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? 

[Sally]

I just told Duncan remedial doggie training begins tomorrow.. I am going to work on leave it and keeping him looking at me. Already filled my coat with treats....this winter has been ruff! But we will be back to better behaved by spring....oh and I completely agree nancy that this 5 year old behavior seems so reminiscent of his last teenage rebellion.

Ned looks adorable with mud or without.

[Sally S Miles]

The moisture releases the smells, if it's thawing it's really like a refresh on stink. Mine are like bloodhounds, especially after snow but it's usually just rain here. 

They put stuff in their mouth because they don't have hands, so they want to check it out. If it stinks it must taste good. They are total opportunists. My two do know the leave it command, drop it, and don't touch - but like little kids who won't keep their hands off things, they taste.  Argh....   Out on walks it's easier to tell the stuff, and yes our girl has an iron clad memory, but the back yard has bits of flotsam that the wind brings and it's a constant monitoring.  

We read somewhere to let them have some 'sniff' pauses' and hubby incorporated a few into the walks and said it helps to quell her curiosity. 

In one of Patricia McConnell's books she talks about her dog that likes to roll in dead things, all I can say to that is "Oy".

[Lynda Kamrath]

Oh yeah, we had a poodle once that just loved the roll in dead things.  He also loved to find a baby diaper or fresh poo and roll in it.  We lived in Germany and they have these "rest stops" along the autobahns with no bathroom facilities.  Everyone just went into the woods and did their business.  Barney loved those stops and could usually find something interesting to roll in.  He also could find a dead fish at the beach and would roll in that.  Ah, yeah, the good ol' days!