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Post by belladad on Nov 7, 2013 17:54:18 GMT
Hi, when Bella is out on her morning walk round town, she has gotten into the habit of scarfing any food or food related object (kebab wrappers, sandwich boxes/wrappers, discarded pizza etc). She will make a dive at light-speed for anything remotely edible. She has her first meal of the day about 20 minutes before that half hour walk. There have been some undignified tussles to remove whatever she's gotten hold of - the last being half a chocolate bar! Strangely, when I take her out for off lead walks in the country, I can get her to "leave" tasty dead pigeons. She's not underweight and otherwise healthy. Could it be that we need to wait a little longer, for her meal to digest, before that first walk, or be extra10 vigilant, or put a muzzle on her? She is food oriented as are most Goldens. This is now making her early morning walk less enjoyable. Are we the problem?
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Post by migsy on Nov 7, 2013 20:20:04 GMT
Little devils! A neighbour has to muzzle her terrier before their walks as she has cost her owner a fortune in vets bills after scavenging and becoming seriously ill.Skip is also adept at snaffling rubbish too,but at least he will drop it on command,let you remove it from his mouth,or if you are quick enough,will 'LEAVE IT!!'. He has always made a bee line for the floor around seating,or where wind will blow stuff,and knows people with ruck sacks are a good bet for food too.He was picked up as a 6mth old stray before he was given up for adoption by his 2nd owners,so we think he learned the art when on the streets,he hasn't lost the knack even though we have had him for 10yrs.
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Post by AnnaAmber on Nov 7, 2013 20:28:23 GMT
belladad I'd teach her a reliable 'leave it' command, so as soon as you see any rubbish you can tell her to 'leave it' and she won't try and eat it. Bring some treats (like cooked chicken, liver or sausage - something smellier and yummier than the food she tries to pick up.) and reward her with these for leaving the food. It would also be worth teaching a drop/give command, so that if she picks something up before you notice, she doesn't eat it. Again, use a high value treat to reward the behavior. The fact that she will leave pigeons means that it should hopefully be quite easy for you to teach her this. Best of luck. 
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Post by teegiebear on Nov 7, 2013 21:20:01 GMT
I'd agree with above. Try teach a strong leave command and when she does reward with tasty treats or toys.
Its a tricky one having two labs myself but you never know what nasties they might try eat and make them poorly
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Post by CollieSlave on Nov 7, 2013 22:48:40 GMT
The strong 'leave' command suggested by some posters is all very well in theory! When we first had Bryn he was awful at picking up and eating all sorts of disgusting things and rubbish. SO we worked hard on the LEAVE command, treating him when he dropped the unsavoury item. And he learned what it meant! Great!
BUT he then started looking for vile things to pick up! He'd pick up something nasty, look at us with it dangling from his jowls, then drop it and come for a treat, very pleased with himself!!!!
There we are then. You win some - and lose some!
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Post by caz2golden on Nov 7, 2013 23:12:01 GMT
Belladad. I sympathize.
Leave and drop commands go so far and are worth working on, however, golden retriever dustbins are another league at times!
Been there, got T-shirt and I know how bad it can be!
I swear I have a dog who even if she was about to pop would still eat!
Goldens are often totally ruled by their stomachs!!
I have a fab drop and leave command 99% of the time but when one of my so called darling girls came across meat (for example have annoying fishermen who shallow bury bait!!) or similar in certain circumstances she will bolt it in milliseconds! Even when the leave command works she also has memory of an elephant and will check the same spot the next x times she goes past the same area!!
I find 'this way' works well with my girls to redirect where they are heading way before they get near something you want to avoid, leave it is good for something close, drop it is when you are desperate and hope they will be good and do as they are told!! A good recall can also help both for preventing them getting to something and if you need to get something off them. However like my fishermen bait situation sometimes you cant see the object they plan to eat so no pre-command is going to help and it can be so quick that its gone before drop can be said!
By the sounds of it this 'town' walk will be on lead?
If it is on lead then perhaps trying a head collar may help as this may help prevent lunging + control of head may help!
To be honest I dont exercise my dogs for at least an hour after feeding and they dont have food after evening walks for at least an hour. This is mainly cos I try and limit risk of bloat.
CollieSlave, your post made me smile, as always the intelligent collie, however my youngest did the same trick and would go looking to get into trouble to get the treats!! They are not stupid!!
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Post by migsy on Nov 8, 2013 14:45:11 GMT
Bryn is a star! so very very smart...pick up rubbish,get a treat,well done lad!
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Post by belladad on Nov 9, 2013 15:28:22 GMT
caz2golden sounds like you've met Bella!  There is definitely a 'scent memory' GPS thing with GRs. I identify with all you've said, if you see it before they do, that's ok, "leave it" with a wee yank on the lead works, but if you're milliseconds (nano seconds?) too late, that strike is faster than a cobra. I think we may have identified a big part of the problem; when my wife takes her out early morning, she's been allowing Bella to 'lead', and with the colder weather keeping yummy scents close to the ground...well, it's GRs 1 - Mum 0. This morning she got taken out later after her meal and kept on a shorter/controlled lead, "simples"!!
Bella has our training off to a tee: she'll peek round the door, ears up, eyes laughing, with a stone/sock/glove/wooly hat etc in her mouth. She knows that either a joyful chase or chase and food exchange will ensue. Who's a clever dog! 
CollieSlave, sounds like your Bryn has been there also! Do dogs text each other I wonder? I'm sure there's an opposable thumb hidden amongst that fur!
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Post by caz2golden on Nov 9, 2013 17:45:53 GMT
Belladad I had forgotten the 'dog-lifting' of clothes!! It tended to be socks in this house and they could be hidden in their mouth. I would know by the golden grin and the unmistakable bum wiggle!! Thankfully mine just wanted to go 'nah' look what I have got and then more of less offer it to me so easily retrievable |
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There is definitely a 'scent memory' GPS thing with GRs. I identify with all you've said, if you see it before they do, that's ok, "leave it" with a wee yank on the lead works, but if you're milliseconds (nano seconds?) too late, that strike is faster than a cobra. I think we may have identified a big part of the problem; when my wife takes her out early morning, she's been allowing Bella to 'lead', and with the colder weather keeping yummy scents close to the ground...well, it's GRs 1 - Mum 0. This morning she got taken out later after her meal and kept on a shorter/controlled lead, "simples"!!
