My Pet World: Should you discourage a friend from adopting a pet?
That’s the next best advice you can give as her friend.
Dear Cathy,
My fur-baby loves to roll in poop at the dog park. How can I get her out of this nasty habit? She is five years old and is a rescue dog.
– Genevieve, Orlando, Florida
Dear Genevieve,
Teach your “fur-baby” the “leave it” command. Ask her to sit, put a treat on the ground, and say “leave it.” If she looks at the treat or starts to go for it, say “leave it” again. She should get the gist of what you want and will likely “leave it.” When she does, use a marker word, like “bingo,” or a clicker to mark the correct behavior. Then, give her a tastier treat from your hand. (Never let her take the treat on the ground.) Pick up the treat from the ground and repeat this training over the next few days until you know she understands the command.
When you take her to the dog park and she drops to roll in the poop, shake your keys to get her attention and tell her to “leave it.” It may take a few times for her to understand the command in this context, but she will get it and learn to “leave it” if you are consistent with the training.
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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)
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