Poisoned treats are always a great danger for your dog when you go for a walk. Anti-poison bait training is, therefore, actually mandatory for every dog. In the following, you will find three exercises with which you can also prepare young dogs for this unique training.
Dangers lurk everywhere for your dog. Poisoned treats are particularly tricky; after all, your four-legged friend is usually conditioned to a small snack being something positive. It is all the more important to prepare him for anti-poison bait training from puppyhood onwards with the help of the following three exercises.
Support for anti-poison bait training
Daily feeding is one of the best opportunities for exercise in preparation for later training. You can teach your four-legged friend that he may only eat on your command right from the start. This will initially prevent your four-legged friend from helping himself out of his bowl. With your permission, expanding on this practice and teaching your dog that he can only eat treats and snacks – no matter where he finds or gets them – is the best preparation for later anti-poison bait training. Otherwise, your dog won’t feel shy about eating anything he finds while walking. Therefore, you should formulate clear rules from the outset: food will only be eaten on your command!
The floor is taboo!
It would help if you also taught your dog not to eat anything off the floor, no matter how tempting the treats might be. The exercises for this can be easily integrated into everyday life – both at home and when walking the dog. If your trusty companion moves to pick up something from the ground, intervene immediately. Give the command “Ugh!” and, to be safe, place one foot on the object of his desire. If your dog backs off, reward him with something delicious from your hand. In time he will understand that eating off the floor is taboo. However, if it comes from you, it’s beautiful.
Everything is at your command.
In preparation for anti-poison bait training, the last of the three exercises is also the most difficult. You need to train your dog to drop something edible on command. This works best with a more prominent bone that your four-legged friend would love to eat. When he puts it in his mouth, give him the command “Off!” and take the bone away. Repeat this procedure over and over again until your dog understands the principle.
With three exercises to success
The long-term goal of these three exercises is that your furry friend shows no interest in poisoned baits or other edible things in nature. In the best case, he stays away from the dangerous threats from the start or waits for an order from you. Should he be faster and already have something in his mouth: With the command “Out!” he should immediately drop it afterward. If your dog has eaten poisoned bait, immediately take it to a veterinarian!
