Safe Foods For Dogs – What Foods are Safe for your furry Pet Friends!

Some safe snack ideas to try:

• Apples
• Bananas
• Blueberries
• Pineapple
• Raspberries
• Watermelon
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Cooked potatoes
• Cooked pumpkin
• Cooked sweet potatoes
• Green beans
• Peas
• Zucchini
• Strawberries
• Oranges
• Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Celery
• Mango
• Corn
• Peaches
• Cantaloupe
• Pears
• Asparagus
• Cauliflower
• Spinach
• Lettuce

Meats and fish

While most types of meat are generally recognized as safe for pets in small amounts, bear in mind a couple of important criteria: you’ll want to ensure that the portions are small and free of bones that can pose a dangerous choking hazard and you’ll also want to be sure that your meat doesn’t contain onion or garlic. Avoid raw, spicy and fatty meats and resist feeding the skin to your pet, as it is high in fat. Salmon is a great source of omega 3 fatty acid, which can be beneficial to your pet’s skin and coat.

Some meat your dog can eat:

• Chicken
• Turkey
• Shrimp
• Salmon
• Beef

Grains

Rice and pasta are pet-friendly favorites, but, again, watch the ingredients and opt for plain versions that don’t include ingredients that could be toxic to your pet. Cooked oatmeal is a great form of soluble fiber that can be especially helpful for older dogs or dogs with a wheat allergy.

Nuts and dairy

As long as your pet isn’t lactose intolerant, most cheeses are okay to feed your pet in small amounts. Yogurt that contains active bacteria, with no artificial sweeteners or added sugars, is high in calcium and protein. And of course, plain nut butters can be options as well, but feed them sparingly as nuts are high in calories and oil.

Other treat ideas include:

• Cooked eggs
• Reduced fat cheese
• Cottage cheese
• Plain yogurt
• Natural peanut butter (xylitol-free)
• Natural almond butter
• Natural cashew butter

Other foods dogs can have

• Cinnamon

Human foods dogs can sometimes have

Some foods are okay for dogs, but need to be prepared correctly, while others are okay but shouldn’t be given to them often. Learn more about each of these foods:

• Popcorn
• Peanuts
• Mushrooms
• Ham
• Bread

Human foods dogs can’t have

Some people foods can be harmful, or even deadly, to your dog or cat. These include:

• Chocolate. Bottom line: chocolate is toxic. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is to your pet due to the high levels of a substance called methylxanthines. Anything containing caffeine, including coffee and tea, can also be harmful to your pet.
• Xylitol. Many sugar-free products, such as candy, gum, diet foods and baked goods (as well as toothpaste) contain this sweetener. It’s toxic to pets and can negatively affect blood sugar levels or potentially cause liver failure.
• Onions and garlic. Don’t overlook onion powder (found in some baby food) and garlic powder, common ingredients in many foods. The ASPCA warns that onions and garlic can cause damage to red blood cells in pets.
• Grapesand raisins. Both can cause vomiting, loss of appetite, kidney failure or even death.
• Certain nuts. Macadamia nuts and almonds can be fatal to your pet, and other nuts, like pistachios can be a choking hazard.
• Alcohol and yeast dough. Both contain an ingredient called ethanol that can make your pet very sick.
• Sweets and desserts. Not only do desserts often contain chocolate, they also frequently contain nuts or xylitol. Desserts are also high in calories (not a good choice for overweight pets) and don’t represent a health benefit to your pet.
• Spicy, fried or fatty foods. These can cause digestive problems for pets.
• Avocados
• Cherries
• Pickles

It is best for your pet to eat foods and treats formulated specifically for their nutritional needs. However, if you indulge your dog or cat in a human-food treat, remember the rule that table scraps and healthy treats should make up less than 10% of their total diet. source

AND REMEMBER DONT LEAVE YOUR PETS IN THE CAR 

AND DONT LEAVE YOUR KIDS EITHER

HEAT IN CARS KILLS!

German is one of the popular languages to teach dog commands aside from English. Police dogs are primarily from Europe.

Dogs like the German Shepherd, which is German-based, are often taught German dog commands before they’re ready for service.

There are many reasons for this, so keep reading to find out why German is a popular foreign language when it comes to police dog commands training. Also as a bonus we’ve included a wide range of german commands for dogs that you can train your dog with.

Here are the 3 key points from this article:

1. German is a popular language to use when teaching commands to dogs, especially for police dogs.
2. There are many reasons for this, including that it limits the issue of language barriers and allows the dog to re-perform specific behaviors.
3. The training process of a police dog can take anywhere from just a few weeks to several years.

Why Do Police Teach Their Dogs In German Command?

Police training their dogs in German command is beneficial for two reasons. First, it limits the issue of language barriers. Second, using German commands allows the dog to re-perform specific behaviors that involve obeying a human’s orders as opposed to those of other dogs.

Also, According to K9 Officer Randy Widdicombe,” it’s a myth that non-English commands are meant to ensure no one besides the handler can command the dog to”attack” or ”sit.” In reality, most police dogs, German shepherd dogs in particular, are purchased overseas and were trained with those command words. It’s easier for the officer to learn a few German words than to retrain the dog with new commands”.

