Hello out there,

I am having a hard time running with my blue heeler, she wants to stop and eat twigs off the sidewalk and grass, she chews and swallows it. Loves, ashes from the fire pit, and eats bugs and other things in the grass, and love goose poop. Is this OK? Should I try harder to stop it or is it a natural dog thing to do? We practice the leave it and rewarding her for doing so, but that works dor 25% of the time, she is on a mission to eat what ever it is she sees.

Thanks again.

I smiled when I read that post. How old is she? If she's fairly young, you can hope she'll grow out of it! Try keeping her on a short tether such as a 4 foot lead and use a pinch collar-they look barbaric but they are a very effective tool in training. I don't know if you've had a heeler before-very curious and mischevious-love 'em!

They may slow down on eating that stuff as they age, but my 13 year old Lab still wants to clean up after the deer and rabbits out in the woods. Keep working at discouraging it. Lumber scraps can splinter, but I think the twigs that fall off the tree just crumble. Most bugs may be OK, but watch spiders and things that sting.

I think most trainers are moving to the head collar in place of the pinch collar, or at least using the fabric version of the pinch collar.

If your dog is at least 4 - 5 months old, start with a good 6' leather
leash and a sturdy slip collar, the metal chain ones with the rings on each
end. You want the shortest one that will go on and off easily. If you walk
with the dog on the left, pull the chain through one loop forming a "P".
Facing it, slip it over its head. The free end should come over the neck to the leash, and the other end should drop slack when there is no pull on the leash. Before 4 months use a conventional flat collar to protect the tender young neck.


Easier dogs will give up their pulling with a few good snaps of the leash
combined with a stern "Bad dog!". You can work up to forceful corrections
with the leash doubled up in both hands and your whole body behind it. But
you don't want to use any more force than you need. One gentle technique I
like is to just stop when he pulls. He wants to go. If you move forward when
the leash is slack, and stop when he pulls, he should quickly figure out the
only way to get to go, is not to pull. This is about teaching him not to
pull, not getting somewhere. The man that taught it to me said "If in a half
hour you haven't made it out to the front walk, fine, you have taught him a
lesson.

Still, you may want to switch to a head collar. The leading brands are Promise, Haltie, and Gentle Leader. They have a strap going around the dogs nose looking something like a muzzle. They work by pulling the dogs head around. No other way gives you such great control with so little force. The prong collar is now a
dangerous relic of value only for its macho looks. Do not consider using one
without hands on instruction from somebody with plenty of experience with them.


All but the most recalcitrant young puppies can be controlled before they are 4 months old with the flat collar and patience. If you must have something more with a younger puppy, use a fabric restricted slip collar. These are sort of a cross between the conventional flat collar and the slip collar. Some of them are adjustable, Good for a growing puppy. They have a fabric loop at one end with a metal ring holding the other end in the loop, allowing it to slid back a forth. Find one, or adjust one to where it will go on over the puppies head, but will not tighten up past a snug fit around the neck. Put it on the same way as the metal slip collar. The service dog school my Holly belongs to uses them on all their dogs, puppies and working dogs, except where they must use a head collar.