# Eating everything outside on the ground



## volkeyn (Nov 25, 2015)

our 10 week old male puppy is really a brat in the house , bites, gets wild, runs, chews, doesn't listen, when I take him out to the yard he grabs rocks, sticks, woods, grass, plastic, cigarette buts and etc..... He chews them and sometimes swallows them...he doesn't focus on walking and enjoying the outdoors... I am trying to teach him to focus on walking and other things around but if there is nothing interesting his eyes are always down looking for smth to eat. this makes our outdoor experience a nightmare... even though I say "NO" million times and pull his leash million times to correct him, he still didn't have any progress...I tried taking some treats with me and redirecting him , it helps for a second once he has his treat he is back to hoovering mode...i have him run and be active but once he is tired he is again back to ground searching ...and sometimes he gets really very aggressive to eat and grab stuff , he fights me and I have to hold him up and carry back to the house...so far he didn't have nay progress..I will wait 2 more weeks and try e-collar (last alternative)...please let me know if you have any other ideas to stop this behavior...
I believe e-collar would be better than him eating smth and causing more serious problems...


----------



## Rosy831 (Feb 27, 2016)

please rehome this puppy if you are seriously considering an e collar at this point. You are clueless and he would do better in a different home. He is just being a puppy. If you want a fully trained dog, buy one.


----------



## Rosy831 (Feb 27, 2016)

Excuse me while I rant. You just posted last week about e collar training your pup at 9 weeks. Are you insane? You have an infant plain and simple. I can't believe the thought process. If you don't have the patience or desire to raise this pup, engage with this pup and go through the whole process of being a dog owner, rehome the pup.

What you are considering is cruelty. You can not punish what the pup does not understand. You give pet owners a bad name.


----------



## volkeyn (Nov 25, 2015)

himmm...well...why everybody here thinks that they are the best people to own a puppy and they know the best ..I am sorry but I asked advice about how to stop this behavior , please do not lecture me thinking that you are the best dog owners in the world and I am the worst....is it better for him eating a big rock or cigarette but, poison himself and go for a surgery? I am trying my best to stop him , don't worry..but who are you to lecture me to re-home my puppy?
as I said it is going to be the last alternative after 2-3 weeks....and I didn't say I will do it...plus e-collars have vibration and beeping mode....I am not stupid to use shock on a puppy...just looking for advice and recommendation...I didn't hear anything any advice any hint to prevent this behavior...if you are the best then tell me how to stop this? I don't need your advice about rehoming....


----------



## Rosy831 (Feb 27, 2016)

reread your last threads, lots of suggestions and advice.


----------



## Henricus (Jan 9, 2016)

I agree fully with Rosy831 and will repeat the following: "he is just a puppy". I have had many moments where I've almost pulled what little hair I have left from my head and I only have him 10 weeks (he's 18 weeks). Still a "little" devil. But I love him to death and can't imagine having a life without him. 

You can do two things: get another race, with far less drive. Or change your expectations and demands and hold tight for the next couple of months. But please, don't punish the pup for just being a pup. You can obviously correct him and teach the house rules, but expect that to take a bit longer than a week :|


----------



## volkeyn (Nov 25, 2015)

let me clarify myself again....he is a brat he chews, bites, runs , pees poos in the house...my shoes pants, our thousand dollar worth rugs...we don't care about these things, he is our baby...I am not worried about his drive, I play run and do everything with him...I am only worried that he will damage himself while eating smth that he is not supposed to...I have heard horror stories about puppies eating sticks, rocks or other poisonous things outside...I don't want to keep him home all the time because I want him to see and learn outside life and be a social dog...
I am fighting with him to grab and pull out everything from his mouth...but sometimes I can't get it and he makes it a game like he will do it without me catching him )) he is funny...sometimes he chews and swallows faster so that I can't get it ))
but so far I am still not getting any advice on this issue...


