Author Topic: How to stop puppy trying to eat everything in the garden  (Read 1671 times)

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Offline Kezm

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How to stop puppy trying to eat everything in the garden
« on: August 25, 2021, 09:39:15 PM »
Henry is 10 weeks tomorrow and is trying to eat everything when he is taken out to the garden for the toilet. He tries to eat grass, weeds, sticks, leaves and even stones. I am constantly taking things out of his mouth. I know grass is ok but not sticks and certainly not stones. How can we stop him from doing this? It’s also making toilet training difficult as he goes to back door and we don’t know if he wants out for the toilet or just to mess around in the garden. Usually it’s just to mess around but I feel I need to let him out if he asks. Sometimes when I bring him in when I realise he just wants to eat everything in sight he then pees in the house!

Offline cazza

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Re: How to stop puppy trying to eat everything in the garden
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2021, 06:47:54 AM »
Hi and welcome to COL

Sorry I am laughing, as you have a normal puppy  :005:

They are like babies and explore with their mouths

Try and ignore the behaviour as even negative is praising him. If you are feeding him kibble always have some in your pocket and swap it for a stone etc.

Start training ‘leave it’ and ‘drop it’

Every time he toilets outside give him loads of praise ‘good boy’ in a high pitch happy voice

Good luck, they do grow out of it honestly, watch out for slugs and snails as well

Offline bizzylizzy

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Re: How to stop puppy trying to eat everything in the garden
« Reply #2 on: August 26, 2021, 09:37:06 AM »
Oh I remember those days so well  :005:! We used to keep his hoard on a shelf by the door and watch it accumulate! Humphrey used to pinch all the labels from my seedlings, bark mulch, clothes pegs, plant pots, nothing was safe!
I agree with Cazza though, try to swap things and train him to drop or leave but avoid confrontation if you can as this tends to lead to worse problems later on. It really IS just a phase though, you just need to stay with him and be on your guard a bit now but it gets better!!  ;)
Enjoy this time, they‘re not pups for long!!  :luv:

Offline Lobo do Mar

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Re: How to stop puppy trying to eat everything in the garden
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2021, 02:30:56 PM »
Hi,
That sounds like fun, and I fully understand
Salty is now 2 and a half and is still a garden hoover
His favourite snack is crunching any bits of concrete he finds in the earth
If I drop the lid of anything I only find it later masticated to a pulp
A couple of young lemon orange trees were felled beaver style
The list is endless

What we ended up doing (we were in no position to negotiate  :lol2:) is if he gets something that we think might be hazardous is swap it with a treat, it was the least worse option.
Admittedly he now knows that stealing things gives him treats but what can you do?  :lol2:
It makes him a mischievous devil and all the more lovable
I didnt get a Cocker because I knew they were obedient boring angels
I got one because I had no idea  :rofl1:

At the end of the day I had to relax a bit too - cant stop them snapping up stuff even when on the lead out on walks, especially in the dark - he's too damn footloose and quick



Offline Katrina

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Re: How to stop puppy trying to eat everything in the garden
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2021, 01:11:23 PM »
Hi Kezm - I came here last night worrying about garden eating (Oscar is 13 weeks) and have picked up some great tips from the thread.  We nipped to pets at home this morning and my 11 yo picked a stick shaped chew toy - he seems to love running with it in his mouth! And we got some dentastix - I thought chewing a stick type thing might be a good swap for a real stick. But I'm new to this like you, so I might be wrong!

It's good to know some of it is normal.

Lobo do Mar- the concrete thing! Yes! What is this about?! Glad to know it's not just us.

Offline Ben's mum

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Re: How to stop puppy trying to eat everything in the garden
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2021, 07:33:24 PM »
George is also 13 weeks and loves to eat everything in the garden. I just make sure I just make sure I have a pocket full of tiny puppy biscuits and have taught him a release command of ‘give’ which applies to anything indoors or out I don’t want him to have so I can swop for a biscuit. So far it’s working beautifully. After having a guarder I am trying to make sure he doesn’t start down that route. I also find that in the garden if I can see him eating something not dangerous I will walk away and leave him with it but then bend down as if I am looking at something and he is so flipping nosy he drops what he has got and comes running 🤣


Offline Katrina

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Re: How to stop puppy trying to eat everything in the garden
« Reply #6 on: September 12, 2021, 08:17:39 PM »
George is also 13 weeks and loves to eat everything in the garden. I just make sure I just make sure I have a pocket full of tiny puppy biscuits and have taught him a release command of ‘give’ which applies to anything indoors or out I don’t want him to have so I can swop for a biscuit. So far it’s working beautifully. After having a guarder I am trying to make sure he doesn’t start down that route. I also find that in the garden if I can see him eating something not dangerous I will walk away and leave him with it but then bend down as if I am looking at something and he is so flipping nosy he drops what he has got and comes running 🤣

 :005: I'll have to try this! Searching for something interesting... Oscar is super nosy too!

I need to try this "give" command too. I just can't keep track of everything I could be teaching him and often forget in the split second it needs rewarding.