Eat Anything On The Ground

[maki]

My 4month-old pug is very active, inquisitive and loves to eat

The problem is, when I walk him, he looks down and tries to eat things

like leaves, twigs, cigarette butts, wrappers and even bugs on the sidewalk.

Every time he is about to eat something, I pull the lead not him to reach it, saying NO.

but sometimes too late. In a 10 minute walk, I have to pull the lead 20times or so.

When he ignores things (this occasionally happens), I praise him verbally or with treats.

I have been doing this for a few weeks so far, but he hasn't been able to catch on yet.

Are there any better ways?

I'd appreciate any advice!!

[Flaves]

I taught Mitchell and Barker the 'leave it' command.

I tauight this because Mitchi was eating poo.

Now if i tell them to leave it when they are snuffling at something 'yummy' on the ground they will.

[maki]

I taught Mitchell and Barker the 'leave it' command.

I tauight this because Mitchi was eating poo.

Now if i tell them to leave it when they are snuffling at something 'yummy' on the ground they will.

Hi Kristie,

I tried to teach 'Leave it' many times, but he completely ignored me.

How did you do it?

[Flaves]

To teach the 'leave it' command i used 2 techniques.

When in the backyard and Mitch went up toi her poo, yes she was a poo eater, i would growl at her 'agh' and when she looked would say leave it. Kept repeating that and rewarding her when she did leave it. If she went towards it, i would be within reach to redirect her.

When on walks and she was attached to the lead, i would use the same technique but would reinforce it with a quick jerk on her lead. THe jerk was a correction not a massive head jerking thing.

SHe learnt pretty quick, although when walking hse will try and sneak up to something but usually a growl and a leave it will work and she will ignore it

[bloss344]

It might help to start teaching the 'leave it' at home, inside where there are no distractions. It's going to be hard to teach an enthusiastic dog to leave it out on a walk. Start off, with a 1 second leave, then gradually increase it. It won't happen overnight but it will happen. My Bob is a real foodie, acts like he's never had a square meal in his life. Last week when I let the dog's out, he ran into the yard and picked 'something' up. I told him to leave it from about 10 meters away, and he did. When I retrieved the object it was a peice of cooked bone, obviously dropped by one of our many resident crows. Leave it can be a life saving command.

[Tango]

Puppies are sooooooooooooo cute, but eating poo?! ;)

[Flaves]

Yep Tango, poo!

So gross! But at least i taught her not too.

Now she doesn't even look at it and it only took me a couple of weeks.

[flycow]

My pup is a scavenger too because she loves to eat and also due to coming from a farm environment and grew up playing with twigs and rocks a lot. When she's in the yard alone, she eats dirt, grasss, twigs, rocks, leaves, sometimes her own poo. She don't eat poo anymore since a change of diet recently but she still do the scavenging thing when she feels bored.

Diva knows the leave it command but I don't bother to use it 90% of the time when she picks up harmless things like leaves or dirt. I'm afraid it will have less effect if I used it every single time. This command is so useful on more important things like food thrown over the fence from feral neighbours! hehe

The leave method we learned from puppy school to put a piece of food in front of pup and control her from getting it, the moment she gets disinterested in the food (even for a second), we said 'leave' and reward her something else from another hand. I think you can ask your preschool trainer, they have various methods I heard.

Edited December 9, 2006 by flycow

[pipppy]

We also used food to teach the command, we taught it at home with no distractions as out walking food rewards dont really interest him.

Now he still wants to sniff and mouth everything and often walks for ever with his nose to the ground but instead of pulling madly to get at something his head will turn in interest waiting for us to give him the ok but a small tug on the lead and a firm no will keep him on track. A month ago I thought we would never get to this point so whatever you try it will take time, and patience and consitancy. I also anticipate when we are comming up to something of interest and tell him no as soon as i see him notice it in the distance.

Out walking now we reward him by letting him have the occasional stop, sniff and lick and then its off again.

[Teebs]

My dog eats poo... and everything else he can get hold of

Now. who was in line for a kiss from him??