Reasons Why German Dog Commands Are Helpful For Police Officers?

There are several reasons for why the dog commands in German are used in police dog training; here are some of those:

Uncommon Language: Most countries do not use the German language that well other than Germany. This is a massive plus for those countries. Criminals can sometimes influence the dog; however, if the dog is trained with German commands, it can be challenging for them to do so.

There are several cases in which criminals have easily stopped many English thought police dogs.

Uniqueness: Many cops like the essence of the German phrases. Because of this, many of them stick to the German dog commands.

German Dog Training Commands That Police Use

Below is every German Dog Training Commands that police officers use:

1. Attack: Fass (fahs)
2. Stop: Halt (pronounce like English word)
3. Fetch: Bring (pronounce like English word)
4. Let Go: Aus (ow-ss)
5. Go: Lauf (low-f)
6. No: Nein (Nine)
7. Stay: Bleib (blibe)
8. Here/Come: Hier (hee-r)
9. Sit: Sitz (zitz)
10. Down: Platz (plah-tz)
11. Here/Come: Hier (hee-r)
12. Heel: Fuss (foos)
13. Go Out: Voraus (for-ows)
14. Track: Such (zook)
15. Guard: Pass Auf
16. Bite: Packen/Fass
17. Jump: Hopp (hup)
18. Speak: Gib Laut ( gib l-owt)
19. Go Ahead: Geh Raus (gay rouss)
20. Go Inside: Geh Rein (gay rine)
21. Stand: Steh (Sh-tay)
22. Narcotics/Dope: Rauschgift (roussh-gift)
23. Find Narcotics: Such Rauschgift (zook roussh-gift)
24. Building/ Blind Search: Voran (for-ahn)
25. Kennel: Zwinger
26. What is going on: Was ist los? (vas ist low-s)
27. Good (praise): So ist Brav (zo ist bra-v)
28. Don’t do that: Lass das sein (los das sine)
29. OK: In Ordnung
30. Eat Food: Nimm Futter
31. Helper Stand Still: Steht Noch (shtayt nock)
32. Article Search: Such Verloren (zook ferloren)
33. Leave it: Lass es (los S)
34. Fast: Schnell (sch-nell)
35. Quiet: Ruhig (Roo-ig)
36. Slow: Langsam (laung-sum)

These are the German dog commands that police officers often use.

How To Train A Police Dog

Training a police dog is not a task for the faint-hearted. The training of police dogs can take up to two years, during which time the animal’s personality, temperament, and character are tested.

Dogs used in law enforcement need to be able to control their aggression and respond to commands from the handler without hesitation.

Usually, dogs with better reactivity and energy levels are selected for training as “police” or “patrol” dogs. These dogs need an outlet for their natural energy, such as plenty of exercise and playtime throughout the day. The bite work done on these animals is often part of that playtime; it teaches them how to act when they’re engaged in a fight or struggling with an uncooperative suspect.

The first stage of training is for the dog to learn the basic obedience commands. Dogs are given a command and will be corrected if they do not respond. Trainers will use negative or positive reinforcement while correcting the dog.

For Example, A correction can be simply tugging on the leash, or it can be an electric shock.

This system is known as “negative reinforcement.” The dog will be taught to associate a behavior with a reward (the removal of the negative stimulus).

In later stages, dogs are taught more complicated tasks. To know more about that, you can check out the Complete k9 Dog training on how to train a police dog step by step.

Dogs That Police Officers Often use

The most popular when it comes to the police dog is the German Shepherd.

But there are other breeds that are excellent too. Belgian Malinois is a great example.

Dutch Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Doberman Pinscher, Rottweilers are also used.

K9’s are often working dogs and they are expected to be more than capable of handling themselves in dangerous situations. There are two types of dogs used for police work:

• Single Purpose
• Dual Purpose

Single purpose dogs are always taught to do one job, which can be either protection or detection work.

Dual purpose K9s on the other hand are used for more than one purpose, these dogs can be either patrol dogs and explosives detection or patrol and narcotics detection dogs.

How Long Does It Take To Train A Police Dog?

The training process of a police dog can take anywhere from just a few weeks to several years.

The amount of time depends on the breed and the experience, as well as the goals set for the individual dog and handler team.

A few weeks may be needed to train an aggressive dog, whereas a team seeking assistance with narcotics detection might opt for more extended training periods.

Once the decision has been made about what type of actions will be required from this particular working model, then there are other important factors to consider.

These include equipment (do you have access or permission?), compatibility with dogs of different breeds and levels, availability in terms of timing and location, temperament (is it aggressive or passive?), resources (costs), etc…

A Great Way to Train Your Police Dog

If you’re ready to train your police dog but need some assistance, then this program might help; DIYK9.

It is a dog training course put together by a dog trainer himself, Garret Wing, a K9 handler with over 20 years of experience.

Training a police dog on your own, even though possible, isn’t an easy task. A little help from an expert like Garret can go a long way; everything you need to know about dog training is outlined in the course, and it can be a great starting point on your journey to train the best police dog there is.

