My dog ​​eats everything in sight: what to do

Author: Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation: 10 August 2021
Update Date: 1 November 2024
Anonim
How to stop my dog from chewing things - simple solutions
Video: How to stop my dog from chewing things - simple solutions

Content

One of the most common questions and concerns among tutors is: "my dog ​​eats everything in sight, what to do?". Well, the first thing we need to point out is that this excessively shaped behavior is far from harmless.

A dog that eats everything from the ground, turns over the garbage or destroys household objects with its bites puts its own health at risk, as it can ingest chemical substances, toxic plants or foods that are prohibited for dogs. As a result, the dog can have digestive problems such as gas, vomiting and diarrhea and even develop symptoms of intoxication or poisoning.


Also, if your dog eats objects or destroys furniture in the house you run the risk of ending up with a foreign body through the throat or digestive tract, which causes discomfort and can damage the gastrointestinal tract. Not to mention that this type of unwanted behavior tends to wear down or make it difficult for the dog to live with its family, generating contexts of high stress, nervousness and anxiety.

Although it is possible to correct this dangerous habit, the ideal is to prevent this behavior and prevent your dog from putting his well-being at risk. In this PeritoAnimal article, we'll talk about the possible causes (because your dog eats everything it sees) and what you can do to correct this unwanted behavior.

Why does my dog ​​eat everything off the ground?

There isn't just one explanation why your dog destroys everything, goes through the trash, eats objects, or wants to swallow everything in its path. The behavior and language of dogs are complex and varied, so each behavior can have several possible causes, always depending on the health status, age, routine, environment, education and nutrition of each dog.


Therefore, when you notice that your dog has some strange behavior or that its character has suddenly changed, the best thing to do is consult a veterinarian. Only a trained and experienced professional will be able to analyze the organism, behavior and health of each individual to reach a diagnosis and administer an appropriate treatment.

To help you understand why your dog eats everything he sees, we've summarized below the main causes of this very dangerous behavior. Check out:

nutritional deficits

If the dog does not receive a complete and balanced diet that fully covers its nutritional needs, it will likely have nutritional deficits. As a result, you can fill these 'food gaps' by rummaging through the trash or commenting on anything that comes your way.

Bad eating habits

If your dog spends many hours without eating, he may feel hungry and be forced to satiate it on his own, looking for food scraps on the floor, in cupboards or in the wastebasket. Also, if a dog doesn't learn to respect feeding times, it can get into the bad habit of always begging for food from its guardians or rummaging through the house until it finds something to eat.


Health problems

Some diseases and metabolic disorders can hinder the absorption of nutrients, favoring the development of nutritional deficits. Diabetes in dogs, for example, can cause an increase in appetite and make the dog look and feel hungry all the time. Although pathological causes are not among the most frequent, it is essential to rule them out. So if you ask yourself ’because my dog ​​destroys everything when I go out’ or eats everything in sight, don't hesitate to take him to the vet quickly.

Worms or Parasites

Intestinal parasites can also cause an increased appetite in puppies, as the worms 'steal' or 'divert' several essential nutrients for the puppy's nutrition. Initially, a dog with worms is hungry, eats a lot, but is unable to gain weight. Later, with the multiplication of the parasites and the worsening of the symptoms, the dog tends to lose its appetite and show itself quite haggard, thin and unwilling to play and waste energy. It is worth remembering the importance of the deworming plan for dogs and keeping vaccines up to date.

Stress/boredom

A stressed or bored dog, who lives a sedentary routine and/or does not receive proper mental stimulation, can become a 'relentless destroyer'. In addition to rummaging through the garbage and eating everything in sight, this dog will probably be able to destroy various objects and furniture in the house, as well as cloth, plastic, slippers and clothes belonging to its guardians. Signs of stress in dogs should not be ignored for the sake of the animal's health and family life.

request for attention

If your dog spends many hours alone or if you don't set aside that special time in your day to play and be with him, chances are your best friend will find some unusual ways to get your attention. Barking excessively, eating everything off the floor, destroying objects, peeing in inappropriate places and so on. these are just a few examples of 'extreme' attitudes your dog can take to make you pay attention to him and 'remind you' that he is also a priority in your routine.

unconscious training

Often, even without realizing it, we reinforce some unwanted behaviors from the dogs. For example, if you see your dog digging through trash or eating objects off the floor and immediately offer a treat or a bite of your food, your dog may assimilate that you are rewarding him. Consequently, you will be encouraging your furry to perform this same behavior every time you want to earn your reward. This is called unconscious training and it is much more frequent than you think.

