Author Topic: Poo Bags!!  (Read 1405 times)

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Offline Goldenboy

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Poo Bags!!
« on: February 02, 2021, 06:11:15 PM »
Hi all,

We have a 14 month Working Cocker Spaniel named Chase and when he was a puppy he used to eat his own poo, he has now grown out of that.

The issue is that now he finds poo that is in poo bags irresistible and will not stop, no matter how much we call him until he has pulled it apart and eaten the bag and contents. He also goes for bags that people leave in bushes or he takes them out of open top bins.

We have tried a number of things, like keeping him on the lead when we see someone carrying a poo bag and when he is off the lead, recalling him and giving him treats. Sometimes we don’t see people carrying bags until the last minute and what he does is to go up to them all happy and tail wagging and then he will jump up and take it out of their hands!

We have tried distraction and treats but when we get close, he runs off and we do not want him to think it is a game so we do not chase him. We are thinking of purchasing a muzzle but that could project to other owners that he is not safe, when there are no poo bags around he carries sticks, lost gloves and hats etc so we do not want to deny him what he finds natural. So far, when he eats the bag it does come out the other end but we are concerned that one day it will not and it will be a hefty vet bill.

Any advice is welcomed.

Offline LucyJ

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Re: Poo Bags!!
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2021, 06:49:41 PM »
I can see why you might want to stop him doing that!  Does he put other things down to get poo bags - so you can't distract him with gloves or a ball or whatever?

It sounds like you need to make poo bags less amazing for him - could you fill some with soil at home so they aren't as exciting then do lots of training with him to swap them for a treat?

Part of the fun for him might be your reaction - years ago postmen used to drop red elastic bands on their mail rounds and my old girl Daisy went through a phase of eating them which scared the life out of me.  It was only when I stopped reacting that she started to find them boring and stopped.  Its tough to not react though!

Offline Goldenboy

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Re: Poo Bags!!
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2021, 07:05:20 PM »
We have not reacted  but the other owner does. We have tried to ignore him and walk away after apologising to the other owner, he just runs after us with the bag in his mouth and when he gets close to us, stops and rips it apart, swallows it then carries on as if nothing has happened. Now we are saying OFF! and LEAVE IT! and putting him on the lead and ignoring him if he does this. We have been practising re call and praising and walking past poo bags on the ground whilst he is on the lead and pulling him and re calling him with praise - but we don't trust to leave him off the lead he is still ripping the bags and eating them. Apart from this behaviour he is as good as gold.