• Highly proficient ways to teach your dog to Focus
• How to use both hand commands and voice commands in order to communicate with your dog
• Heel without leash
• Ways to get your dog to obey commands off-leash
• Obedience essential for a police dog

And so much more.

Everything DIYK9 covers is essential for a police dog. If you’re to succeed in training, this is a great starting point, as mentioned above.

Translation of the Commands used in the Netherlands for KNPV Training

Before every command, the Dutch trainers use the name of the dog. For example: “Marco, come here.” “Ronny, sit.”

Dog Training Commands in Several Languages

Compiled by Mark Plonsky, Ph.D.  with lots of help from the Internet community.

Note phonetic pronunciations are shown in parentheses. A slash (“/”) indicates alternative possibilities. Keep in mind that the translations from English are not always literal, but rather, they attempt to reflect the terms used by native speaking dog trainers of the various languages listed. you can

click any link and listen or download and listen later the actual phonetic pronunciations

ENGLISH	GERMAN	FRENCH	CZECH	DUTCH
Heel	Fuss (fooss)	Au pied (oh-pee-aye)	K noze (kno zay)	left=Volg right= Rechts
Sit	Sitz (siitz)	Assis (ah-see)	Sedni (said nee)	Zit
Stay	Bleib (bly’b)	Reste (rest)	Zustan	Blijf
Down	Platz (plats)	Coucher (coo-shay)	Lehni (leh nee)	Af/ Liggen
Come/Here	Hier (hee er)	Ici(e see)/ Viens	Ke mne (khemn yea)	Hier
Stand	Steh (shtay)	Debout (da-boo)	Stuj (stuuya)	Staan
Retrieve/ Fetch	Bring (brrring)	Rapporte (aport)	Aport	Apport
Jump	Hopp	Saute (soot)/ Aller	Skoc/ Hop	Over
Go Out	Voraus (for owss)	En Avant (onn-avauhnn)	Vpred (va porshed)	Voruit
Track	Such (tsuuk)	Piste (piss-te)	Stopa	Keuring/ Zoek
Guard	Pass auf/ Wache	Garde (guard)	Pozor	Bewaken (bay-wawken)
Bite	Packen/ Fass	Attaque/ Mord	Drz (dursh)	Stellen
Out/Let Go	Aus (owss)	Halte(alt)/ Donne (don-aye)	Pust (pusht)	Los/Loslaten (those-lawten)
Speak/Bark	Gib Laut (gheblout)	Aboie (ah-bwaa) Parle	Stekej (esteke)	Blaffen (blauffen) Luid
Narcotics/ Dope	Rauschgift	Drogue	Hledej oznac
Find narcotics	Such Rauschgift	Cherche Drogue	Drogy
Building/ Blind Search	Voran/ Revier	Cherche (Sherch)	Revir (revere)	Revieren (ray-fee-eren)
Kennel/ Crate	Zwinger/ Box	Chenil	Kotec	Hok/ Kennel
Go Outside	Geh Raus/ Geh Draussen	Dehors	Jdi ven	Naar Buiten
Go Ahead	Geh Voraus	Vas	Volno	Voor uit/ Vrij
Go Inside	Geh rein (gay rine)	Monte/ Entre	Pojd sem	Ga de in
What is going on?	Was ist los?	Qu’est ce qui ce passe?	Co je to?
Good (praise)	So ist brav	Bon Garcon (bon gar-scon)	Hodny (hout nee)	Braaf/ Goedzo
Correction Word “No“	Pfui (fooey) Nein (nine)	Non/Mauvais/ Mechant	Fuj (pfui)	Foei
Don’t do that!	Lass das sein	Ne fais pas ca	Fuj (pfui)	Nee
OK	In Ordnung	D’accord	Vyborne
Eat food	Nimm Futter	Mange	Vem si
Stand Still	Bleiben Ruhig/ Steht Noch	Toi, ne bouge pas	Ruce vzhuru
Article Search	Such Verloren	Recherche D’article	Hledej Oznac	Zoek
Leave it	Lass es	Laisse/ Pas Touche (pa-too-shay)	Nech to	Los

K9 Dog Training: How to Train Your Dog Like a Police Dog?

Police dogs, one of the most important aspects of police forces, often known as the K9-unit (K9 or K-9, a homophone of canine), are trained to assist members of law enforcement.

A K9 has various duties to be fulfilled. They can always be relied on to track and catch suspects, search for explosives and drugs, but their services don’t have a limited-time mandate. They could probably do their job in their sleep! They work closely with their handler assisting officers and providing crucial information during criminal investigations.

If you’re interested and want to know how they convert a regular dog to a life-saving K9 police dog,

We’ve got your answer! Also, if you’re interested in training your own police dog, we’ve got you covered there too.

Police dog training is no easy task. It requires time, dedication, patience, and a lot of hard work, but the end result is worth it! These four-legged beings can be amazing watchdogs and protect their handlers with their lives if necessary.

It takes years of intensive training, and this guide should help you on your k9 dog training journey. With this guide, you can train your dog to be obedient, disciplined, and, most importantly, safe.

