Last week, much to my surprise, I broke Bud’s intense and somewhat disgusting habit of eating animal feces – dogs, donkeys, sheep and chicken. I used my Pet Corrector aerosol spray to break him of this habit, it worked in a couple of days.
Several people wrote to chastise me for the spray, saying it was “aversive,” and not positive, the way I say I like to train.
They are write, of course, it is not positive.
But it’s pretty benign too. You can stand 20 feet away from the dog and hold the can behind your back and hit the button, and they will stop what they are doing – eating junk, jumping on people, chewing shoes – instantly, and in Bud’s case, never do it again.
If I wanted to train him out poop eating in the positive mold, t would only take month or two and a few more cans of Odor Off and Lysol to clean up all the vomit and diarrhea that was becoming a new reality of our little farmhouse (a little stench goes a long way in there.)
It’s common for dogs to eat poop, but it isn’t particularly healthy. There are plenty of worms and parasites in the poop around here, and Bud is a heartworm survivor.
We don’t need to do that again.
I opted for the can, and and have no regrets. We have moved on, and the can is gone.
Without stopping to eat gobs of donkey manure, Bud now happily sails past the sheep and donkey droppings and runs happily around the pasture, exploring the wood line and the pond and getting to run, which he loves and doesn’t do when eating poop.
He also comes when called, even from a good distance away. Positive training can work too. The problem with absolutism with someone like me is that I am not always positive. I can get angry and pissy in a flash, I have a short attention span, and am easily frustrated.
This post-poop pasture era has opened up a whole new world for me. I can bring Bud out there when I do the chores. I don’t have to yell at him at all, which is profoundly positive, and he can run, which he loves, and get on with his farm dog life.
I like the Post-Poop period, beyond the poop is a richer life for us all.
Thank goodness for the post poop period! I’m going to try and get some of this!!!
Thank you for tips!
There is nothing wrong with aversive training if the situation calls for it. Too many people think “aversive” and “abusive” are the same thing. They aren’t. When dogs correct each other, they don’t use upbeat, happy, positive methods, but they get their point across and the other dog isn’t traumatized. Good for you, Jon. You solved the problem quickly and efficiently and I don’t think Bud will be scarred for life LOL
I used something like that with my dogs and it works wonderfully and doesn’t hurt them. Now all they have to see the can and they stop doing what they aren’t supposed to do.
Thanks Jon…. Our 5 year old Josey (cocker mix) bugged the crap out of us at the dinner table. After your post a few weeks ago I bought the “pet corrector aerosol from Amazon… It only took a couple of bursts for him to stop.. Great product. Thanks again…. Rebecca
I have been a trainer for many decades and if I have to label myself anything, I suppose “positive” would be the one, but I am not averse to getting a can of Pet corrector and advise my clients often to use it..it isn’t about being aversive, it is about consequences of life. Pet corrector spray can break up a nasty fight, a treat cannot..don’t get me wrong, I use food all the time to get what I want, but every situation is different and if Pet Corrector stops your dog from eating poop, go for it I say and be glad that it works rather than a big stick !
Good trainer, I think…lucky dogs and clients..
We have trained our cats with aversive training – a water bottle and spraying them when they do something we don’t want. As a result, ours don’t jump on counters, tables, etc. Love our cats, but don’t want them up on surfaces. They are none worse for it, and we don’t spend our days yelling or running around clapping our hands at them. I think it’s great that now you can go into the pasture and enjoy it, without having to be on high alert keeping Bud from eating poop! Peace in the kingdom!
I like to think of dog training as being a little like the kid’s game “Hot and Cold”. One kid – “it” – is trying to find a hidden item and the other kid(s) say “hot” when the “it” gets closer to the item and “cold” when they get farther away. For a dog, replace the word “hot” with “good” and a treat. The aversive is just like saying “cold”. It gives the dog information and tells him that he’s not going in the right direction.
well i say Poop to them, eating feces is dangerous and extremely unhealthy for a pet. Good going, this is just a sound and not at all cruel or really against positive training !! This is a hard behavior to change, great job Jon !