Poo addiction/vibrating collar

Well Becca is still addicted to poo. We have come to an understanding when she is on leash. I have to see it first and say 'leave it'. Off leash is whole other problem. If there is poo available, I don't exist. We now have a bobcat in the area. Becca is in heaven when she finds a pile.

I don't like the idea of a shock collar, but have been debating a vibrating one. Does anyone have any input on them? I need to break her focus on the poo.

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Permalink Reply by Marcie on November 14, 2013 at 6:11pm

It would be next to impossible to scout the area. It is a dirt road with woods on either side. Add several inches of leaves, she smells the poo and I can't even see it. The sidewalk is easier to scout, but not a satisfying walk. Today I kept her on leash because we were alone and it was at dusk.

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Permalink Reply by Beth on November 16, 2013 at 5:20pm

Erin, while you are 100% right when it comes to most things, to get a dog to consistently leave something on command you generally need to offer a higher value reward than the thing it's trying to steal. My Jack is trained through TDI certification. I can leave food on the coffee table and walk him off-leash past treats on the ground. He has an outstanding recall and a fabulous leave it.

But nothing I can possibly give him is tastier to him than cat poo, and I have never been able to get him to leave cat poo if he finds it buried in the leaves or something, not even if I am carrying steak or cheese or liver treats.

If what you are trying to get the dog to "leave" is the single most rewarding thing in the world to the dog, and it's a smart dog, it will not come off it no matter what. The dog understands that what you are offering is not as good as what it is after.

Aversive methods (positive punishment) have their place. A vibrating collar won't hurt the dog. You do have to be very careful when using them though and they are not for everyone. I used a squirt gun to the face when Maddie was stalking the cat because even waving food in front of her would not break her concentration. It only took a single squirt on two different occasions to get her to realize that she needed to look at me when I said her name, no matter how fascinating the cat was, and THEN she got her reward.

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Permalink Reply by Alison Reken on November 30, 2013 at 10:29pm

My rosco is also addicted to poo, even on leash. Any poo really. Bunny, deer, turkey, other dogs, etc. if you even come near him with a turd in his possession he lashes out and gets obsessive/protective. Which is weird because he doesn't do that to me with his food? Just poo? I'm going to be lurking this post too for answers lol.

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Permalink Reply by Marcie on December 1, 2013 at 8:47am

I've decided to wait on the vibrating collar. I'm increasing my vigilance on walks, and Becca is on leash most of the time. We will continue to work on 'leave it'. Becca will leave treats, even steak alone, so as gross as it is I'm going to take poo out of the litter box to practice with. Maybe I'll get lucky and find something that has more value to her than the poo does.

We were at my mother's house over Thanksgiving, they have a dog. Becca did not eat poo. She sniffed at it a few times, but had no interest in eating it. It makes me really wonder what is going on in her little head.