Problems in dog education

'Prevention is better than cure' is also a 'golden phrase' when it comes to the education and health of dogs. If you don't want your pet to destroy the house or eat anything he finds, you should raise him from a puppy to avoid assimilating this habit. If you reinforce or ignore this behavior in your puppy, he will probably consider that there is nothing wrong with doing this and will continue this behavior when he is an adult. So, don't encourage your puppy to assimilate habits that will become a problem in the future.

My dog ​​destroys everything, what to do?

As we mentioned, the first thing you should do, when you notice that your dog is hungry and eats everything off the ground, is to take him to the vet. At the veterinary clinic or hospital, the professional will examine your dog and order some tests to detect the cause of this behavior. If you identify any disease or the presence of worms in the intestine, the veterinarian will immediately administer the most appropriate treatment to restore your best friend's well-being.

After ruling out any health problems, the veterinarian can also guide you to establish a more organized and balanced routine that will decrease the chances that your dog will continue to eat everything he sees in front of him. In addition, you may recommend talking to a dog educator who will help you correct this bad habit using positive reinforcement to encourage learning.

Also, you will need to start paying more. attention to the environment and the lifestyle you provide your dog. If you ask yourself questions like "why does my dog ​​destroy everything when i go out?" or "how to get my dog ​​to stop biting slippers?" or "why does a dog eat rag?" and etc. Try to imagine that this is perhaps the only activity that can calm or keep your dog entertained in your absence. To prevent this from happening, it will be essential to enrich your puppy's environment by providing toys, games and stimuli that allow your puppy to exercise, have fun and tire in a positive way. If you want to know more environmental enrichment for dogs see our article, in it you will find several ideals to offer an environment smelling of stimuli to your best friend.

Of course, your dog will also need to exercise his body and not just his mind. So you will also need take daily walks, propose games and activities that allow your best friend to positively channel all the energy he has. Physical activity is also essential for managing a healthy weight and preventing canine obesity and associated diseases.

On the other hand, it will be very important to keep your home well organized, to prevent your dog from having easy access to chemicals, cleaning products, cosmetics, prohibited foods, plants and other elements that can be toxic or corrosive. It is also your responsibility as a guardian to provide a safe environment and lessen the risk of any domestic accidents.

My dog ​​destroys everything when I go out, how can I avoid it?

To prevent your dog from destroying or eating everything in sight, it will be essential to pay attention to the following guidelines to be able to 'correct' and combat these dangerous and unwanted habits in your best friend's daily life:

  • Offer your puppy a complete and balanced nutrition that fully meets the nutritional needs, considering the size, weight, age, health status and the specific needs of the dog's breed or body.
  • Don't leave your dog uneaten for a long period of time. Generally, it is advisable to divide the total amount of food that your dog eat daily in 2 or 3 doses, thus preventing you from getting too hungry and digging through the trash or eating anything.
  • Periodically deworm your dog, always using good quality products and respect the vaccination schedule. In addition, we advise to carry out preventive consultations every 6 months to the veterinarian to check the health status.
  • Educate your dog upon arrival in the new home, introducing the rules of the house and encouraging him to assimilate good habits. If you don't reinforce a puppy's unwanted behavior, you won't need to correct it in adulthood.
  • Stimulate your best friend's body and mind daily. Sedentary lifestyle is one of the main causes of behavior problems in dogs. If you want to have an obedient, calm and balanced dog, it will be essential to stimulate the body and mind on a daily basis, allowing it to expend energy, release tension and exercise its cognitive, social and emotional skills. In addition to taking daily walks, we also advise you to think about starting your dog in some sport, such as agility, and proposing games and activities to stimulate your dog's intelligence.
  • The vast majority of tutors currently spend several hours away from home working. During your absence, your dog needs to find positive ways to keep himself entertained, otherwise he will look for other activities to spend energy and have fun, such as going through the trash, eating slippers, cloths or other objects. By enriching your dog's environment, you can avoid the symptoms of stress and boredom, in addition to offering a better quality of life to your best friend.
  • Training a dog is not just about teaching tricks and fun activities. Training is the best and most complete exercise for your best friend's body and mind. During this educational process, your dog will work all the physical, cognitive, emotional and social abilities. Therefore, training is the key to obtaining a balanced, obedient and self-assured dog and combating behavioral problems and dangerous behavior.

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