Sniffing and eating everything on the ground—Duncan has become Dyson this winter!

[Sally]

So I don't know if this is something that's been occurring just because Duncan has been getting less exercise this winter and he's "acting out" or if it's just his dog animal instincts but I noticed when we first started to get so much snow that he'd sniff and dig through the snow and sometimes if I left him to dig all the way (we're talking a foot of snow) he'd uncover random forbidden items like a piece of an old sandwich a child tossed etc. etc. I can't tell you how many times I've (embarrased) yanked the leash and reprimanded him with my annoying "NO". Well now that the snow has melted for the most part it's insane! He will stop and sniff every last piece of litter strewn about (People are pigs where I live). And he even remembers where those food scraps are from months ago! Sigh! My dog walker just texted me that she noticed this too and she's had to be extra diligent in keeping him from the forbidden stuff. Is this just his nose doing it's doggie job? Granted i'd rather bury some fresh doggie items for him to uncover but I don't have my own yard. I'm in a condo. My plan is to do some doggie 101 dog walks with treats to get him to focus on me and not let him free to sniff until we're at an open field where the trash is not. Just curious if anyone else has noticed this with their doods? 

[Wendy and Myla]

This is where the term "leave it" comes in handy - we have done that from day one and it works well for us.  We would just say "leave it" and when she dropped the item, we would treat her.  We don't have to treat her anymore and we find that we can spot an item on the road (like horse droppings, which she loves!) and say "leave it" before she actually puts her nose down and don't have to wait for her to put it in her mouth. What is interesting though is we have been focusing lately on Myla's leash walking and found that she actually pulls us when her nose is to the ground, sniffing.  So what we are working on now is not letting her put her nose down - we bought a short two foot leash and this way she is walking beside us and every time she goes to put her head down to the ground, we say "head up!" and give a short tug on the leash.  It's working really well and I wish we would have started this way sooner.  I figure with the great sense of smell dogs have, she can smell just as well with her head up instead of to the ground, pulling us to that forbidden treat on the ground!

[Emily, Bentley, & Maserati]

I agree! We love the "leave it" command. It is really beneficial when out walking. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I think when the dog turns five we get a whole new teenage phase.  Ned is getting into the trash, counter surfing, and being a pain with begging for food - all things from his teenage phase.  Did I mention that he loves mud again.  Here is what Duncan would look like if he decided to wallow.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Oh my!  Someone had a good time wallowing! 

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Amen to that Nancy....I was just telling DH that Murphy must've forgotten that he doesn't have a choice about coming when I call OR that it's something he needs to take a minute to decide if he wants to! He used to have a great recall and now it's worse than a teenager. More like a new puppy. So back to training!

[Sally S Miles]

What a happy face~

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yep, time to get serious about training, and that would include proper leash walking with head up and eyes on you so that it's impossible to sniff things on the ground, let alone dig them up or eat them, lol. 

I live in a neighborhood where you would think there were people having picnics on the street every night, judging by the types and amounts of food strewn along the parkway. I have seen everything from bagels and corn on the cob to half eaten chicken legs and ribs to egg yolks and fruit cocktail. (!!!!!!!) If JD didn't have a solid "leave it!", we'd be in the ER every other day, lol. 

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

We still walk our 18 month old doodle while having our hand at our side feeding with kibble to keep him on a loose leash and his head up. It also helps us to keep a brisk pace so he does not have time to investigate.  He is allowed some sniff time, but it is controlled as we use the "leave it" with (fair) results.  

[Julie and Max]

Aww Nancy but he looks so cute!

I also use leave it, but it's still not completely consistent, like he will leave most people food things, but I have to really watch out for black electrical tape (not sure why this seems to be on the ground all the time), kleenex and of course the dreaded dead things. Max is getting a lot better but it's been a lot of work. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ned will back away when told to, and will leave it - but he MUST sniff first - naughty boy.  But he used to know the 'house rules' with only once in a while slips.  Nowadays, nothing is safe!

[Sharon & Monty]

I had a golden retriever that ate everything.  Literally lunged when she wanted it, capable of dragging me to the ground.  We lived in the country so her delights were dead frogs, road kill of every variety.  I cant count the many times I dug the disgusting things from her mouth!  I'll take a sandwich or human food any day! LOL

[Lynda Kamrath]

Well, I definitely have some experience with this.  Groucho literally ate everything on the trail and he knew the "leave it" command.  I have tried muzzles on our walks and keeping him tightly on leash, but the last time (out bike riding) he ate some fresh cow poop and then did not eat his regular food.  The vet felt he may have been trying to self-medicate and could smell something in the poo that he thought might be good for him.   But we found out that he did have cancer in his organs.  Who knows why they eat everything they find.  They also eat grass, and have their favorite types of grass.  Typical doggie behavior?  I really don't think so.  I think you need to be especially careful in some areas.  In NorCal they are finding poisoned meatballs left out for doggie friends.  There are some real crazies out there.