Mary Allen
Does your dog eat everything off the ground that it finds on its way, including rubbish, feces, and other things? This behavior is normal for dogs to some extent, but it can also be dangerous. After all, what is found on the street and in the bushes is not always good for the body. With the help of conditioning, you can break the habit of eating everything in your four-legged friend.
Germs and worms, splinters, nails, toxic ingredients, and poisoned baits – the potential dangers for dogs eating all sorts of things off the ground outside are great. Behind the behavior is usually just the instinctive curiosity of dogs. In some cases, however, an illness or deficiency symptoms can also be responsible for the “garbage chute syndrome”. If in doubt, to be on the safe side, you should consult a veterinarian to clarify the cause of the dog eating off the ground.
Dog Eats Everything Off the Floor: Breaking the Habit Through Gradual Conditioning
In order to prevent omnivorous eating, dog owners do not have to grab the muzzle right away. The alternative is “conditioning”. So if you say “Help, my dog eats everything on the floor”, you should train him to step by step to leave found objects lying around.
Dogs are opportunists: Your furry friend needs to understand that leaving the half-decayed bird or garbage bag behind has advantages for him. So what exactly do pet owners do to prevent the dog from eating everything off the floor? You offer him a better alternative!
If you see your four-legged friend approaching an object on the ground and possibly already sniffing it, keep him away by blocking the leash (ideally: tow leash and harness) and a trained signal word such as a clear “No” away. Does your dog let go of the object in response to the command without pulling or tugging and turn its attention to you? Wonderful! Take advantage of this moment and give him a dog treat or some other form of praise. Over time, your pet will understand that not picking up litter and other hazards is worth it.
What To Do If the Dog Eats Everything Off the Floor: Targeted Training Help
The above method is primarily intended for the situation where your dog is already in the process of wolfing down trash that is lying around. But you can also practice conditioning consciously and in a safe environment: This way, your furry friend will learn the correct behavior before it is tempted by real rubbish.
This training method is about provoking the misbehavior to a certain extent: prepare a path with a few baits, i.e. different (of course harmless) objects such as pieces of dry food. Then walk the prepared path with your dog.
It won’t be long before your “garbage chute” locates your bait. If he wants to snap at it, stop him with commands and if necessary with a slight jerk of the line and reward him with effusive praise or a treat if he lets go of the bait. Incidentally, a method similar to the one described here is traditionally part of anti-poison bait training .
It will take a few hours of training to condition your dog not to eat everything off the floor. As always with dog training, be patient and take it to step by step. If you have difficulties, you can contact an experienced dog trainer.