----------



## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

How about raking up the yard or at least a good sized section of it?Research Engagement Training.Puppies will respond to movement and enthusiasm.Shake the toys,run around and make interesting sounds.Let him sniff around a few minutes in the safe area,then more engagement with you.Potty break then back inside for a nap.


----------



## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

volkeyn said:


> let me clarify myself again....he is a brat he chews, bites, runs , pees poos in the house...my shoes pants, our thousand dollar worth rugs...we don't care about these things, he is our baby...I am not worried about his drive, I play run and do everything with him...I am only worried that he will damage himself while eating smth that he is not supposed to...I have heard horror stories about puppies eating sticks, rocks or other poisonous things outside...I don't want to keep him home all the time because I want him to see and learn outside life and be a social dog...
> I am fighting with him to grab and pull out everything from his mouth...but sometimes I can't get it and he makes it a game like he will do it without me catching him )) he is funny...sometimes he chews and swallows faster so that I can't get it ))
> but so far I am still not getting any advice on this issue...


He is trying to engage you into play.Find a safe "puppy proof" area and engage him.He will begin to look to you for fun and direction instead of the environment.


----------



## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Rosy, it's not necessary to be rude to make a point. If you don't like the Op don't post. 

To the OP, mine did the same thing. I taught him Leave It and turned that into the game. I also found a few sturdy throwing toys he likes and taught him to fetch and drop the toys. Now, he will pick things up if he's bored, but if I keep him busy, he doesn't try to eat things. Also, make sure you are feeding him enough. Mine was very skinny at that age and was starving, he's still skinny but he's not trying to eat everything in sight.


----------



## WIBackpacker (Jan 9, 2014)

Dogma basically wrote everything I was about to type.

It sounds like your puppy thinks everything in the world is more exciting than *you* are, you can change that. Try a soft toy tied to a rope, twitch it around back and forth in front of the puppy, get super high pitched, praise, and excited voice when your puppy chases it, tugs with you. Lots of pets and praise.

10 weeks old is waaaaaaay too young to expect an organized "walk". 

If you're impatient and stressed out, it's really not a good time to train. These dogs pick up on body language with uncanny accuracy. If you're flailing your arms and yelling and yanking the leash around, I wouldn't want to hang out with you either. No offense meant, but try and think about it from the other point of view - be fun, interesting, and engaging, not the giant loud angry human.


----------



## Rosy831 (Feb 27, 2016)

LuvShepherds said:


> Rosy, it's not necessary to be rude to make a point. If you don't like the Op don't post.



rude or not it was my honest feelings.


----------



## Henricus (Jan 9, 2016)

@Rosy
Not that it matters, but you were far from rude. 

@OP
I still take stuff daily out of my pups mouth, from stones to metal, dirt and rubber. I keep him on a leash inside the house and can't keep him out of my watch for one second. I just try to keep him busy, or when I'm tired, giving him something to keep himself busy with (like a rawhide bone). 
Good luck.


----------



## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Yes, Rosy, I get that and I know why. My point is that these forums are for helping other people and this person needs positive suggestions rather than criticism. I completely stopped my puppy from eating rocks, twigs and yard junk (without an e collar or anything else).


----------



## Rosy831 (Feb 27, 2016)

The last thing I'm going to say on this post is that I hope someone here on the forums can make you understand why it is so very wrong to put an e-collar on a puppy, no matter what the behavior is.


----------



## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Op - my pup had the same problem in the yard when she was very young. Her main "trophies" in the yard were rocks, cherry pits, pine cones and black walnuts that the squirrels have buried. 

I looked like a crazy person chasing her around and she would run from me and she was fast! This isn't like a brat child that did not mind but more like a baby that cannot understand cut loose in a candy store. I spent the better part of 2 days "puppy proofing" that area of yard to get it safe. It had to be done and it was my responsibility to keep her safe. 

The world and everything in it is brand new and exciting to them. Smells and tastes are how they explore. Just like a parent with a very young baby - you have to protect them until they are old enough to understand the "leave it" command. Until then - you need to provide a clean safe area for them to explore.

