training NOT to eat suspect food

[ODonoghue]

Any tips on training dogs NOT to eat food found on the floor. In Venezuela, it's common for theives to throw poisoned meat into a patio to demobilize watch dogs. Since 7-month bitch Blacky eats everything, I mean everything, any suggestions? Patrick

[myandromeda]

I taught my boys the "Leave it" command. I started by putting them in a sit possitions and holding a treat in front of their noses and saying "Leave it." If they tried to reach for it, I would pull it away and say "Leave it." They aren't allowed to have a treat or eat their food until I say "okay." When on walks, I see them reaching for a rock, twig, or leaf and say "Leave it" and they walk right by it! It took awhile, but it works!

[Speedy]

I'm also thinking about this.when you're away a thief broke into your house and gave your rottie a beef...what will he/she do?

[Soapie&Buddy'sMom]

I've seen this question and responses before and although I don't have any personal experience with it, my understanding is that there is no way to "train" a dog to "leave it" when you are not there to give that command.

I do think about this on occasion since I have a run attached to my house that my dogs have access to 24/7 (except the freakish 130-lb yellow lab Miller, who doesn't fit through the largest doggie door on the market. He is the size of a Volkswagen ). If someone was motivated to throw over a slab of poisoned meats, I know my dogs would eat it. :( If that was something that was happening in my neighborhood, I would no longer let my dogs outside without my supervision. As it happens, in my area dog poisoning is not a problem. knock wood.

[rottnvegas]

myandromeda wrote: I taught my boys the "Leave it" command. I started by putting them in a sit possitions and holding a treat in front of their noses and saying "Leave it." If they tried to reach for it, I would pull it away and say "Leave it." They aren't allowed to have a treat or eat their food until I say "okay." When on walks, I see them reaching for a rock, twig, or leaf and say "Leave it" and they walk right by it! It took awhile, but it works!

Rottnvegas: Is this technique reliable when you are not around? Like if I walked up to your dog and offered it a piece of steak would it take it if you weren't around? Just curious, I don't think this addresses Odonoghue's problem. '

Odonoghue, there is a lot that goes into your dog refusing food. Is there a protection trainer in your area, if so, you should contact them and have a professional get your dog up on this necassary training? You will need a helper to do this properly. Good luck

[Leader]

Okay,
NO dog steals like MY dog! And I mean NO DOG. But...Here in France we teach dogs in obedience class not to touch/eat/sniff...food that is thrown to them. It works in theory, in the ring, but who knows if it would work when the dogs really alone; i know I use that order: Don't touch when I leave in the morning if there's something delectable around the garden, and I usually find it intact when I get home.
But there is no guarantee. There are also 4 or 6 morsels on the trial grounds (in French ringsport 2 and 3) that the dog will come across during the trials. Mine has NEVER touched a one.
So here goes:

When you start you need another person, the thrower. You start by putting your dog in a down stay and you crouch beside him/her. the thrower starts the first few times by just tempting the dog. You GENTLE tap his chin up and say Don't touch with a firùm voice. Gradually the thrower starts to throw the morsels to the dog, about a yard away then closer and closer while you repeat don't touch. when the dog doesn't react you start doing it standing up and little by little put distance between yourself and the dog by moving backwards, until you can move completely out of sight and the dog won't move and won't touch.

As I said here in France this is a must in ringsport.
It seems to work, but I don't know what Leader would do if someone threw him food, poisoned or not. Thank god it's not an issue here.
Hope this will help.

[Leader]

oh and I forgot. I met a man here who taught his dog to only take food from his left hand...so if someone threw food maybe he wouldn't eat it ???;) I swear it's the truth:D

[Judi W]

There are methods of poison proofing dogs and usually involving the e-collar and it needs to be done by someone who really knows what they are doing so the timing is immaculate. That being said, poison proofing is usually situational as far as the dog is concerned. In other words, do not expect what is taught during ring work to apply when the dog is in an entirely different environment and the handler is not present. Doing poison proofing to a specific location (patio) must be reinforced often as tasty food is a strong temptation. I have seen supposedly reliably trained poison-proofed dogs snarf up food on a track like a vaccum cleaner.

A dog that is inside the house is unlikely to be poisoned. First the bad guy must gain access to the dog which is difficult to do with a pissed of dog at the window/door. A dog fully engaged in guarding is unlikely to be idle while someone tosses meat in after riling the dog up and breaking a window. Keeping the dog indoors (where I presume your valuables are) and then checking the outdoors for foreign objects prior to letting it out is usually the safest method. Then, dog back in house when no one is present. Any poison takes time to act. A poison thrower, tosses it over the fence and waits for it to take effect. They can't simply toss it in a broken window and wait safely till it works. This would not be a quiet exercise of disabling a dog like something tossed over a fence.

Best option, secure the house with bars on doors and windows and examine grounds prior to letting dog outdoors.

[myandromeda]

Originally posted by rottnvegas
Is this technique reliable when you are not around? Like if I walked up to your dog and offered it a piece of steak would it take it if you weren't around? Just curious, I don't think this addresses Odonoghue's problem.

I don't think it will help if ODonoghue is not around, only if the owner is present. I don't think I really read that deeply into the original thread. Judy W's advice is probably more pertinent to ODonoghue's situation...

[RottenGirl]

I dated a sheriff's deputy that had a GSD as his "partner". On the canine unit it is especially important that they don't eat food from a stranger. His dog would not eat food given to him by anyone other than my boyfriend. Obviously, this poses a problem if you have to go away. He was trained professionally prior to my ex having him, so I'm not sure how they did it.

[Rottie02]

Hi everyone,
So--for the sake of discussion, let us suppose that
a person's dog will be perfectly trained not to take food
from strangers...... Then if I am ill, in the hospital, or
even worse--what happens???The poor dog starves???
Not good!
Rottie02 in MI :)

[rottnvegas]

Rottie02, even if a dog is professionally trained not to take food from strangers, the dog will probably not starve itself. The purpose of training protection dogs not to eat random food is from the fear of someone trying to poison the dog. After a while, believe me, the dogs survival instint would kick in and the dog would eat.

[Rottie02]

Of course I understand the purpose of training to
avoid poisoned food! I have heard, however, of
dogs that were greiving refusing to eat. It would
depend on the particular dog!
Food for thought...........

[rottnvegas]

A dog grieving over his master's death that has a poor appetite is a totally different subject. A dog will very very rarely starve itself to death unless it has cancer or the such. You seemed like you had something against poison proofing a dog.