How to Stop Dogs from Scavenging at Home – Pet Owner’s Guide
How To Stop Your Dog From Scavenging at Home
Scavenging behavior isn’t just frustrating and distracting for you. It can also put your dog’s safety at risk. Learning how to stop your dog from scavenging at home can present a unique challenge. The Dan Gentile Dog Training Center, a puppy training center in New Jersey, listed some expert tips below to help you maximize dog safety and curb bad habits.
What Does Scavenging Behavior Look Like?
When trainers talk about scavenging behavior, they mean a dog’s habit of foraging through debris for pieces of food. While it comes naturally to many dogs, it also develops because of food insecurities. Your dog may accidentally eat something hazardous, which could threaten his health, so it’s important to stop this behavior.
How To Stop Your Dog From Scavenging at Home
Taking care of your pet dog involves curbing unwanted and potentially dangerous behaviors like scavenging for scraps. Implement the following advice to put a stop to this bad habit.
#1. Keep Your Home as Clean as Possible
Dogs perceive areas like kitchens and dining rooms as gold mines for tasty, forgotten treats. However, they might happen upon dangerous substances like onions, chocolate, and cooked bones. Wipe down counters, wash dirty dishes, and sweep daily to eliminate potentially toxic but enticing scraps.
#2. Entertain Your Dog in Other Ways
Understanding how to stop your dog from scavenging at home can mean redirecting the behavior toward a more constructive activity. Sometimes, they scavenge due to boredom. Give your dog a healthy snack with a food puzzle or take them outdoors for exercise.
#3. Use Voice Commands and Rewards
Teach your dog to demonstrate the behavior you want. Using voice commands like “leave it” can help them learn when to stop an unwanted behavior.
Some dogs are persistent in their pursuit of tasty, forbidden treats. Try muzzle training as a solution to curb their scavenger hunts until they learn other, more constructive behaviors and obey your commands.
#4. Change Your Walking Route Selection
You may not realize it, but your regular walking route might be littered with tempting prizes. Unfortunately, environmental hazards, like pesticides, herbicides, and other poisons, could infuse those prizes. Switch up your walking route selection.
New routes offer new opportunities for constructive stimulation for you and your dog. Sniffing and learning about the new area will occupy their time instead.
#5. Provide a Balanced Diet
Sometimes, a dog might scavenge because its current diet doesn’t meet its nutritional needs. Speak to your veterinarian about whether you should choose different foods. Dog nutrition and diet needs differ from humans.
Quality dog food formulated with nutritionally dense ingredients might solve the problem. Your furry best friend will thank you for the change!
Modify Your Furry Friend’s Behavior With Help From The Dan Gentile Dog Training Center
The passionate, talented trainers at The Dan Gentile Dog Training Center can teach you how to stop your dog from scavenging at home. We’ll determine whether you should muzzle train a dog or find another solution that works in any situation. Call 732-938-5040 to discover modern training techniques in an enriching, friendly environment.