If you try to discipline your pup before they are old enough to understand what you want - you could easily ruin the dog for life making it fearful and it could learn to snap or bite. E collars are not to be used on puppies or young dogs for this reason. They don't have the focus and capacity necessary and as a result this would be nothing but torture because there's no way for the puppy to win. 

Everything you are describing is nothing but the behavior of a normal puppy not a brat. Everything you describe is going to take proper confinement, patience and training - but until you can train - you must protect. This will be the way it is for at least another month or two. 

It is because you seem so far away from these basic concepts on raising a puppy that I also think you may need to consider rehoming this one. It is very disconcerting to see anger mixed with ignorance and threatened harm (e collar).


----------



## volkeyn (Nov 25, 2015)

OK. Thank you everybody for your constructive advises and encouraging suggestions...yes I cleaned up my back yard but its a small yard without fence so he is trying to explore more, I am always trying to keep him in the safe area ...but he is always trying to go further to explore...I have an extra playpen to put outside but again he won't stay there I am sure. I will set it up this weekend....its like putting a kid in a playpen at a candy store...
yes I am playing with his toys which he likes and I also have him run and chase me on the grass, but he gets tired in 5 min then starts digging again..
I don't want to keep him running and active all the time nonstop for 20-30 min....he is getting tired...therefore I am giving breaks and then he starts hoovering again...
for people lecturing me to consider rehoming him , or mentioning "anger mixed with ignorance"...let me clarify myself one more time, I am neither angry nor ignorant, I am just a daddy who wants to keep his baby safe...please keep your ideas for yourself...and again ignorance is for people who think they are the best and they are the only one who can achieve...only ignorant people can advice to rehome a puppy just because the daddy is asking for some advice... plus I have already tried everything that has been mentioned here...you ignorant ones who advice me to rehome, you are the one who brought this honest innocent thread a challenge of knowledge .....


----------



## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

The OP doesn't understand the point of an e collar. Just please don't use one. I'm trying to say this nicely, but everything said above about them is correct. Not only shouldn't you use one, you don't need it. 

Another suggestion if you can't train the dog yourself is to find a good puppy trainer to work with. The money is better spent there than on a useless and dangerous collar. You could seriously harm your dog at this age and do terrible emotional damage. It's not worth it.


----------



## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

Try not to feel defensive.The posters that were blunt were worried about your puppy.You can't train a baby puppy with an e collar.It won't get you the result you are after.

If you can't figure out how to bond with and deal with a little puppy,the road ahead with an adolescent and mature dog looks dismal.If you're in over your head with this breed now is the best time to recognize it and rehome while he's young.
Many of us do better with a few sessions with a trainer.Showing is so much clearer than telling.A trainer can often show you one or two things that make you 'face palm' and "Oh!Now I get it!"


----------



## volkeyn (Nov 25, 2015)

yes I got it I will not use e-collar...I was only considering the vibration or beeping mode though after 4 months...now I understand that all the puppies went through the same phase and there is nothing else to do , other than keeping an eye on him when outside...
I can train him and I already did, he is already getting upset when I leave..he knows "sit" "down" and a little "stay" ... working on "drop it" and "leave it" which are harder to learn ...
I make every moment a learning opportunity for him...while I am playing with him or feeding him...and that works great...
thanks again...


----------



## volkeyn (Nov 25, 2015)

guys I have no problem with this breed and this is not a rocket science...please do not exaggerate the situation...I am neither desperate nor frustrated...I am happy with my puppy.. we play we sleep we learn together...his bratty behaviors are too much fun for us...we truly love him and he can feel this ...I just wanted to learn if there is a way to prevent him eating things outside, that's it...
thanks again....but as far as I see everybody is a pro here


----------



## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

How about a little role play. I'll be the OP....

Hi all - I have a 10 week old puppy I'm having a little trouble with and could use your advise. He is trying to eat things from the ground that may harm him. I don't have a fenced yard. 

