Dogs sniffing, searching and stalking – genetically conditioned reflexes. Very often found an “interesting” smell prompts you to taste the object. Such an instinct, useful in wildlife, very dangerous in the city. Often after this “meal” the dog suffers from poisoning and may even die. Why dogs so love to sniff and grab foul-smelling objects, and how wean dog pick up from the floor / ground?
Why the dog sniffs and picks up objects
Contents
Before you begin to wean a dog from a harmful and dangerous habit, you need to understand why a clean house dog with a great runs away with pleasure with pleasure, sniffs, and even eats carrion. It’s difficult to wean a dog from “vacuuming” the territory, as The sense of smell for a predator is one of the main sensory organs. Cortical the center responsible for the analysis of odors in a dog is 40 times more than in humans, while the animal’s brain itself is 10 times smaller. 
With the help of smell, the dog receives information about the territory, partners’ sexual readiness, food quality, hierarchy in the pack. Smells give the dog not only the necessary information about the world, but also stimulate the necessary for socialization and life positive emotions stimulate behavioral processes. therefore forbid the dog to sniff, or rather sniff (completely special function), is dangerous for her health and psyche.
In The Kingdom of Smells by Anne Lill Kwam Norwegian trainer, not only the physiology of smell is described dogs, but also its importance for mental development and mental dog health. Exciting and attracting odors stimulate the body of the dog has positive physiological processes and in a certain way affect behavioral reactions, emotional animal condition.
The taste in dogs is also closely related to the sense of smell. Therefore, it is so difficult for them to separate these “chemical” sensations. A newborn puppy primarily focuses on smell and taste. The survival of the baby depends on them – the search for food, protection, comfortable conditions. Therefore, training should not be aimed at banning sniffing and testing, and on learning to pick up an object from the floor or land.
The reasons for the manifestation of bad habits
Besides instincts, turning a dog into a “vacuum cleaner” is explained the following factors:
- a hungry past that suffers street and abandoned animals;
- lack of nutrients in the diet, vitamin deficiency;
- stress to overcome which the dog needs positive emotions;
- lack of new sensations;
- curiosity
- parasitic diseases;
- teething;
- aberration (distortion) of taste during pregnancy;
- violation of the intestinal microflora, as in decaying food contains digestive enzymes and bacteria that promote digestion;
- the need for bowel cleansing. The habit of picking up inedible domestic dogs inherited litter from wolves that eat feathers, grass, lumps of wool and pebbles to induce vomiting and cleanse the intestines;
- the desire to play with the item found.
As you can see, the reasons that prompt the dog to pick up edible and inedible objects and food debris on the street, many. Most of them can be eliminated by adjusting the power or dog behavior. An attentive host can easily determine reasons for the manifestation of “gathering” and try to eliminate them.
How to wean a dog to pick up from the floor or ground
Raising a dog must begin at an early age. For start the puppy should get used to eating only from the bowl that you need place on a stand that matches the height of the pet. It is impossible throw food or food on the floor, allow picking up from the floor pieces falling out of a bowl or grazing. They need to be removed immediately or cover up.
So the puppy will form a habit of taking food only from a bowl or from the hands of the owner. If the puppy discovers but ignores wallowing on half pieces, you need to encourage him by treating yourself to a treat, praise and stroke. You cannot beat or scold the baby.
From 3 months you can teach your puppy to take food from a bowl on command. Food is laid out in a bowl, the puppy is held for several seconds and let go, accompanying the action with the permissive command “Can”, Take it. 
You can also teach your puppy not to pick up from the floor, specially dropping a piece on the floor, and when the baby reaches for it, it’s easy to squeeze it or remove by hiding the bait. Should offer him another a piece from the hand, giving the command “Take”.
Starting from 6 months, it is necessary to train the dog to execute commands “Fu”, “Give”, “To me,” “You can’t.” Prohibition teams will help control the pet’s behavior, its movement on the streets and to prevent picking up from the ground. Since learning is prohibitive teams built on negative incentives (punishment), then they can not be used at a very young age, so as not to “break” the nature of the dog does not cause aggression or fear.
With the filing of prohibitive commands do not hesitate, as even a well-bred dog, taking a “delicious” into his mouth, is unlikely to spit it out, hearing a scream. The team must be submitted before the action. Till the dog does not master prohibitive commands, should be avoided undesirable situations – walking the puppy on a leash, in a muzzle or in “clean” places.
The “fake” situation method
To eliminate the risk of poisoning or injury, you can apply the “fake” situation method. Assistant lays out bait in the form of pieces of food. The owner, leading the pet on a leash, slowly approaching the bait, and when the dog rushes to food, give the command “Fu” or “You can not” and sharply pull the leash. Situation repeated 4-5 times.
As a negative stimulus, you can use a light slap on the back of the croup or nose of the dog, holding (click on back or withers with the hand). Negative incentive should alternate with positive. After the dog moved away baits, it is encouraged by a treat, praised or stroked. Gradually, food promotion needs to be completely replaced by tactile or voice. Do not abuse the Fu team and prohibit all potentially dangerous actions.
Using the “fake” situation, you can also wean the dog refreshments from the wrong hands. Need to ask a few helpers offer a treat to the dog, and when she reaches for it, squeeze hand hiding the “bait”. The pet must firmly grasp that treats he will not receive from a “stranger”. Ignoring “handouts” the host should to encourage. Thus, the host does not cancel eating behavior (it in animals, especially young ones, dominates), but only reorient, otherwise, banning eating food, you can provoke a search for “goodies” on the street or trash.
Distraction method
You can distract the pet from the “illegal” action with a sharp sound – clap, ringing keychains, whistle. Also rolls a plastic bottle filled with small pebbles, coins or other thundering objects. The main thing is not to harm the dog and not scare him too much. 
Another method of education is to wear an apparel item on throughout the walk. Have a busy attractive subject dogs less temptations to lift something less from the ground seductive.
Stun Collar
In especially difficult cases, an electroshock collar is used. Such the collar is equipped with a control panel that allows you to dose exposure and adjust behavior over a considerable distance. The main thing is not to overdo it with pain. Dog must experience discomfort rather than injury.
By invisibly operating the remote control, the owner avoids the formation of the logical connection between the negative impact and your person, which will maintain a trusting relationship with the pet. The disadvantage of this The method of exposure is the inexperience of the host. To use collar, you need to train with an experienced instructor.
Video on how to wean a dog is from the floor
Inactive and dangerous methods
To wean pick up items and food from the ground, some owners use methods that are dangerous for the pet:
- sprinkle the bait with pepper, stuff with mustard or other hot seasonings. This method can lead to burns of the mucosa or repel the smell of a dog;
- lay the bait in a mousetrap. Spring shock can injure the pet, and the weak – will not take the desired exposure.
Ineffective methods:
- replacements when the owner offers a treat instead of garbage. Dog can specially pick up all sorts of muck to lure “delicious”;
- weaning. Selecting an item attractive to the dog, the owner runs the risk of causing aggression or a desire to play.
If the dog is busy playing walks, learning teams or tricks, then she does not have time to pick up garbage. Training it is necessary to carry out persistently, regularly, consistently, in a level mood without violence and screaming. If the owner fails independently wean the dog to “vacuum” the street, you should seek help from a specialist.
