Stressful walks with puppy

[newme175]

My puppy is trying to eat everything on his walks, I know it's normal behaviour but I'm so stressed. I can cope with toilet training, not sleeping, crying etc... but this one thing stresses me out so much :(

I really don't want to have a dog who I can't let of the lead, as a dog walker I have experience of these dogs and it makes me so sad that they can't run around and play. Because of this I read that you have to let your puppy off lead as soon as possible and get them to follow you. Which he does, apart from when he finds something he wants to eat! I have treats and can successfully recall him when there's people and dogs, and call him at random times for a treat... but when he's found something to eat I cannot catch him/ recall him.

And I've read that you mustn't chase them... so I go in opposite direction and he follows but only after he scoffed whatever it was he found!

Apart from the usual flowers, grass, dirt, bark etc... The worst things he had so far are an ice cream cone (this really upset me as he's on grain free diet). Mowed grass patties (I managed to distract so it wasn't a huge amount).Horse poo and "something" this morning. I don't actually know what this "something" was :(

Now I'm stressing and waiting to see if he becomes ill from it :(

I'm going to have to leash him aren't I? If I leash him I'm worried it will get harder and harder to let him back off as he won't be used to it.

He is nearly 14 weeks old Pomeranian.

Mine is over a year now and will scavenge definitely but he is much better than when he was as young as yours! In the beginning he would eat stones, slugs, acorns etc etc now at least he seems to know what is eatable and what is not even though it's the most disgusting thing known to man!

He is discovering his world with his mouth so I know it's stressful but usually they don't get very ill from it, mine seems to have stomach of steel

Be patient with him OP, he's still only a baby. Our dog used to be a big eater of random things on walks too and now he doesn't bat an eyelid - or if he is tempted, he leaves it straight away on command - even horse poo which he LOOOOVES!

We use the command "leave it" - could you introduce similar? And positively reinforce every time he does what you say. A tasty treat is going to be more appealing to him than just seeing you walk away, what he thinks is his tasty treat at the moment is whatever he is eating off the floor!

Good luck, he'll get there

Mine would scoff most of that too - he's always been fine.

Try teaching him a "leave" command. It's important for general safety reasons too - if he was to find a snake for example or broken glass or dead rat....

Elfpup is now pretty good. A sharp "leave it" followed by a treat when he stops nosing at the undesirable object almost always works and he gets a nice treat as well.

So would you advise to continue to let him off leash? I'm just so scared he will get poisoned.
It's good to hear your pup is fine :)

Yes I'm going to start teaching leave it ASAP! Thank you

Reading with interest finally jab due next Friday then we can walk

I would maybe put him on the lead whilst teaching to "leave" and when you feel he has started to get it then try him off it. If he disobeys you whilst off the lead then put him back on and he should learn that he only gets to be off the lead when he listens to you.

Mine ears rubbish on walks. Honestly if it's poo (horse, cow etc) I really don't care too much. Again with any 'food' that isn't a poison I don't worry.

The only things I worry about are things that won't be digested e.g. cloths (looks sternly at BiteyDog who needed one removed ) or food that is an obvious no such as grapes.

Dogs eat anything so there is no point getting stressed over things like poo, grass or even wood as long as they chew it so it will pass through.

Yes there is a risk that my dog might eat something really bad but I figure the risk is worth it to let him run free on walks.

Maybe try a long line? So he has freedom to run around but if he starts eating things, command 'leave it' and if he doesn't then you can use the line to gently pull him towards you. Start running whilst reeling in the line, and make it so he has to chase you.

Agree with PP, keep him on a long line until you've trained him.
A puppy is more likely to become ill from eating random stuff on walks than an adult dog.

Mine eats all sorts of shit!!!!!! It drives me nuts but so far hasn't hurt him.

He has eaten (on a walk):

• Rabbit shit
• Horse shit
• Sheep shit
• a plastic bowl
• ice cream cone
• a bit of old banana skin
• grass
• mud
• a bit of old balloon
• odd things I could see him chewing but couldn't identify

Was also going to suggest a long line. Put some knots along the line so it's easier to grab.

As well as attempting to teach a leave command - something my dog has selective hearing with if she's found something tasty - try to get him to focus on you more. Make yourself more entertaining so that you're the most interesting thing in the park, or where ever you are. Work on his recall and at this stage treat and praise for every good result.

This may also involve some rather silly behaviour on your part, but jumping up and down in the park whilst waving my arms in the air and calling my dog in an excited high pitched voice was a big part of my life for some time, still is if I'm in that sort of mood.

When he's on the lead walking, call his name and treat him when he looks at you so that he learns that looking at you equals treats and praise.

My dog loves rabbit droppings, which is about the only thing I don't really have an issue with.

I sympathise with the worrying, I'm exactly the same.

Thank you so much for your responses, the pup seems to be completely fine so far.. We have been for another walk with no incidents and I called him over lots of time. Also used long leash for some of our walk.
I think I do need to relax a bit as well, but I'm just terrified of things going wrong with the pup! We nearly lost our cat a few weeks ago also think he has eaten something/ been poisoned so all of that is a trigger for me at the moment.

I think I do need to relax a bit as well, but I'm just terrified of things going wrong with the pup!

It's hard to do be easy to say try and relax. My DH is the worrier with BiteyDog but I now try and adopt an attitude of worrying when there is something to worry about e.g. when they are ill (and we have had our fair share) rather than worrying about something that might not even happen.

Sorry OP if you know this already, but just wanted to clarify that that's a long training line that is left to drag on the ground so that you can grab it when necessary, not an extending lead.

Just that you mentioned a long leash.