Also - he is not behaving on the leash. No matter how many times I jerk it to correct him- he won't stop. Is there a different method that may work better?

Thanks!


----------



## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

When my pup was in the yard, I followed behind him taking things out of his mouth CONSTANTLY. Good news is he outgrew it eventually. I would get a long line to keep on him if you don't have a fenced yard. That's safest. If he is farther away and picks something up, at least you can get to him without his running away.


----------



## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Hi OP - I had the same problem with wandering puppies getting into trouble. I purchased a couple of rolls of 5 foot by 50 foot field fencing and the metal stakes. You can build a decent sized puppy enclosure that will hold them so they can't find and eat anything they come across. The cost is about 50.00 for a 50 foot roll and the stakes are around 4 dollars each. Only takes a few hours and one patient helper to get set up.

This kind of enclosure also helps with a training area as you can get better focus with the pup. I've used this type of fencing for 7 or 8 puppies and it really helped.


----------



## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I taught mine "trade ya!" If loot hits the ground he gets the bestest treat on earth. Was a life saver, he was a vacuum cleaner with a major affinity for rocks.

He got so good at it he will still occasionally bring me a piece of gravel and drop it at my feet to see if he might get a cookie.

Chasing, punishing ect tends to make them try to swallow it faster. The trick is to get them to want to trade it for an excellent treat, then they are not trying to evade you. Start with less dangerous, less desirable loot. Say trade ya and try to waft some cheese in puppy's face. Start on leash so you are close enough to do so without a chase. Maybe he is so excited about cheese he drops stick, YAY PUPPY, big party, good food ect. Keep trying, "trade ya!" In cheerful happy voice so he knows he is not in trouble and doesn't trigger puppy to run away and try to swallow.

We had to cross our gravel walkway to come in from EVERY potty and he always would eat a piece of gravel. So, I stuck a cookie up his noce right before gravel and lured him across. Then fade that to, run across the gravel and get a cookie. It stopped his focus on the gravel because he was busy thinking about the cookie he always got on the stoup. And finally you get a cookie when you come in after I call your name. The kid has got killer recall, blaze of white lightning when he hears his name.


----------



## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEeS2dPpPtA


----------



## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Trade ya works everytime. They are no dopes and rather have a piece of cheese then whatever they are carrying around. Sometimes if we are eating max will put one of his toys on the table right next to my plate and looks at me as if to say lets make a trade. They catch on real quick.


----------



## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

Jenny720 said:


> Trade ya works everytime. They are no dopes and rather have a piece of cheese then whatever they are carrying around. Sometimes if we are eating max will put one of his toys on the table right next to my plate and looks at me as if to say lets make a trade. They catch on real quick.


Lol!That reminds me of the recent thread about the dog that left a purple frog in the container that held the owner's leftover steak she was planning on having for dinner


----------



## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

dogma13 said:


> Jenny720 said:
> 
> 
> > Trade ya works everytime. They are no dopes and rather have a piece of cheese then whatever they are carrying around. Sometimes if we are eating max will put one of his toys on the table right next to my plate and looks at me as if to say lets make a trade. They catch on real quick.
> ...


That purple squirrel was a great story! I have to say they are smarter then we think and we know they are smart!


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

two points 

management

exploiting situation to your benefit 
(work with , not against)

mayhem and chaos inside your home are enabled by you

when the pup does not have 100% of your dedicated attention , and his needs have been met , he gets to enjoy constructive confinement .

this could be a crate .
this could be a safe kenneled area in the yard .

wow - a dog that picks everything up -- I would so use that to my advantage - that little pup would be taught to pick up and bring --- you point -- and ask -- encourage and reward him for coming to you ---
big fuss -- set up and repeat .

those objects could be your cap, your can of some beverage, a light piece of garden equipment , a box , keys on a lanyard etc etc etc

as far as the eating bit which could be pica, trying to fulfill some nutritional deficiency , make sure the dog has a GOOD diet .


