# To stop eating from the ground-please advise



## Gregory76 (Mar 15, 2009)

My almost 2 years old female lab keeps on eating from the ground no matter how much she was fed at home. I have tried the petsafe spray collar with no great results after all. She even ate horse or cow poo, I am not sure, the other day!!:frown2:
Would an e collar do any good at this age? Please advise.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

Gregory76 said:


> My almost 2 years old female lab keeps on eating from the ground no matter how much she was fed at home. I have tried the petsafe spray collar with no great results after all. She even ate horse or cow poo, I am not sure, the other day!!:frown2:
> Would an e collar do any good at this age? Please advise.


If the spray collar doesn't work, I doubt if you'd get better success from an E-collar. Are you using the unscented spray? If so, try the citronella fill. If already on citronella, try the mustard before going onto an E-collar. 
Dogs can eat droppings to balance their gut bacteria. You can get dog probiotics from the vet, or use human ones from health food shops, but make sure it's one that contains bifidus and faecium, not just acidopholus (my dog stopped eating sheep droppings after a course of probiotics). 
You could also try a rattle bottle or a squirt-water bottle if you have her on lead, with a firm 'no'.
You must also bear in mind that she is a lab, and most of her brain will be concerned with the acquisition of food!


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## zanussi (Apr 1, 2009)

My Banjo loves eating horse poo, cow poo & grass as well as anything else that may have been dropped on the floor! He gets told to "leave" when I see him doing it but sometimes he's just too quick for me! I'll be interested to see what advice other people give you...


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## Gregory76 (Mar 15, 2009)

Burrowzig said:


> Dogs can eat droppings to balance their gut bacteria. You can get dog probiotics from the vet, or use human ones from health food shops, but make sure it's one that contains bifidus and faecium, not just acidopholus (my dog stopped eating sheep droppings after a course of probiotics).


The only probiotic I know here in Greece is a drug called Ultra-Levure. Its prescribed everytime you want to avoid diarrhea from antibiotics. Are you familiar with that?


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## Guest (Apr 15, 2009)

I would stay well away from the ecollar and try the simple "leave" command instead. There are loads of different ways to teach this but this is how we went about it:

Get a boring piece of dry food and get the dogs attention. Have a piece of something tastier like ham within reach but not visible to the dog. Sit down with your dog in a sit too. Hold on to her collar, place the dry food on the floor and stop her from getting it, say "LEAVE" assertively. The very second that she stops trying to get it praise profusely and give her the ham. Keep repeating until she understands that by leaving the item on the floor she will be in for a better treat.

You can also teach this in games like Tug and with her ball so its not always food oriented. Play tug, then say "LEAVE" and she should drop (following on from previous training). Leave a couple seconds then praise her with an even more exciting game of tug. She will soon learn that leaving doesn't mean an end to her fun.

Keep her on the lead in places where you know there will be tasty (dare I say it) poo around until you have mastered the LEAVE, because if you stand there shouting it and she keeps eating she will learn that the command means nothing and she can do as she likes. When you are sure she will leave then say the word when she approaches the poo, if she leaves it praise her profusely, give her treats, a game, everything. Soon you can start to phase out the rewards so they are few and far between, but she will still follow LEAVE.

Good luck, sorry if this has been long winded.


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## Guest (Apr 15, 2009)

When does she eat off the ground? Is it when you have her off leash? 

If so, I would defintely be working on focus and recall. A good quality e-collar could assist with this, but it is really a tool that needs experienced and professional guidance before you use it.


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## foxy roxy (Apr 12, 2009)

my dog eats rabbit droppings and horse poo she also likes too eat chewing gum off the pavement i am trying to get her to leave but most of the time she sniffs it out before i have even seen it. she does end up with fresh minty breath tho.


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## Guest (Apr 15, 2009)

i don't understand why this is such a problem to you, it is quite natural for a dog to do things like this.
Unless it is to excess or your dog has a problem with it's faeces because of it. Why are you so worried?
My dog eats both with no ill effect, as long as he doesn't eat too much
Just make sure you worm regularly


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

If its herbivore poo, then i wouldnt really worry about it, unless your dog is eating vast quantities of it.

Both my dogs follow my rabbits around the garden, eating up their bunny currants (and stealing their carrots).

Occasionally they will eat some fox poo, and whilst it may seem disgusting to me, its perfectly natural to them and does no harm.

It is a good idea to leave the leave command though, and i have done with my two. And as previously stated, worm on a regular basis. I worm once a month when the sheep are grazing locally where i walk.


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

Gregory76 said:


> The only probiotic I know here in Greece is a drug called Ultra-Levure. Its prescribed everytime you want to avoid diarrhea from antibiotics. Are you familiar with that?


Never heard of it, but look at the label, it should have a list of the bacteria it contains. You could also consider buying over the internet, Vet-Medic - the same medicines as your vet at consistently low prices. do one called Protexin, which I used from my vet, another is Entrodex which is about half the price. I don't have current prices. Refrigerate after opening, it keeps well in the fridge.


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## Lily's Mum (Jan 22, 2009)

put some hot chilli sauce on the poo - that will stop your dog


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## Guest (Apr 15, 2009)

Burrowzig said:


> If the spray collar doesn't work, I doubt if you'd get better success from an E-collar. Are you using the unscented spray? If so, try the citronella fill. If already on citronella, try the mustard before going onto an E-collar.
> Dogs can eat droppings to balance their gut bacteria. You can get dog probiotics from the vet, or use human ones from health food shops, but make sure it's one that contains bifidus and faecium, not just acidopholus (my dog stopped eating sheep droppings after a course of probiotics).
> You could also try a rattle bottle or a squirt-water bottle if you have her on lead, with a firm 'no'.
> You must also bear in mind that she is a lab, and most of her brain will be concerned with the acquisition of food!


Cannot imagine why anyone would want to suggest an e collar in this instance!


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