Scavenger!

[Maria]

Has anyone any ideas on how to stop Boysie from picking up and eating anything he considers to be remotely edible while out walking? He did this a lot when we first got him (mainly horse poo), and then seemed to realise that he would be fed when he got home. Then he started again - he seems to be constantly searching for food (even at home), and is starting to ignore my 'leave' commands or eating what he has found quickly before either coming to me or my getting back to him! Last week he was sick at 2 in the morning - bringing up a small bone he had found somewhere on his evening walk (around 6pm), and today he has had a bad bout of diahorrea(?) from scavenging something this morning. I don't really want to have to resort to a muzzle. He does seem very greedy - he gulps his JWB meals down in seconds, and then instantly looks for more food. Should I be looking to change his food?                    

[Michele]

First thing that springs to mind Maria, is have you wormed Boysie recently? If not, that could be what is making him hungrier than usual.                    

[Maria]

Hhmm, -he is due to be wormed soon.......                    

[Mary P]

Hi,
Tia has always done this - just as you describe without thankfully the sickness. (Actually apart from the time she managed to get cake and butter from the table....)
She does it wormed or not, fed or not and even (!) more so during her heat.                    

[Maria]

Hi,
Tia has always done this - just as you describe without thankfully the sickness. (Actually apart from the time she managed to get cake and butter from the table....)
She does it wormed or not, fed or not and even (!) more so during her heat.

Maybe it's genetic then! It does get embarassing when he tries to get bread that people are throwing for ducks, and the others we walk with say 'I wish you'd feed your dog Maria!'                    

[cindere528]

He's a cocker, & at a guess, he's blue roan?

I've had 2 blue roans & their appetites are insatiable. My orange & white was quite picky with his food, but the blues are just forever hungry.

I always keep mine on a flexi lead, so I have some control over what she is able to eat when out.  It still doesn't always stop her eating horse muck or moopoos, because she's quite crafty. She also eats the ducks' bread (& goosepoos) if I take her near the lake in the park.                    

[Maria]

He's a cocker, & at a guess, he's blue roan?  

I can see why you thought that from the photo - he is actually a solid black, but was looking very glossy that day!                    

[Hel]

It's my orange roan Pip who is the real scavenger. Fletch, black, is not that bothered - although when we came across a dead rabbit dangling from a low tree branch the other day, he was very interested and tried to climb the tree!  I think the rabbit had been dropped by a bird of prey - but it was a pretty weird sight!

For Pip scavenging on walks, I have got him to drop anything by exchanging it for a treat.  When he is offlead, he now brings me most things he finds to exchange for his treat.

I free feed and find that it stops them from being so food-obsessed.                    

[Mary P]

Hi Maria,
I can really relate bread for ducks!

Hi Hel,
I tried for a while putting double the usual amount of food down. She ate her usual amount and left the rest for tea time (I feed twice a day) and still scavenged just the same.
I can get food from her if I need to eg chicken piece on wooden skewer :shock: , but I'm sure that if I offered a treat, she'd scoff her prize and then expect the treat too!                    

[Mary]

Strangely enough I clicked onto this section to start a new thread about Lotties greediness so whilst you are all talking about it here here goes.

Maria, Lottie would be stiff competition for Boysie :?   She has always been a dustbin and unfortunately is getting worse (if possible :roll: ).  I can't let her out in my parents garden as they like to feed the birds and she'd eat everything.  She also hunts for food when we're out.  If she is off her lead and finds food she will eat it, usually swallowing it whole :x   She found a chicken bone last week and crunched away on it until it was gone.  She was off her lead and there was no way I could get it off her, she just ran away when I approached her :x  She wouldn't give that sort of thing for a treat either.

The biggest issue of all at the moment is her constant crying for her tea.  She has her tea just after us about 5pm but she has started to whine and cry from about 4pm if I am in the kitchen preparing our tea.  She won't stop unless I go upstairs but I need to be in the kitchen!!

I've tried putting her in the garden but she carries on crying and scratching the door and does the same if put in another room.  She'll cry in her crate even :roll:

She has 2 meals a day, Naturediet.  Half a tray in the morning and the other half at teatime.  She also has a couple of treats before I go to work.  She acts as if I starve her :shock:    Does anyone have any ideas or a good pair of ear plugs please?                    

[shonajoy]

MY orange roan boy is the same. He's 19 weeks, and forever scavenging. Hovers near anyone eating in case they drop something.

At the park, he eats bread for the ducks, and anything, but is good at dropping it for a treat. I just thought cockers wqere like this!

Shona                    

[PennyB]

Ruby would just get too fat if I free-fed them. I had to remove the cat's food (who are free-fed) upstairs. Little madam is already putting weight on (she's speyed) and would scavenge even if I free-fed her (she can have a big meal and go out for a walk and still find something get her teeth into).                    

[picklesmum]

How I love this site! As the owner of yet another scavenging Cocker, I am so glad, once again, to know that I am not alone. Pickle eats anything - flowers, seashells, worms (well, that was only once, but GROSS! :shock: ), earth, leaves, anything he can get a hold of. And he actually swallows the stuff - I thought he'd maybe just chew it to explore. He's a horror! I am trying now to distract him with treats - always need to have my pockets stuffed!
He also woofs when he thinks it is his tea-time - usually an hour too early. And his trainer told me today he was looking a bit porky - oh dear!!! Old tubby tum....I dont know!
Emma and Pickle xx                    

[cindere528]

He also woofs when he thinks it is his tea-time - usually an hour too early. And his trainer told me today he was looking a bit porky - oh dear!!! Old tubby tum....I dont know!
Emma and Pickle xx

If he woofs an hour early now when he thinks it's tea time just think about when we put the clocks back.  We used to have to change feeding time very gradually when the clocks were put back.  Funny thing though, it's never been a problem when we put the clocks forward & they get fed an hour earlier, somehow, dogs can always cope with that!                      

[Colin]

Misty sees every excursion into the outside world as a food finding mission too....... edible or inedible it makes no difference to her, she'll test it out with a quick munch. She's recently cottoned on to the fact there is quite often food to be found in the tray at the bottom of push chairs, a feast wheeled into the park especially for her delectation. :roll:

Today she exceeded herself....... I was chatting to another dog owner in the park over a coffee outside the cafe. I looked over to see what Jimmy was upto and then turned back to see Misty on the table right in front of me, her snout wedged in the ladies coffee cup slurping away at her cappuccino ! :shock:  :oops: Luckily the lady works in a dog rescue centre, is used to such naughtiness and found it really funny.

Jimmy on the other hand is not the slightest bit interested in seeking out free food. I recently tied him to the railings of the park not realising he was right next to some discarded KFC bones. He gave them a quick sniff and a distasteful look, then did a wee on them. Even the wee didn't discourage Misty from licking her lips and trying to scrabble her way towards them though.  :evil:

The summer picnic season is going to be fun.  :?