Scavenging dog - How to stop?

Hi

I got an 18 month old cross bred who scavenges when we are out walking in the woods. Not all the time, about once a fortnight.. BUT will not leave or come and becomes snarly if I approach to shoo him off, which only works temporarily as he is well aware of my reach and won't come near me, hackles up etc!

Any bright ideas of how to stop this? Someone suggested Milk of Magnesia, but I thought that was for constipated humans!

JK

 

Hi,

You'll probably need to keep him on a leash while you walk so that you have some direct control over him. You can also try teaching him a "leave it" command.

You do this by holding a mediocre treat in your closed fist--maybe a piece of his regular kibble--and you let him smell it, then you give him the leave it command. As soon as he looks away or ignores the treat you can reward him with a treat he really loves. Eventually he should pick up that if he leaves what you tell him to leave he often gets something better.

Hope that helps.

 

Thanks

for that. I have made progress with the leave command, although I will try this method and see if it speeds things up. Unfortunately Rusty seems to find the smell of the rotting whatever it is (I don't look too closely) much more appetising than whatever I have in hand!

Bit more training, and more walks on the lead, and acceptance that a dog has natural instincts that can't be completely overcome (or can they?) Doesn't help that he's a rescue dog I've had for 4 months. I must be stronger! Right off to do some more training.

Thanks again.

 

Does he have a history or food aggresion? Was he really thin when you got him? this may just be complications of his past expirience. Definatly continue with the leave it command and try the come command. When you throw him a ball, when he brings it back tell him to leave it. If he does give him a treat. This may associate leave it with running to you.

 

Sometimes you can offer to trade for a more interesting item - although your dog may not find anything more interesting than a smelly bit of dead thing in the forest! Maybe if he does really like some sort of treat, you can bring some with you on walks and rattle the container to get his attention. Then you can get him back on leash and head away from the scene!

 

Thanks for the advice - no to being skinny or having any food likes/dislikes.

I've tried the can of dried beans/treats, but after a couple of goes he ignores it! Also ball - gets the whole retreive thing in the garden, but only works for two/three attempts before he either ignores the ball or runs off with it, not coming back (and I'm not chasing around the garden after him for it!).

Think I'll go for the long leash, continued attempts on the 'leave' training. It takes 6 months or so for a rehome to settle, so I guess I'll have to be patient!