how do you teach a dog NOT to eat??

[Valkie]

I know this many sound like a strange question but it would help.

My two little girls will eat everything and anything. I know that puppies need to chew... that's not so much the problem... well, it is but it's not the one that I'm concerned about... I just have to replace the kitchen floor and cabinates when they've outgrown it

It's everything else! They're still young and their tummies just can't handle it. I've got baby locks on the cabinates, so I'm not worried about them getting into the cleaning supplies, but they are eating the strangest and most disgusting things when they go outside.

They are starting to understand that they are not allowed to raid the kitty litter box or the trash can, but outside is another story...

I just had to clean up a pile of puppy puke because one of the little ones decided that she wasn't only going to eat a 3 day dead mouse that one of the cats left in the bushes, but she was also going to eat a pile of dirt (I guess she smelled something in it that she thought was tasty), half a stick, and grass. Soooo, about 10 minutes after we got back in up comes the dirt, grass, stick, dogfood, mouse and some spagetti that the baby managed to sneak to her. (she's such a little pig)

so, how on earth do you teach a dog "don't eat"?

 

[Saje]

ROFLMAO ha ha ha.

What a cutey.

Ummm. Other than teaching the drop it command I can't think of anything. Dogs will be dogs!

 

[mrose_s]

i can throw treats on the ground and say "leave it" to buster and as long as i say "stay" he wont touch it. i taught him that by holding onto his collar and putting the treat down, when he went for it i would say "NO" and then "leave it" teaching him not to take it when i said so.
but yeah, like saje said, drop it would do good, but not a lot you can do unless thay are under constant supervision

 

[BaileysMom]

Another way you can teach leave it (which is similar): instead of saying "No." when they go for the treat, quietly wait for them to STOP pulling (patiently just wait, they will stop) and AS SOON AS they do, give them the treat. This can avoid confusion, since puppies aren't too likely to fully understand "No." and they won't get "No." confused with "Leave it."

You can start out putting the treat in your palm in front of their face, and eventually (it will take a while, so don't get too impatience) be able to move to being able to put treat on their paw and having them "leave it" successfully. It will teach your puppy self control.

You also need to keep in mind, dogs don't natually generalize the way we do. After you successfully teach them "leave it" with the treat, you will need to take them outside and tell them "leave it" while they are going after things they shouldn't while holding their collar. As soon as they stop pulling, reward them with a treat if you have one or praise them.

I have found with Bailey, I just have to be constantly watching him. He never goes outside without me right next to him and supervising him and I am always around to watch what he is doing in the house, making sure he doesn't get into trouble. It's just a part of having a puppy. He is always in the same room as I am, or in his crate when I am gone. If your puppies are not crate trained, or you don't have a puppy proof room, you may want to seriously consider it for their safety and your sanity!

Good luck and I hope I helped!

 

[candy722]

yea i would teach your dog to leave it, it does work but you have to be patient for a while.

 

[mrose_s]

buster was great he learn tin about 3 days

 

[Husky626]

My dog is also hungry for food. He only pays attention when there is treats involve, but on other stuff like pillows and shoes, he won't pay attention when I use the "leave it" command or "stay". Any suggestions?

 

[candy722]

it takes time. TOki used to do that. WOuld only act on leave it only when there's treat involved but if you use the command leave it everyday and keep on using that command they will eventually know.

 

[LindaRusiecki]

Dogs chew because they're
1. Teething
2. Stressed
3. Orally fixated because they're not nursing anymore.

Either way, get some rawhide if they're puppies, and redirect the chewing onto something less valuable to you.

For my teenage dogs (11 months grrrr), I give them beef femur sections from the butcher's, but only in their kennels. This give them an opprotunity to chew, but not on our stuff.

My female Boxer will no longer ever destroy anything of ours. The male will destroy things if left alone, so when we leave the house, we put him outside, where he can't get into anything, or if it's for a short time period, we crate him with his bone.

 

[gaddylovesdogs]

I taught my girls the "leave it" command, for when I DON'T want them to eat something. This is how I taught it.

Have dog on leash (around 4' long), and treats handy. Place a biscuit or two on the ground, and walk your dog past it. When the dog goes after the food on the floor, pull her back to you and say, "Leave it!" handing her a treat. Repeat a few times more.

 

[EliNHunter]

Oh, my! I hope they grow out of that! Just as with "leave it", always use "OFF!" if your dog jumps up on you, not "DOWN!" "Down" should be reserved for the obedience command for them to lay down...