holding a toy in their mouth. Say the cue once, clearly. The moment they drop it, mark the behavior and reward, then hand the toy right back. Giving it back matters: it teaches your dog that "done" ends this specific hold, not playtime itself, which keeps them willing to engage again next time you ask. How long this phase takes varies by dog; keep sessions short, and end on a clean release instead of pushing for one more rep.

Reinforcing

Once your dog is starting to anticipate the cue, expect a drop every time you give it, and reward variably, a treat one rep, praise the next, so the payoff stays interesting. If your dog doesn't let go, apply a mild correction: pause play, or briefly withhold the toy, rather than repeating the cue louder. This is also where the second half of "done" gets built: your dog doesn't reengage with the item until you've given permission, even if it's sitting right in front of them.

Proofing

Practice with a range of items and settings, food, a bone, a tug toy, a favorite chew, so your dog generalizes that "done" applies to whatever they're holding, not one specific toy. Add everyday distractions: the park with other dogs around, guests at the house, mealtime with food nearby. Stretch the distance and the duration you expect between the cue and permission to reengage, a little at a time, and keep rewarding variably for a clean response.

Maintenance

Work "done" into ordinary daily routines, beyond structured training sessions, so the boundary stays sharp. The aim is a dog who disengages reliably when you give the cue and waits for your permission before picking anything back up. If you notice compliance slipping, that's a sign to return to easier reps for a stretch, not a reason to assume the cue failed.

What to Do in the Moment

Your dog has a toy at the park and won't let go: Give the cue once, then wait. Don't grab or chase; reaching for the item mid-hold usually turns it into a game of keep-away instead of a clean release.
You're mid-tug and it's time to stop: Say "done," then stop pulling or moving toward the toy yourself. Continuing to tug after the cue sends a mixed signal about whether the game is actually over.
Your dog picks up something you don't want them to have: Cue "done," mark the release, and trade for something appropriate. This works the same way whether it's a sock or a stick.
Your dog is doing something unwanted that isn't about an object, like jumping or barking at the door: The cue still applies. "Done" is an off switch for the activity itself, not only for physical items.

Troubleshooting

Your dog drops the item, then grabs it right back. You're likely releasing the boundary too early. Reward the pause itself, a beat or two of your dog staying disengaged, before you decide whether to give the item back.

Your dog won't let go at all. The item's value is probably ahead of where your training is. Step back to a lower-value item or a quieter setting and rebuild from there.

Your dog seems to only know "done" for one specific toy. The skill hasn't generalized yet; it doesn't mean the cue itself is broken. Work through more items and settings deliberately, since that transfer doesn't happen on its own.

Simple Practice Plan

Start every session with the toy or item your dog already responds to reliably, and keep the first few reps in a quiet space with nothing else competing for attention. Once drops are consistent there, introduce a second item and a mild distraction one at a time, not all four at once. Work the boundary piece deliberately: after your dog releases, hold off on giving anything back for a few extra seconds before deciding whether to reward with the item or something else. If a session falls apart, that's information about the setting or the item, not a reason to abandon the cue for the day.

Pet Parent Coaching Tips

Say the cue once. If you find yourself giving it a second or third time, your dog is learning that only the last one counts.
Don't reach for or tug at the item after giving the cue during high-energy play like tug; it contradicts the instruction you just gave.
Hold your dog accountable the same way every time. If they don't follow through, apply the correction you'd apply on any other rep, not a harsher one because you're frustrated.
Reward the waiting, not just the release. A dog who disengages and then sits calmly without permission to reengage is doing the harder half of the skill.

When to Get Professional Help

There's one clear line with this cue: if your dog ever stiffens, freezes, growls, or snaps when you ask them to give something up, stop working "done" on that item immediately and treat it as a resource guarding question, not an obedience one. Resource Guarding breaks down the warning signs and the professional approach to fixing it. Pushing through a growl to finish a training rep is exactly how a warning escalates into a bite.

Short of that line, a private lesson is worth it if your dog understands the cue in a quiet room but falls apart the moment there's meaningful competition for the item, or if you're not sure whether what you're seeing is a training gap or an early guarding sign.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is "done" different from "leave it" or "out"?

"Leave it" stops your dog from engaging with something before they've touched it. "Out" asks a dog who's already engaged to physically move away. "Done" tells your dog to let go of an activity and stay let go, without requiring them to move anywhere, so it fits situations "out" doesn't, like ending a specific unwanted behavior in place.

When should I practice the "done" cue?

Work it into regular play and everyday moments, not only dedicated training sessions. The more contexts your dog hears it in, the faster it generalizes.

Can I use "done" for things besides toys?

Yes. It applies to food, bones, tug play, and unwanted actions like jumping or door-barking, not only physical objects your dog is holding.

What happens if my dog won't respond to "done"?

Go back to the correction you'd normally use in that phase, a pause in play or a brief hold on the item, then try the rep again. A dog who keeps blowing through the cue across several sessions usually needs the training moved back a step, not a firmer voice.

What rewards work best for "done"?

Vary them: treats, praise, a pet, or handing the item back once your dog has held the boundary for a moment. Predictable rewards get stale faster than a mix.

Out (Disengage and Move Away): the cue for a dog who needs to physically move away from something, past simply letting go of it.
Leave It: the cue that stops engagement before it starts.
Resource Guarding: what to do when giving something up isn't just a training gap.
Watch (Watch Me): building the attention habit that makes cues like "done" easier to land in the first place.

Book a seat in Group Classes and put "done" to the test next to dogs, food, and handlers your dog doesn't already know.