[Keithaba]

Hi! I have a 9 month old Blue Healer, and she is awesome. I am a behavioral psychologist, so I'm not new to animal training in any way, and generally she does really well. The only problem I can't seem to fix is this poo eating.

She doesn't eat her own poo, or other dogs poo. I like to take her to fields and let her run off the leash, but as soon as she catches a scent, it's on...

She is trained to come to a whistle blow, but she just doesn't care if there is poo to be eaten. She will just ignore the whistle...

Unless I am close in proximity, her, "leave it," command seldom if ever works, because the poo is just so reinforcing, and it's more valuable than the treats.

She will walk with me on command, but I want her to run and get exercise in the fields.

I'm down to considering an e-collar because nothing seems to work to get her attention once she gets a scent. I can't think of anything else. Any ideas appreciated.

Thanks!

[Curbside Prophet]

E-collars are for proofing known behaviors, and it doesn't appear in these situations your dog knows the cue "leave-it". I would find another strong reinforcer (I have yet to find a dog that resists Swedish meatballs) to proof "leave-it". And I would collect a sample of the scent she's interested in (how fun!), and put it in a wooden box with vents that she can't open, and affix the wooden box to a larger platform like a square of plywood. So when said box is on the floor no amount of struggle will gain her access to the scent. She will get frustrated and give up and perhaps offer you eye contact when "leave-it" is cued, or voluntarily, and both instances should be rewarded with the Swedish meatballs. I would even reinforce a recall too.

Abuse the use of Swedish meatballs and the leave-it cue before taking it to the road (meaning long learning history), and abuse the use of Swedish meatballs when on the road. Once you get a reliability you prefer, you can then phase the meatballs out.

One idea.

[Keithaba]

Splendid! Poo in a box!

That's a good idea to set up a situation with the scent to use for training. Better generalization when you train with the stimulus that is actually causing the problem.

Thanks, I didn't want to get an e-collar anyway!