Puppy Eating Everything Outside

[MINA'S DAD]

I have a 4 month old who eats everything outside. Dirt, grass, acorns, rocks, pine cones, pine needles, leaves, twigs - you name it - she eats it. The vet recommended a muzzle because she has bad diarrhea and was vomiting. She has been doing this since I brught her home and it hasn't been getting any better. I have tried telling her no, drop it, leave it, and using a soda can with loose change to a squirt gun with no luck. I am worried about using a muzzle because I have heard it makes d9ogs mor agressive and vicious. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks.

[SABELLESMOM]

How about a leash? And play a game with her, like "fetch," or "chase me!"

[Ilovemypuppy]

Most puppies DO eat everything they can get their mouth on..it's their way of feeling and tasting the world around them, but yes..it can cause problems when they eat things that could make them sick.

I agree you should keep a leash on your puppy and either rake up the area where you take her outside, or take her to another area that doesn't have all those things that she gets into.

Take treats with you outside (soft, yummy treats) and re-direct her when she starts to go for something she shouldn't have and play with her (toys, etc.) Use those treats ONLY for outside or training.

Teach her fetch and encourage her to carry a stick or something else that will keep her mouth occupied.

If you work with her every single time you are outside, it will get better. Unless she KNOWS the command to 'leave it' or 'drop it' ...things you can train her to learn inside..they will have little effect when she is outside with all those yummy distractions.

If you keep her on the move outside, by enticing her to follow you, that will help too.

Muzzles do not make a dog aggressive..a muzzle would keep her from being able to eat things (depending on the muzzle), but I don't think this is the answer..as it could frustrate her..better to re-direct and either clean the area..or take her to a spot that doesn't have so many hazards :o)

Soon, you will say 'leave it' and she will look to you and come for a treat (reward)...soon...depends on how consistant you are with her.

[scooterjohansen]

Our pup would eat everything. The thing to consider is what is it that you would like your pup to eat? You are in control, not the pup. Cryptic reply maybe, however remove all temptation and problem solved. If this means fencing areas, closing doors or crating, this is what u need to do. Treat the pup like a young child. You are the watcher, the guardian so to speak.
With this in mind you will find a pleasant balance.

[Diva'sOwner]

Haley was the BIGGEST outside eater. It drove me crazy and made walks miserable. Here's what people suggested that actually worked for me:

1. teach her the "heads up" command. She she turns her head to look at you, give her a treat (you can even spit it out to her so that she has to look at your face and not your hand). Every time she hears heads up, she stops looking for stuff to eat on the ground.

2. Walk faster. Nearly jog if you have to. She can't eat if she's moving fast

3. Give her a stick or small toy to carry. And this is what mostly helps us. She is toy and stick crazy and she will now carry some prized possesion in her mouth for the whole darn walk.

Of course all of these suggestions assume you are walking her on a leash. Don't even consider muzzling her.

[jazzie23]

Jazmin is almost 6 months and she used to eat everything and get everything in her mouth. Battle after battle , she still attempts to pick things up, I implemnted the "leave it" and "drop it" command and both really well and if they don't I tell her "open" (her mouth) and remove the object myself which she hates, so usually drops it before I even attempt getting out myself.

Carry treats, to reward your pup for "leave it" and "drop it". I use hot dog slices which she absolutely loves and will give up and "worthy" posession in her mouth to get a little slice .

As somebody else mentioned you are in control of your puppy, not the other way around.

3. Give her a stick or small toy to carry. And this is what mostly helps us. She is toy and stick crazy and she will now carry some prized possesion in her mouth for the whole darn walk.

I use that with Jazmin and it works for the most part, she gets bored with it sometimes.

This is of course all while we're walking on the leash.

I like this one, I will strat training her today

1. teach her the "heads up" command. She she turns her head to look at you, give her a treat (you can even spit it out to her so that she has to look at your face and not your hand). Every time she hears heads up, she stops looking for stuff to eat on the ground.

[Snooze]

I have this same problem with Jake who is 11mos. We walk on leash, he knows drop it and leave it, however when the item is high value (which means it's something that is really really bad) he will ignore the command and a battle ensues....what then?

[Diva'sOwner]

Originally Posted by Snooze

I have this same problem with Jake who is 11mos. We walk on leash, he knows drop it and leave it, however when the item is high value (which means it's something that is really really bad) he will ignore the command and a battle ensues....what then?

Well, there really shouldn't be a battle. At 11 months I would think that you can have some kind of training collar on him like a prong collar and if he doesn't drop the item, he gets a very harsh pop of that leash. When he drops it, praise and give a treat. So he knows, hmmm either I'm going to get a painful pop or I'm going to get a nice treat. I imagine that he's quite big at 11 months so I wouldn't want to be battling with him. Nip it in the bud now.

[Diane Heller-Vaccaro]

When I first got Asa (and yes he was on a leash) he ate everything. Everything had to go into his mouth rocks, leaves, acorns, sticks anything and everything. I started to carry a toy, it worked for short periods he would go back to whatever he could find on the ground. It was so bad I could barely walk him because I had to watch every move he made and if I stopped to talk or at the field everything in the mouth. He did for the most part outgrow this. But you will never find him without a toy or ball or something in him mouth he is a high drive dog.

[Snooze]

Diva,
He is on a prong collar and if the item is high value, even a harsh pop won't work. He tries to hide his head so that he thinks that I can't see him. Sometimes I have him carry a stick but he drops it if he wants to eat something. It's almost obsessive the way he walks with his mouth open to the ground. I do look at me, head up, leave it etc. and it all works - unless the whats on the ground is worth the correction.
Do they eventually outgrow this? I'm going to try a flashlight tonight, but its not fun for either of us. It also amazes me, the stuff that people throw on the ground!

[Snooze]

Diane, how old was Asa when you got him? How old when he outgrew it?

[Diane Heller-Vaccaro]

He was 8 weeks when I got him and it was really horrible in the beginning I was afraid that I would have to have at least one surgery. I was always taking something out of his mouth he would find somthing else I got really tiring. I tried carrying a toy I learned that at the schutzhund field because everyone carries a reward toy of some kind. He would get bored fairly easy and back to whatever was on the ground. He was like a little vacuum. Has he matured he slowly out grew things as he become more focused on his surroundings and was able to concentrate on a game or a toy alittle longer. I can say that he is 19 months old now and aside from snapping branches of trees and carrying them around he doesn't eat things off the ground anymore and hasn't in awhile. Start with the "watch me" command and as soon as he makes eye contact reward him with a treat immediately. This will help keep his attention on you and not on the ground. It is never to early to teach watch me and you will use this throughout the dogs life.

[MINA'S DAD]

Thanks for all the suggestions!