Here are the 3 key points from this article:

1. Police dogs are often known as the K9-unit (K9 or K-9, a homophone of canine), and are trained to assist members of law enforcement.
2. Police dogs have various duties, including tracking and catching suspects, searching for explosives and drugs, and providing crucial information during criminal investigations.
3. Police dog training is no easy task and requires time, dedication, patience, and a lot of hard work.

TLDR: Police dogs are trained to assist members of law enforcement in various ways, such as tracking and catching suspects, searching for explosives and drugs, and providing crucial information during criminal investigations. Basic obedience commands and socialization are essential elements of police dog training, and dogs must also be taught how to bark on command and detect various scents, including those of illegal substances.

What Are the Steps to Train a Police Dog? 

Before you begin police dog training, your dog should have mastered obedience training and should be able to respond to your commands instantly without problems, plus should be free of behavior problems.

Next, your dog should have a work ethic; if it is scared, nervous, or anxious, it might be difficult for your dog to cope with this highly intense training.

Also, your dog should be health tested to confirm whether he is healthy enough for police dog training and is free from any illness or injury.

You can start to train usually when the dog is around 8-10 weeks old. Reward-based training works best so take advantage of it.

The key to success is consistency, patience, and positivity, so stay up to it.

If your dog meets all these standards, then here’s your guide on how to train a K9.

Basic Training

Like all working dogs, a K9 also needs to learn the basic obedience commands like sit, stay and must respond to your recall command perfectly. This is an absolute must because your dog should be able to respond to what you say.(1)

Start from the basics obedience and from there keep moving to advanced and beyond. That’ll help to improve your pup’s skill-set.

As mentioned earlier, make sure to use reward-based training, treats, toys, or even your praise; anything would do. This way, your dog will be eager to learn more and please you.

Socializing 

A police dog needs to be socialized so that it will become accustomed to people and other animals. Not all dogs may want to play with you, even if they were given a chance. Socialization will help your dog to be more comfortable around humans, other dogs, and animals. They will know that these things are not dangerous or have any adverse effects on them.

If a police dog doesn’t get socialized with people, it can become scared and even aggressive. It would be easy for someone to get hurt. The dog would also not be able to do its job because it is just too scared to go out among the public.

A dog should be socialized for the first few months of its life. You can provide this early socialization by playing and interacting with other dogs. The owners can teach the dog how to behave, such as play fetch, fetch toys and respond appropriately when it’s time for a walk.

Barking Training 

A K9’s Barking is a crucial tool, and proper training is a must.

To train your dog to bark on command, first, you should entice him with a trigger that’ll excite him.

A ball is a great way to do this. Hold the ball as if you’re ready to play. If he barks in excitement after seeing the ball, the next time, right before he barks, request the command you want to use. If you’ve done it successfully, reward him (do this even if your dog does not realize this command’s meaning)

Reward him if he barks on command each time you bring out the ball.

If he barks and you’ve failed to use the command, Don’t reward. After he gets used to it, he’ll realize that barking means treats.

Also, you can have play sessions too.

Once your dog has mastered it, you can reduce the food reward.

Drug-scent Detection Training 

Drug-scent training is a type of learning that dogs can use to better track narcotics and drugs. In drug-scent training, a K9 is trained to recognize the smell of drugs by associating the scent with a reward.

Then, when they see evidence of illegal substances in their environment, they will be more likely to give chase and identify it as a target instead of simply reacting or following more randomly.

Drug detection dogs are trained this way so that law enforcement or border patrol can find contraband more reliably while minimizing the risk for their K9 partners.

Here how you can train your dog to sniff out drugs:

• To start off, provide a ball to your K9 and let him get used to it. You can do this by playing with him. A toy or a rolled towel will also work great.
• Once your dog is pretty much obsessed with the ball, teach him the game “find it,” to do this, take an empty box, put that particular ball in it and hide it somewhere, for the first few times, allow your dog to see you hide the toy and make sure you hide it in an easy location.
• Next up, hide the ball along with the scent you want your dog to find; you can cover the ball with the scent or just put it alongside the ball inside the box. Once hidden, command your dog to “find it.” Doing this will help your dog understand, and he will learn to associate the drug with the toy.
• Start off with one scent and stick with it until he understands everything. You can introduce various other scents down the line.
• If your dog now understands what he’s doing, you can hide the ball and the scent in more advanced locations.
• Once your dog gets used to the process thoroughly, you can just hide the drug scent without the ball in it. After your dog finds the drug successfully, you can provide the ball and play with him as a reward.

In order to access the drug samples licensing and certification by law enforcement agencies are required to avoid any unnecessary problems. If you don’t have access to any type of drug legally, essential oils such as anise, birch and clove can be used.

https://youtu.be/_HIw9XVLMDI?si=1RtPMMmi8KLWsbwu

Suspect Tracking

To train your dog to track suspects follow the steps:

It’s basically the same way as drug-scent training but with some simple tweaks.