----------



## volkeyn (Nov 25, 2015)

Thank you all for your advises and suggestions...I will definitely try "trade you" or "leave it" as shown in the youtube video...I just didn't want to use too much of treats/cookies etc. since I don't want to mass up with his diet and digestive routine at 10 weeks...I gave him a little turkey and chicken breast as a treat and his stool got softer....I actually tried "trade you" with his kibble but everything else was more interesting than his kibble  he wants turkey or chicken... I see the light at the end of the tunnel.... he needs couple more weeks...


----------



## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

At Petco and Petsmart, you can find rolls of Natural Balance dog food that look like big summer sausages. They have lamb, beef, turkey, etc. You can dice these up into cubes for very high-value treats that are easily digestible (not too rich). You can make them as big or as small as suitable for your dog, and store the roll in the fridge in a plastic bag. 

It can be an option until you transition to something like dehydrated liver (also sold at Petco in a big blue container, near the treats, usually on the bottom shelf) -- the ultimate high-value treat for a lot of dogs. Mine LOVE dried liver.


----------



## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Another thought...does he have a favorite toy? Have you started developing a love for a classic Kong, for example, by stuffing it with part of his meal, and other goodness when he's in the crate? If he's already a kong-dog and loves his toy, that toy can also be a reward, or a "trade."

For example, one of my dogs years ago was not very food motivated, but she would do anything to get her Kong thrown, so we used the toy as her reward. She was obsessive about her toy. She hated being brushed and would run when she saw the brush, so we traded the toy for brushing. Once we started that, if I pulled out the brush, instead of running away, she'd run to me--she knew if she got brushed, she'd get to fetch her toy. I suppose I could have "made her" let me brush her without it, but this conversation we had about her toy always made it a lot more fun. We rewarded her with what meant the most to her.

If you have a toy-obsessed pup, carrying the highest value toy in your jacket pocket on the walk will allow you to pull out the most interesting and distracting trade. Once the pup knows you have it, you can also build in some small sessions of getting the pup to focus on you (toy in your hand or half-sticking out of your pocket) instead of the stuff on the ground. Just remember he has a very short attention span right now -- like a baby or toddler. Remember too that if he's trying to get the toy from your hand or pocket in the beginning as he tries to figure out this game, that's actually a good thing, even though it's a little annoying--it means he's interested in YOU not the environment.


----------



## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

Food rolls are great, it is complete food so can actually be part of the diet, but also soft and smelly and desirable. My puppy gets soft stools if he gets too much extras. But what's worse, that, or a belly full of rocks.

Luckily my puppy barfed all his loot before we got good at the trade game. Couple piles of rocks, sticks, unknown detritus. His tummy knew that stuff didn't belong in there.

Thank god we're past that!

Did anyone yet suggest x penning a clean and safe patch of grass for the pup?


----------



## volkeyn (Nov 25, 2015)

He doesn't have his favorite toy yet, he has a lot of toys but nothing that excites him the most...he loves tug game though..that's his favorite and getting very serious and aggressive  he would never let it go...that's funny , and most of the time I let him win...maybe I can take his rope with me but then he will be all after pulling his rope...I am working on "leave it" now....
cowboygirl, you are absolutely right, a little soft stool is way better than a belly full of trash...
as far as rolls Natural Balance food , I believe that's for adult dogs but I will definitely search for an alternative quality puppy treat...
I only feed him with Royal Canin German Shepherd Puppy food mixed with Royal Canin Puppy appetite stimulation ....


----------



## LittleBear (Apr 1, 2016)

Volkeyn, keep working on leave it and drop it inside your home too, I'd say that might be good practice with larger, safe items he can't instantly ingest. Your pup is still so young he needs time to learn and understand what you want from him. You're not alone, I used to joke with my friends that Phoenix's puppy training was going well, I only had to say "leave it" and "drop it" 1000 times today!


----------

