outdoors = all you can eat buffet

[porschea_mom]

Porschea eats everything she comes across in the back yard - plants, dirt, branches, ant hills (yes, she ate the entire ant hill!), etc. Up until recently we haven't allowed her to be outside by herself, so we could correct her. If we're outside with her, she just plays with her toys, and doesn't eat anything. If she's outside alone and we're watching her from the window, she just plays with her toys. If she's outside alone, and thinks we aren't watching, she starts eating everything!

I'm not sure on the best way to correct this behavior. When I see her eating stuff, I open the door and correct her, but that doesn't seem to be having much of a long-lasting effect. In my mind, some kind of a shock collar would probably work - we could give her a small buzz, and she wouldn't realize it was us doing it. I'm afraid that might be too drastic, so I'm looking for other options.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[Greg_1111]

Interesting post. I have that same problem. I live backed on to a great open park, and we go out there all the time off leash. I have to watch her like a hawk. She has found chicken bones from discarded fast food containers,, and who knows what else. I worrya bout that all the time. I yell at her whenever i see her pick something up NO EAT,, and DROP IT right away. The other day she chased the ball and then grabed somethin bright red in her mouth, it looked like plastic. I told her to drop it,, when I got over to her I couldn't find anything in the grass. I thought she swallowed it ( whatver it was). I had to watch her poop for a couple of days.

[POPPYHONEY]

If I put the dogs at the backyard unsupervised, they eat all my plants just like goats, their favorite are my roses.. oh well maybe I would never be able have those blooming roses at my backyard.
So, for the time being unsupervised, I suggest you to clean (dog-proofed) the place before you put her there. So she has nothing left to swallow. Or just put a leash on her so she couldn't touch the forbidden area.
That's the way I do now, for inside or outside the house

[Brooke&Ryan]

I would go back to your original plan of being outside with her when she's outside. Then you'll be able to correct her when need be.

I agree about making her outdoor area more dog friendly as far as eliminating it of rocks, branches, etc. if you don't want her munching on those items. Good luck!


Brooke

[lcarothers]

I just went thru this w/ Rosie, the 6 month old.
At 14 weeks she started picking up rocks, shells, sticks, whatever and would start chewing on the item. We were still hard at work with learning no and out. I stayed in the yard with her at all times, never left her alone. I also spent forever trying to get every twig out of the yard. It was frightening, she wanted to taste or chew everything. At 16 weeks we got to go to the vet for x-rays because I was sure she had swallowed rocks, well x-rays don't lie - - she had, eaten rocks while I was right there and not quick enough to stop her!.
The vet gave me Hills prescrition diet W/D canned food to feed and it assisted them in passing.Thank God those rocks passed.
We continued the work on out and no, I had rope bones on my person at all times to divert her attention when she picked up "bad" things.
And the good news is: She stopped being a yard garbage disposal! It's been 2-3 weeks and its such a joy to be out with my dogs now! This was hard on my male, too. I think he's glad she's stopped, now we can play (and work on getting them to obey together).
It's my hope that your dog stops as mine did, and quick, too!
My trainer told me a horror story of a Rottie that has to be muzzled when outside because of this behavior.
Best of luck!