‘Leave it’ solves a host of doggie transgressions

DEAR CATHY: I have some new neighbors that moved in with an outdoor cat. The cat uses our yard as her potty box. Our two dogs have found this cat poop delectable and they eat these deposits before I can remove them from the yard. Is there something I can do to dissuade my dogs from eating this poop? — Wendy Rutland, Pensacola, Florida

DEAR WENDY: You can go outside and pick up the cat poop before you let them outside, or you could walk them on leashes so you can pull them away from the cat poop when they discover it. But these are temporary solutions that don’t address the real problem.

While it would be great if your neighbors kept their cat in their yard, there will always be something in the yard or on the ground that your dog shouldn’t eat; so the only surefire solution is to train your dogs to “leave it.”

The easiest way to train the “leave it” command is to ask your dogs to sit, put a treat on the ground, and then hold a higher value treat in your hand, such as a small bit of cheese or strong-smelling liver treat. When they see the treat on the ground, say “leave it.” When they “leave it” and look at you, reward them with the higher value treat. Then pick up the other treats off the ground, wait a few seconds, and play the game again. Never let them eat the treats off the ground.

You are training them to leave things alone, even when you are not around. They should only accept food and treats from your hands or their dog dishes. Depending on their personalities, you probably should train your dogs separately.

DEAR CATHY: We adopted a boxer/pug/bulldog named Magento. He is 3 years old. Our problem is that he is systematically eating our backyard from top to bottom. He is breaking branches off trees, and chewing on branches and the other plant materials in the yard. He only stops when he gets caught. Why is he doing this and how can we stop him? — Allison Vann, Cleveland

DEAR ALLISON: Start by giving Magento more supervised time outdoors, since it sounds like he does listen to you when he gets caught. He wants to please you, so follow up your quick verbal corrections with treats and praise to show him you approve. I promise it’s a behavior he will want to see you repeat.

As for why he does it, your enterprising dog may be feeling bored or suffering from anxiety. Bored dogs often entertain themselves by resorting to destructive behaviors, such as digging holes, chewing on things or tearing up the house. Anxious dogs may exhibit the same behaviors, but for reasons related to being separated from you. Thankfully, both problems can be addressed in similar ways.

Dogs need exercise and clever activities to stay physically fit and mentally healthy. Keep Magento active by walking him a few times a day or teaching him to play fetch or some other active game. Keep his mind busy by introducing puzzle toys where he must figure out for himself how to push a toy over or open a secret compartment to get a treat.

Finally, teach him something for at least 10 minutes a day, like sit, down or retrieve a ball. Dogs often are more relaxed after training sessions because it requires a lot of brain power to listen and learn new things.

If you feel he might suffer from anxiety, talk to your veterinarian about medication to help him during this training/ transition period.