• Get a toy or a treat your dog loves the most and hide it somewhere nearby.
• Get two similar objects that have the same smell. Take one of those two items and let your dog smell it and hide the other item and make your dog search for it.
• Teach your dog some commands like “search” or “find it.”
• Begin your training in a small area like a yard or even indoors. Make sure to hide the item for the first few times barely. Make your dog believe this is a fun game and if he finds the hidden item reward him.
• If your dog’s ready, take him outdoors like to a field, hide one or more people there, and allow your dog to find them. Gradually increase the distance over time and make your dog get used to the training. Don’t forget to reward him!

Essential Tips During Police K9 Training 

Here’s how to train your dog like a CIA officer. Below are the CIA’s 10 most important tips for training your dog:

• Make it enjoyable 

Training is something that both you and your dog should enjoy, and as a dog owner, you shouldn’t forget this. Always approach training in a happy mood. Show your dog that good behavior leads to rewards.

• Capitalize on what gets the dog motivated

Rewarding always doesn’t have to be treated; trying something different and sticking to it will motivate your dog, playing with your dog, providing his favorite toy, or even other pets will be great.

• Reward them

Reward your dog directly every time they improve in each command.

• Work Hard, Play Hard. 

Training can be a tough time, but one thing to know is that taking breaks is essential. That’ll help both you and your dog get ready for the next session. So don’t forget to get some breaks.

• Be Keen On The Dog’s Patterns

If you spot any patterns, disrupt them! If you’re the one who commands the dog to “sit” every time before having a meal try commanding one or two other commands. In addition to that, that’ll help to avoid ruts training routine.

• Challenge The Dog

Spice things up, increase the difficulty of the tasks each time your dog gets it right. For example, if your dog has now mastered the “down” command, you can now increase the difficulty by mixing it up with distractions taking place nearby and asking him to hold the position for longer.

• Consistency is Essential 

Always be consistent while training your dog, be consistent in the commands that you’re teaching your dog until they master it, also be consistent in the time you start training and even rewards too.

• Take Breaks 

Training can present a tough time for both you and your dog. So if you run out of energy, make sure not to force yourself and take a break. It’ll help both you and your dog Big Time!

• Match The Training To The Dog’s Energy Levels

Before training your dog, get to know more about him. Know your dog’s energy level and drive and match your training accordingly to his ability.

• End your training on a happy note 

Don’t forget the first rule: training is something both of you should enjoy and look forward to. Always end each session with success. That’ll help both you and your dog thrive for the next session.

Police Dog Training Commands 

The K9 handler commands are the set of verbal instructions that are used to train the K9s. These commands help in training and in communication.

The handler must understand how to use these commands when they are communicating with their dog.

Command Set: All-Clear, Attack, Come, Down (Stop), Drop It/Hands Up, Guard (Ready), Heel (Come In Place), Sit, Stay, Stand, Track (Connect), Watch Me, Work (Search), and more.

Most of the time, police dogs in most English-speaking countries are often taught German Commands.

The German commands are a variant of military codes used by the German Armed Forces. These dog commands also have been adopted as training protocols for law enforcement dogs.

The most commonly used command is “Sitz,” which translates to “Sit.” It is often used in conjunction with other commands such as “Rest,” “Watch,” and “Guard.”

Check out our full guide on German police dog commands if you want to know more.

K9 Dog Training Vs Military Working Dog Training

Military Working Dog Training is often confused with K9 training for many reasons. One of the main reasons is that both involve dogs and military personnel.

However, the most apparent difference between the two is that Military Working Dog Training occurs in a war zone while K9 training takes place outside of those grounds.

Military Working Dogs are specifically trained to handle situations in which their handler’s lives and physical well-being may be threatened by improvised explosive devices, landmines, or other dangers arising from combat or war zones.

K9s are used for a wide variety of purposes such as narcotics detection and search and rescue missions which don’t involve hazardous conditions on a battlefield.

CIA’s Top 10 Dog Training Tips

Did you know the CIA has its own dedicated staff of dog trainers?

K-9 officers are an important part of our Security Protective Service (SPS), which ensures the CIA and its employees are kept safe.

The trainers, all SPS officers themselves, work with a select group of dogs and handlers to teach them the ins-and-outs of explosives detection. Dogs have a remarkable ability to sniff out over 19,000 explosive scents, making them ideal for this job.

Dogs chosen for the Agency training course are hand selected by CIA trainers primarily from Susquehanna Service Dogs and Puppies Behind Bars, a program that pairs inmates with puppies to teach the dogs basic commands. Most of the Agency K-9s are Labradors, known for their intelligence and—most importantly—their unwavering good temperament.

The dogs go through a six-week “imprinting” class, where they learn to identify thousands of explosive scents, and are then carefully matched with a CIA SPS K-9 handler. The dog and handler undergo an additional 10 weeks of intense one-on-one training, learning to work together as a team to find explosives in things such as cars, trucks and luggage. Once they pass the final test, the teams are deployed to sites throughout the world, working as the first line of defense against explosive threats to Agency personnel and buildings.

Although our Agency dogs are trained for very specific jobs, many of the methodologies and principles our trainers use can be applied to training any dog, including your own.

Below are 10 tips from our CIA K-9 trainers that we hope you’ll find useful, as well as some examples highlighting how these methods are used to teach some of the best explosives detection dogs in the world.

