6 Proven Methods to Help Stop Your Dog Scavenging on Walks

Learning to stop our dog from scavenging can be a very frustrating experience in itself. We put a lot of time and effort into giving our dogs the very best we can, from researching healthy natural dog treats and nutritionally balanced, additive free foods, to ensuring their safety and wellbeing both at home and outside – but sometimes it does feel like we’re barking up the wrong tree, especially when the first thing they do out on a walk, is dive at some unidentifiable muck with a gleeful expression and open mouth.

It’s frustrating, worrying, and occasionally embarrassing (how often have you found yourself saying to a bystander, “I do feed them, honestly!”)

So why do you find dogs scavenging on walks? What makes them dive straight for the most repulsive and questionable substances they can find, and how can you help to prevent this behaviour? 

Today we’re looking at these questions and sharing our answers with you.

For Starters, what do we actually mean by ‘Scavenging Behaviour’?

To scavenge is defined as, “to search through waste for things that can be used or eaten.” As it implies, this behaviour comes from searching through waste, looking for substances to eat, and in dogs – this instinct is very much hardwired into their DNA and is a trait that has been passed down from their ancestors, who didn’t have the luxury of dog treats on demand or regular food – they had to work for their meals (catching prey), and it made no sense for these animals to see carrion or other edibles, and ignore an effort-free meal.

With domestic dogs, there’s really two types of ‘modern’ scavenging – the type they commit indoors, such as bin tipping and counter surfing, and the outdoor variety, where they grab carrion, faeces, and other unpleasant ‘delicacies.’ 

Although this is generally a natural behaviour for your dog, it’s not a behaviour that should be encouraged – it can be dangerous, and possibly even deadly.

Is scavenging really so dangerous? What’s the harm in it?

When your dog eats something unexpected, such as waste from the bin, or off the ground, it’s a potential hazard. Firstly, it could be something that is toxic or harmful to your dog, or it could be something that isn’t supposed to be ingested (like plastic wrap or rocks) and could cause an intestinal blockage. 

Secondly, the substance could give your pup an upset stomach, diarrhoea, or cause vomiting. This could be because the item they’ve ingested is toxic, or it could be as a result of ‘garbage poisoning’ which most commonly occurs when your dog eats discarded or spoiled food in which enterotoxin-producing bacteria (such as streptococcus, salmonella, or bacillus) have been growing.

Pica is the habit of eating non-nutritious items such as dirt, sand, paper, plastic, rocks, etc, and coprophagia (the ingestion of faeces) is a form of this condition. It can be caused by nutritional deficiency, electrolyte imbalances, or starvation; and whilst some level of coprophagia is natural in dogs (especially in females with puppies), if your dog starts to eat non-edible items, or starts eating a lot of faeces (both canine or other), then it’s important to check with your veterinarian that there isn’t an underlying health condition – and to have their stool checked for parasites and worms, as this is the third concern – by eating these foreign substances, your dog could be ingesting all sorts of parasitic eggs and worms, which infest their insides and the effect on your dog can range from mild irritation, to extreme nutrient deficiency, or even death.

“If the dog becomes a canine vacuum cleaner, grabbing and swallowing anything and everything off the ground … sooner or later the dog is going to swallow something harmful.” – Kathy Diamond Davis, Veterinarian

If Scavenging is so Dangerous, Why Do Dogs Actually Do It?

As we mentioned before, dogs have an instinctual drive to scavenge, but that’s not the only reason why they might decide to try and eat everything in sight.

In younger dogs, and puppies especially, chewing and mouthing at objects is a learning experience. They’re unfamiliar with the wider world around them and are exploring their environment with more than just their eyes, ears, and nose. This exploration isn’t limited to puppies of course, you might have noticed for yourself, when you show your dog something new, their first instinct is often to sniff it – then try and take a chunk out of it. 

