Scavenging pup

Henmen

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 August 2006
Messages
299
Visit site
How do you stop dogs from scavenging for food? She is well fed and has access to food, and water, all morning, so i know she isn't hungry. I have to take it away at about 3pm or she will poo over night.

She is currently thrown out when we eat as she is just a complete nightmare.
 
Can you explain a bit more?

You have said your dog is scavenging for food and you have to take it away etc

Do you feed your dog at set meal times? How many meals a day? Where is the dog feed? What do you do when you are eating? What does the dog do when you are eating? Have you ever feed your dog from your plate?

Look forward to hearing more

Emma
 
She gets food put down at 8am ish, and its left there till about 3pm, what left is binned, sometimes there some left, sometimes not. Thats all she has. Fed in the kitchen, We sit at the table, she get put in the garden atm, as she is constantly jumping up at the table and babys highchair stealing anything she can. Dont feed from plates or from the table.
smile.gif
 
Is this a puppy or full grown dog.

If it's a puppy - then you need to be me more prescriptive with feed times - and she is going to need several throughout the day. It could well be, therefore, that she's hungry.

If it's a full grown dog. Put the food down - if she doesn't eat it remove it and give it to her later.

Sounds like she may not have a great routine.
 
I agree with Amymay

If she is a puppy you need to feed little and often as their tummies are small.

If she is a dog feed her in a routine around 5pm ish, put her food down for 10 mins if she doesnt eat dont feed her agian till 5pm the next day - it is amazing how quick they catch on. Straight after feeding put outside to go grass then reward when she goes.

Hope that helps

Gh
 
What is it that you feed her? If it's down all morning and she's not eating it perhaps it's not very palatable? If she's a pup she will need probably 3 set meals a day, morning, afternoon and early evening. She shouldn't poo all night if she has her last meal at say 6pm then goes out last thing to do her business. I had a rescue dog that was literally starving and went mental for food even though he had 4 meals a day. The vet called it a 'deranged appetite' and recommended that I add lots of cooked vegetables (I did carrots and brocolli) to each meal to fill him up. It really worked though the first few days were interesting in the poo department! Make a nice gravy with some tinned meat or cooked tripe and add the vegetables and whatever dry food she's on and only put it down at mealtimes. Good luck!
 
I bet she's a Labradog! I don't think that you can stop labradogs scavenging, they are just stomachs on legs and food seeking missiles. Bex even eats horse poo and melon skins from the compost heap, and he's murder off lead if neighbours put stale bread out for the birds or on dustbin day! I just take a clicker and treats and try to keep his interest focused on what I've got rather than rubbish, but it isn't easy.
 
I, too have a very greedy dog. Given the opportunity, she would eat anything and everything, and would snatch food from hands if it were within her reach. But not any more.

She is fed twice a day by me only. I do not allow ANYONE else to give her food or treats of any description as she then seems to think it's ok to TAKE food from people without invitation.

She is made to stay in her bed while we eat. (that took patience, perseverance and consistency, but we got there pretty quickly.)

She has been taught to "leave" on command and when I put her dinner down for her, i tell her to "leave" and then "take it", same when she is given treats.

I worked bloody hard on her recall, ensuring I could call her away from food left on the floor while out on walks and off-lead. We used to practice in the garden, then on the field. I always gave her a high-value food reward when she did it. To begin with, she was on the lead, then a long line (so she could not fail!). When she was recalling from food consistently without me having to "remind" her on the line, I removed it.

She has been hard work because she is utterly driven by food and scavenging, but that can be used to an advantage, too! Basically, she has to "work" a little for ANYTHING she is fed. It may sound harsh, but it has worked for me and my dog really well- my toddler can quite happily sit on the settee eating something without fear that the dog will steal it from her.
 
Top