Training should be a fun and enjoyable experience for both you and your dog. Use anything fun to draw your dog in: food, dancing, toys, playing, high-pitch voices … The key is getting your dog to want to do the behavior you are asking of him/her, not trying to force your dog into a behavior.

“If the dog makes the decision to do a desired behavior on its own,” says our lead K-9 trainer Dennis, “they learn more, rather than the trainer [or owner] making them do it.”

Compulsion on a dog does not work.

When teaching your dog, use what best motivates him or her, whether it’s toys, treats, jumping up and down, or using cartoon voices. The important thing is to do whatever you can to get your dog’s attention and keep it.

You want to make training a positive environment so your dog will want to learn.

Our trainers use food rewards with the Labs because they are extremely food motivated. They are kept on a strict kibble diet, which they receive throughout the day while in training.

A high-pitched, happy voice also works wonders to get their attention and keep them motivated. Other dogs — like the shepherds the Agency used to train — were very toy rather than food motivated.

Find out what works for your dog.

When teaching your dog a new behavior, command, or trick, watch for slight changes in behavior. Those small changes can be the first sign your dog is beginning to understand what you are trying to teach him.

The signals can be as small as your dog’s ears becoming alert when they are usually relaxed or maybe a glance and forward lean toward the object you want your dog to fetch.

If you learn to pick up on those slight changes in behavior, you can time your praise and corrections more accurately to encourage the desired behavior.

When our K-9 unit begins a new class of dogs, one of the first things the pups learn is to sniff on command.

The instructors watch for signs as they encourage the dogs to “seek.”

At first, the dogs are taught to sniff a scent placed in a small tin at the bottom of a gallon can. As the dogs begin to figure out what “seek” means, they are taught or “imprinted” with the scents they need to pay attention to.

When learning to differentiate the scents, the dogs will show small behavior changes during training — like tail wagging, drooling, or pulling toward the can containing the explosive scent — which can all indicate they are starting to catch on.

The signs are different for different dogs, which is why changes, even small ones, in normal behavior are important to look for.

Training should be fun, challenging, and rewarding — for both you and your dog. The energy and enthusiasm you put into the training session will affect your dog.

As our lead K-9 trainer Dennis says, “What you’re feeling runs straight down the leash to the dog.”

Having a bad day? Leave it at the door when you enter the training room.

And, while it’s important to stay focused and energetic while training, unstructured play and relaxation is just as necessary. Dogs, like people, need time to unwind.

As with any person who learns the ins-and-outs of their job, dogs can get lazy and fall into patterns. An important aspect of any training routine is to watch for those patterns and disrupt them.

If you always tell your dog to sit before her evening meal, try getting her to lay down instead, or sit randomly while on her daily walk. If you have trained your dog to “find” his toy, try hiding it up high or in a completely unexpected place.

You want to keep your dog challenged and motivated to think through tasks. This is critical for service animals like our explosives detection dogs (and their handlers) who have to switch up routines and keep their training fresh to avoid falling into predictable thinking and behavior.

Sometimes, dogs can actually outsmart their owners by picking up on patterns. One black Lab in the K-9 unit has used her keen observation skills to outsmart the trainers.

When imprinting the dogs to recognize a new explosive scent, the trainers place several cans in a large circle, some with the scent of an explosive and others with distractor scents. Trainers will often dent the side of the cans containing the explosive’s scent so they will visually know which cans the dogs should indicate on.

This Lab, however, caught on to what the trainers were doing and began to indicate on the correct cans based on sight not smell.

The trainers started marking the cans with chalk instead to change the pattern. Undeterred, the Lab soon noticed the chalk marks and began looking for those cans.

Once your dog learns the new command or behavior you want to teach her, introduce distractions to help her learn to differentiate between the wanted behavior (for example, sitting at the front door) and unwanted behavior (bolting outside as soon as the front door opens).

The distractions can include things that will temp your dog or provide an obstacle to the wanted behavior. (Maybe have someone ring the doorbell or have someone with another dog standing outside when you open the door).

By doing so, you can desensitize your dog to specific distractions and reinforce the desired behavior.

For our explosives detection dogs, we introduce “distractors” — the stuff you don’t want the dogs to indicate on — which consist of all kinds of smells they’ll come into contact with either on a daily basis or during the course of their work.

Our K-9s are exposed to hundreds of different distractors, including things like dish soap, baking soda, and cheese-doodles.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when training their dog is to teach the dog something and then abandon the training plan. Dogs will pick up on inconsistencies in training and take advantage of them.

Stay consistent with your commands, training schedule, and methodology. Even something as simple as changing a command from “sit” to “sit down” can cause confusion while training.

Familiarization and repetition are key factors in a dog learning new behaviors.

By staying consistent, once our K-9 trainers teach the pups the initial concept of “seeking” a scent, they can imprint a dog with a new odor in five minutes.

After about a month of training, the pups will be able to learn and remember 18 new explosive scents in a single week!

Some training sessions will go exceptionally well, while others can be rocky. It’s okay to take a break and return to the task if either you or your dog gets frustrated. Both dogs and trainers need down time, and taking breaks with your dog is as important as the time you spend training.

