Is your dog a member of The Poop Patrol? If you teach your dog to find their poop it makes cleaning up much easier, especially when autumn leaves fall.
While on vacation some time ago and visiting Bob and Susan Ryder of Pawsitive Transformations, I watched there dog Daisy help Bob clean up. I thought it was so fun that Bob taught Daisy to find her poop. I never considered it.
So what to do? Grab some footage of the goal behavior of Find Your Poop and share it.
And it’s a great alternative behavior to train if your dog experiences coprophagia.
In the below video, Bob Ryder of Pawsitive Transformations, LLC is showing how he sends Daisy to find the spots where she’s pooped. Next, Cailie and I get in the game. In the video at around 4:15 I sincerely believe Cailie is taking me on a wild goose chase, then at around 5:17 she totally surprises me. Oh me of little faith!
Here’s how I trained Cailie to “Find Your Poop”
Most dogs will sniff an area where they pooped (or another dog has pooped). I used the training process of capturing to help Cailie learn what I wanted. Capturing is taking advantage of a behavior your dog offers naturally and then marking and reinforcing that behavior.
When out on a walk and Cailie stopped to poop, I’d watch and wait patiently. As soon as she finished her business and turned around to sniff that fresh pile of stinky poop (stinky to me, likely not her!), I “captured” the naturally occurring behavior of “sniffing the poop.” I used a verbal marker (the word Yes!) and followed with a reinforcer (piece of yummy food your dog really likes).
Because Cailie was so consistent in turning around to sniff that stinky pile, I began adding the verbal cue “Find Your Poop” just a few seconds before she began sniffing. I repeated this for a few days.
Next I begin adding the cue. When we walked about and I saw a pile of poop I had yet to pick up, I’d say the cue “Find Your Poop” as we neared the pile. She sniffed it and I marked and reinforced her. Voila! A trained behavior on cue.
Sure, you can scout around your yard or property cleaning up by yourself or you can be aided in the search by the four-legged expert with their nose! Just might save cleaning your shoes too.
