Best Way To Teach What Is Not Appropriate To Eat

[Guest carriej]

Hi Guys,

 

Things with Chance are going good; but I do have to say he is the 4th and most difficult hound I have had in my home lol.

 

Generally, with training what isn't acceptable to eat I almost set them up for learning. I'll leave a napkin, etc out and wait for him to go for it and teach him that it isn't good for him to eat, generally by redirection.

 

However; it just doesn't seem to be working. This dog wants to eat everything; I've never seen a dog nose through everything. He ate something tonight and he gagged a little; no idea as to what it might be as both my husband and I did a deep clean last night and made sure any little bit of anything under furniture, etc was gone.

 

Anyone have any ideas?

 

 

[Guest DeniseL]

No advice, just emphathy. Miami will eat anything he can fit in his mouth. The first 6 months were torture. He wore a muzzle anytime he wasn't supervised. The house was completely bare. For him, it was severe anxiety, and as the anxiety decreased over time, so did the behavior. BUT, he still loves to swallow things and especially if he is on edge, like around the 4th of july, ambulances driving by, etc, he starts searching for something to eat (or lick compulsively). My boy is such a weirdo. <3

Good luck with Chance. How long have you had him? Maybe he will get better with time, like Miami...

[Guest carriej]

He's only been here a few weeks, failed foster... lol

 

He also doesn't really want to play with toys - so I am trying to find him an "outlet" for this behavior but it's very difficult. I have ordered him some new toys online since I've tried everything locally and he has 0 interest.

[Sambuca]

Try feeding him before the training sessions. If he's full, he may not be as into eating things and more willing to listen.

[Acadianarose]

I sympathize. You would not believe the crap Payton has thrown up. He knows “leave it” and will drop whatever it is I catch him eating that he is not supposed to eat.

 

The problem is the stuff I don’t catch. I try really hard to control his environment. My house is more child proofed than when my children were babies. Even still, he gets a hold of more stuff. He even found a prescription of Xanax, which made my heart drop. I still don’t know how he found it.

 

BTW- Payton loves, loves squeaky toys. He will literally drool if he sees a new one.

[2greyhoundMINI]

Sidney and June will grab random stuff.... we've been "hound-proofing" the house more and more. I figure the less they can get into the better.

They will drop it if you catch them with something.

 

We are trying to keep them well stocked with squeaky stuffies which they love.... them and their Kongs.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

Sorry you are having trouble with your boy I swear he did not do any of these things in the kennel!

[Guest laura150]

Ernie is like that too. He loves anything he can shred. Anytime we fold laundry and a dryer sheet is visible, he goes for it-same thing with paper towels. Through repetition, I say uh-uh-uh and he will look at me w/guilty eyes and drop it. I've said uh-uh-uh while removing things from his mouth that he picks up on the street. Now, if he gets close to a napkin or some other goodie on the street, as soon as I say uh-uh-uh, he leaves it and resigns to his fate of not getting a tasty treat.

[Guest Rhea]

Dane has been rooting around under my bed for anything he can get his muzzle on. It's been really bad while I was sick. Now I'm kinda recovering from a minor surgery on Friday, so it's a bit harder to enforce the rules. He was soooooo happy to eat my used tissues... and the tissue boxes... We've been working on 'leave it' and 'drop it' and trading up, but he seems rather resistant to trading up. I either have to use something of higher value, or else the novelty of whatever he has is more of a treat to him than whatever I'm offering

[Hubcitypam]

I've found it is sometimes easier to just houndproof yourself. When I had tons of teenage beauty school dropout fosters I had the busiest microwave and top of the fridge in town.

[cleptogrey]

i keep everything in the upper kitchen cabinets. if dogs are crazy enough to steal a my kitchen utensils, knives in the knife rack on the counter then let them. no dish towels on my fridge- learned that lesson years ago. i'm waiting for a dog smart enough to figure out the touch latch on my pantry. everything is fair game to a hungry hound.

 

btw, remember not to leave anything edible out on coffee tables- ie fruit- or in the car- gum or candy...i've seen it all. candy wrappers all over the floor- my scottie used to bing on coffee-nips!