During the initial imprinting class for the new CIA K-9 pups, they work in short 15-minute sessions throughout the day, with lots of breaks in between. Sometimes they rest in their crates, other times they go outside to expend some energy and just be dogs. Some days, at the end of class, the pups will get free time to just romp around and play together.

By taking breaks, the dogs are able to better focus during training sessions, which in turn makes those sessions more productive and fun.

A dog’s energy will fluctuate throughout the day, but each dog has a natural base energy level.

Some dogs are extremely hyper (think of a ball-obsessive Border Collie who can play fetch for hours and then go for a 10-mile jog) while others are couch potatoes.

Whatever your dog’s natural energy level is, utilize that for training. A hyper-active dog is going to need more stimulation and exercise, and perhaps taking him or her out for a run or to play fetch before a training session will help your dog focus when it’s time to learn.

Along the same line, if you want to pursue activities or jobs with your dog, take into account your dog’s personality and energy level.

For example, when evaluating potential puppies for our explosive detection dogs, the trainers look for drive and energy that is hard to shut down. The dog needs to be able to adapt to a constantly changing schedule and environment, and a high energy dog that is always “on” tends to cope best in those situations.

On the flip side, a therapy dog needs to stay calm and consistent in a variety of circumstances, so a high-energy, hyper-active dog may not be the best choice.

If a mistake happens during training, or you or your dog get frustrated, it’s okay to stop the session early. Just be sure to end the lesson on a positive note.

Even if it’s an easy win (something you know your dog will succeed at) it’s important to finish with both you and your dog feeling good. That way, you’ll both be excited and look forward to your next training session.

source 1  source 2 source 3 source 4 source 5

Why Do Dogs Bark at Night?

Some people believe that it is just normal canine behavior when dogs bark at empty yards or blank walls. They point out that dogs see things to which humans are not attuned. They point out that there is nothing paranormal about the behavior; dogs have a much better sense of hearing than we do and notice a lot more than we are able to. Other people just think they are afraid of the dark.

But do dogs see spirits? Are they barking at ghosts? Are dogs able to sense the residual energy left by former inhabitants? It is already known that dogs can sense cancer and detect oncoming seizures, but most of the researchers that examine these dogs don’t think there is anything supernatural in those abilities. I’ve read several stories recently where dogs responded to events that may have been spirits. In the first story, the dog reacted to a haze that could have been natural or supernatural. The second story involved a dog barking at spirits that even the owner could hear, and the third took place in a campground in Canada where the dogs and the owner all saw the spirit before she disappeared.

Do Some Dogs Bark Differently?

A lot of dog owners who are in tune with their pets report that the “ghost barking” is different than the normal barking directed at strangers, stray cats, etc. The barking is more likely to be accompanied by whining or tucking the tail between the legs. Instead of an attack bark, “ghost barking” is more likely to be an imploring type of bark, as though the dog is asking the spirit to take part in their world. Of course, if the spirit wishes harm upon her human family, maybe the dog would sense it and the barking would be more aggressive.

If the dog is just excited because of her exceptional hearing, she would not be barking in this way. The unusual barking is almost always reported to occur at night, but there is no reason for dogs to be more excited at night since their vision is about the same day or night.

Are Ghosts Only Present in Some Cultures?

In some cultures—mostly those where people still live close to their dogs and are in touch with their feelings—dogs are believed to sense the presence of ghosts. This power may be much stronger on nights with a full moon. Cultures that accept the presence of ghosts realize that dogs and children are more in touch and see things we cannot.Is it only human spirits that dogs are able to see? I buried my last dog on my property and have been told that this was a big mistake since my new dog would be sensitive to his spirit. If an animal is buried further away, the spirit is not supposed to find its way home. This is not much of an issue in the city, but I have talked to one person in the country who noticed odd behavior when her dog stood in front of her pet cemetery. Any type of “evidence” we can add will only be anecdotal, but I would appreciate any comments in this area.

How Can I Tell if My Dog Is Seeing a Ghost?

There are no clear answers to this question. All I can tell you is to be observant. Patricia McConnell, the canine behaviorist, recommends that we watch our dogs’ facial expressions to better understand them; as we watch more, we will notice the expressions they are making and are more likely to notice anything strange. I would recommend you be more observant of their barking. Notice the depth and the speed of the barking. Is it frenzied, an attempt to alert you, or just a sign of the dog noticing something new in her environment? If the abnormal activity is caused by a petit mal seizure, you can report this to your veterinarian. source

Is My Dog Barking at Ghosts? Why is My Dog Barking At Nothing?

Dogs have much stronger senses than human’s do

Anyone who has a dog knows that sometimes they bark at nothing. But is it really nothing?

Dogs have much stronger senses than human’s do, including better hearing, and a sense of smell 10,000 times stronger.

The idea that dogs can sense the supernatural has been researched extensively.

According to Animal Planet, hard evidence of this has not been found, but your pet having a “sixth sense” is not out of the question.

Pet psychologist Marti Miller says both humans and dogs have this ability.

