Touch as a Redirect

When your dog locks onto a trigger — another dog, a squirrel, a jogger — cue "touch." Chasing your palm physically swings their head and body away from the thing. Reward big.

It works because the dog cannot stare down a trigger and find your hand at the same time. "Leave it" only says stop; touch says do this instead — a far easier order to follow under pressure. Practice it against mild distractions before the real ones.