Then there’s the issue of hunger, a dog who hasn’t been getting enough to eat, is far more likely to listen to their instincts and hunt down something to eat, and if the animal is underfed and cannot find proper sustenance, they may resort to scavenging and eating anything that could potentially fill them up – such as toys, paper, bedding, etc.

“It’s not in a dog’s natural instinct to devour and consume material. But a puppy or dog will, if that’s the only option for diminishing the feeling of hunger.” – Chris Rose, Dog Trainer

Another potential cause for scavenging is boredom. If your dog doesn’t have enough stimulation, they’re going to look for ways to entertain themselves. How many times have you gotten bored, and decided to find something to eat? Your dog is no different! Dogs that have access to stimulating toys or regular training exercises will be less likely to go scavenging in the house or on a walk, because their minds are occupied.

How do I Stop my Dog from Scavenging?

There is no 100% successful way to stop your dog from scavenging, but there are methods for reducing the instances of it happening and minimising the potential impact of a scavenging expedition. 

Stop Dog Scavenging Method 1: Train Your Dog to “Leave it!”

It’s not easy to get dogs to respond all the time, they say ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ but you can – it just might take a little while longer for them to unlearn particular habits. Creating a training routine, and positively reinforcing commands is important.

The key difficulty with this type of training is outside interference – but if you can get your dog to respond, regardless of the environment and what’s happening around them, you can react quickly when they try to grab something they’re not supposed to have.

Stop Dog Scavenging Method 2: Rewarding Good Behaviour and Paying Attention

Dogs generally react well to being rewarded and praised, so if they realise that a certain type of treat or toy only appears when they act in a certain way, then it gives them a great reason to behave in that manner. Therefore, positive reinforcement is a good step one to stop dog from scavenging.

However, it’s important here to choose your rewards wisely – offering large treats or overly filling snacks on a regular basis could negatively impact your dog’s health. Pick something light like biscuits or bite size snacks, or vegetables. Avoid anything that is too heavy in sugars (this includes natural sugars) or contains harmful additives.

Stop Dog Scavenging Method 3: Plan Your Route According to What You Know

If you know a certain area has a lot of scavenging spots or temptations, and you’re able to avoid it – then detouring not only removes the temptation for your dog but can offer a variety of different routes to take – which stimulates your dog, who will enjoy the adventure of exploring somewhere new.

Stop Dog Scavenging Method 4: Keep Your Bins Secure and Your Counters Clean

Prevention is better than having to react. If you know your dog climbs like a monkey and is inclined to try their luck with the bin, then keeping these areas clean or secure will help reduce potential scavenging incidents.

Stop Dog Scavenging Method 5: Manage their Diet and Treat Intake

A healthy diet will help your dog not only get the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients they need – but it will keep them from feeling hungry and reduce their desire to go looking for their own meals.

Stop Dog Scavenging Method 6: Entertainment and Boredom Busting

Whether you’re looking at puzzle bowls that slow down their eating, and engage their mind at the same time, or providing plenty of fun toys – by making sure your dog isn’t bored, not only will it help keep them out of mischief when it comes to tearing up the house, but it will also encourage them to stay by you. If they know they’re going to be entertained and enjoy themselves with you, they’ll be less likely to wander off exploring and eating who knows what!

At the end of the day, your dog is always going to have the instinct to explore and try different things, as their owner – it’s your responsibility to manage what you can and be prepared for what you can’t. Learning to stop your dog from scavenging requires times, patience and some creativity!

At Toro’s Choice, we are very serious about healthy, nutritious, and filling dog treats and snacks. We offer a wide selection, including a range of low-fat, fruit & vegetable, and plant-based training treats and dog biscuits that make for great rewards. We also offer a range of engaging toys that you can take on walks to distract your dog and keep them from sniffing out trouble; and if they you are looking for an extra bit of help, with reliable training tools, we’ve got Acme whistles from Hudson & Co, who’ve recently celebrated 150 years of development and British craftsmanship with their goods!

Regardless of the method you choose, it does take time and patience, love and a steady routine to train a dog – but the results are worth it!