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Author Topic:   Lab eating everything!!!
winnie
Member

Posts: 107
From:sherman oaks,california,USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 12-15-2003 06:46 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for winnie     Edit/Delete Message
I have a 15 month old black lab named Winnie. I live in an apartment so i use to take her to the dog park everyday! She was doing really well, getting a lot of exercise and she made so many doggy friends. But when we are at the park, she picks up and eats anything! Paper,grass,sticks,balls, anything on the ground is tasty to her. Well she kept getting sick from eating all this stuff, and i cant get her to stop. is there a way to train your dog not to pick up EVERYTHING, especially at a place like the dog park when your not right next to them all the time? I have stoppped taking her to the park, but i feel so bad for her cause she is in an apartment, i do take her for walks though. I want to be able to bring her back to the dog park, it was so good for her! if anyone has any ideas let me know. I dont want to use a shock coller cause i think they are mean.thank you

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Jamiya
Member

Posts: 1392
From:
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 12-15-2003 08:43 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jamiya     Edit/Delete Message
Labs are notorious for eating everything. My dog (not a lab) does it as well, but she seems to have a stomach of steel.

The only thing I can think of is to teach him "Leave It" or "Drop It". But then you will have to be watching him closely enough at the park to call out "Drop It!" when he gets something he shouldn't.


Jamiya

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Maisey
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Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 12-15-2003 10:45 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Maisey     Edit/Delete Message
Definately teach the commands "leave it" and "drop it". That will be your best bet when out and about and at home when you are watching. As for when you are not watching...I'm not sure how to go about teaching them not to ingest things when you are not there,I do remember reading about it being done, but it sounded unreliable and difficult. I was more concerned about my dog taking food from strangers...but Witt won't do it anyhow, he always refuses. Dooley...well he is not an instant friend when he meets most people anyhow, he has to size them up and think about it for a minute or two, if they come to him he is turned off, he likes to make the first move. So I didn't pursue the idea. We had a rash of intentional dog poisonings here in our parks, so I never let my dogs wander into or around bushes, or trees etc. I do not take my dogs to dog parks anyhow...but we do go to the park alot, and even to an off leash area. When I take my dogs out like that, I am doing it to be with them...their focus is kept on me. We play fetch with a ball or toy...tug whatever, but I have them trained that they should be paying attention to me. This may be a good thing for you to do, although I would guess harder for a lab then for my herding "velcro" dogs. My dogs "check in" every few seconds with me, meaning they are constantly looking at me(in the face), watching me for whatever I may say or do or invite them to do. Teach him that YOU are where the fun and interesting things are and his attention will be much less on whats on the ground or acroos the field. You can do this with clicker training, just using treats or a toy. LOTS of praise and reward. make yourself the most fun and interesting thing around and praise the heck out of him for paying attention to you. These are just ideas and hopefully someone will chime in here to either agree disagree or offer alternatives. Either way, it's dangerous for your dog to keep eating inedible things, and is a problem that could cost him his life or you alot of money or both. It's exactly what happened to a friend who got his pup (a lab) at the same time I got my Dooley. She ate EVERYTHING and ended up in the doggy hospital, he spent over $2,300.00 and she still ended up dying.

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benny boy
Member

Posts: 392
From:lewisville, texas, united states
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 12-15-2003 11:44 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for benny boy     Edit/Delete Message
lots of dogs get destructive when they don't get enough exercise, thats how it was with my dog

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Maisey
Member

Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 12-15-2003 11:54 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Maisey     Edit/Delete Message
Thats true Benny, but she is talking about her dog eating everything in sight WHILE she is being excercised and out and about.

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puggleowner
Member

Posts: 228
From:Grand Rapids, MI
Registered: Nov 2003

posted 12-15-2003 12:04 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for puggleowner     Edit/Delete Message
I would try two things: First, try to keep a close eye on Winnie at the dog park (though it may be difficult I know )-- if you see her start to sniff or eat something, try calling her or squeaking her favorite toy to get her to come to you, and then give her an awesome treat, such as dried liver. A Maisey said, start her thinking that you have better treats for her than the ground could ever offer! Secondly, have you tried feeding her right before you go? I Don't know if this would make a difference, because if she's like our dog, she is hungry all the time regardless, but maybe a meal or hardy snack right before the park might help to curb her hunger just enough to make it easier to keep her from eating everything in sight.

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winnie
Member

Posts: 107
From:sherman oaks,california,USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 12-15-2003 01:06 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for winnie     Edit/Delete Message
thank you everyone for all the advice. There were some very good ideas that I will try tomorow at the park! Thanks agian!!!!

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