“But humans judge or deny what they are feeling,” says Miller, who is based in Austin, Texas. “Dogs don’t judge what is going on in the environment. While our own minds start to analyze what is happening, dogs don’t do that. They feel the barometric pressure change, and may react by shaking, panting, salivating and feeling anxious, or they may not react at all.”

Miller notes that dogs’ reactions to a change in the air or an unrecognized sound can stem from early traumas. For dogs, “sensing the supernatural is natural because they don’t judge it. People could see auras or spirits, but they either don’t believe they exist, or think that if they do exist, we could not see them.””The simple answer is, we don’t know that dogs see ghosts or spirits,” Miller said. But she adds, “If you observe a dog standing in the corner, barking at nothing visible, then there’s a pretty good chance that he’s barking at an entity, spirit, or energy that doesn’t belong there.” source

Is your dog barking at ghosts? Maybe

Sometimes it feels like your dog’s barking at absolutely nothing, at thin air almost, unless it’s a ghost. Sound familiar? If you have a dog barking at nothing, we’re here to help!

What To Do When Your Dog Alerts to a Ghost

Happy Halloween! This blog post was originally published in 2014. It has been brought out of obscurity, dusted off, updated and re-published for your Halloween pleasure!

 

I love this time of year because it’s suddenly okay to talk about our real experiences with the paranormal. Mostly, I roll my eyes at the ghost hunter shows or get excited about the latest Paranormal Activity movie. But I rarely admit that I believe in ghosts.  So I’m stepping away from my normal chatter about raw feeding and dog nutrition to chat about ghosts.

Happy Halloween!

Do Dogs See Ghosts?

Last year, Sydney and I walked into the kitchen, and she stopped, her hackles raised, and she started a low growl while looking towards the sink/dishwasher area, stepped forward to block me and leaned into me, to push me back.

She was seeing a ghost. I didn’t get freaked out because I’m no stranger to the paranormal.

I’ve always been told to ignore ghosts because to acknowledge them is to give them power. But what do you do when your dog sees a ghost? It’s hard to ignore Sydney when she’s snarling, growling and barking.

What I Did When My Dog Saw a Ghost

Relax – I took a deep breath and faced where I thought the ghost was standing based on Sydney’s reaction.

Address the ghost – I said “thanks for stopping by, but because of Sydney’s reaction, I need you to move on, you can’t hang out with us here.”

Pray – Years ago, I read a scary article about a woman who was attacked by an entity in a hospital room. She said “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus” and the attacked stopped. So I did the same.

Hope for the best – Sydney immediately calmed down and was acting like nothing happened. It was like I had woken up from a dream; it was hard to believe that anything was wrong. So I hope that I did the right thing.

What to Do if Your Dog Sees a Ghost

I reached out to Nicole Guillaume, psychic medium and tarot card reader of Guiding Echoes, to see what advice she’d have to offer…

Seeing a ghost can be just as terrifying for a dog as it can be for a human. Sometimes, the ghost might be someone your dog recognizes, or it could be a new energy that he is not familiar with.

How you respond to the ghost should be determined by how your dog is behaving towards it.

A few years ago, there was a ghost roaming my home. I was the first one to see him, and then my dogs began to see him too. This ghost was a lovely energy, and the dogs loved him. He seemed to enjoy their company too!

If the ghost in your home doesn’t present a threat, and if the dogs seem to enjoy him, then let him stick around. Sometimes our dogs enjoy the presence of their unearthly friends. However, if having a ghost in your home bothers you, you can ask it to leave. Most ghosts (the friendly ones) don’t mean you any harm, and they will move on if you ask them too.

However, if your dog begins to bark, growl, snarl or tries to hide from something invisible, then it is clear that you have a potentially dangerous entity in your home.

source

CAN YOUR DOG SEE GHOSTS?

If you have a dog, there’s a good chance that he or she has exhibited some unexplainable behavior. Running through the house as if chased by … something. Growling at unseen things. Intently staring at walls for no reason. There’s probably a rational explanation for every time your dog appears to be reacting to something that isn’t there.

But it’s almost Halloween, so we have to ask the question: Have you considered that your dog is seeing ghosts?

Since this is an educational blog, we’ll amend the question and then try to answer it. Can your dog see ghosts?

It would explain a lot, really, and it might even be comforting to pet parents to know that there was a reason for the 2 a.m. zoomies. Maybe that’s easier to accept than just assuming that your dog was bored and decided to race pell-mell through the house for no reason at all. Unfortunately, since there’s no scientific evidence that ghosts actually exist (there’s also no evidence that they don’t, however), it’s impossible to determine whether dogs can see them. But what we can determine is that usually there is a reason for your dog’s otherwise weird behavior.

And that reason is that dogs have super-senses, at least compared to human. If your dog is reacting to something that you can’t see or hear, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing there. It just means that their scope of sensory awareness is beyond yours.

Scary-good hearing

According to the American Kennel Club, dogs can hear sounds as high as 47,000 to 65,000 hertz (Hz), where humans are lucky to hear things in the 20,000 Hz range. This means that the average dog can hear things at a pitch more than three times higher than the average human. That opens up a whole world of possibilities. Mice, for instance, do produce sounds that humans can hear. But research has proven that they’re capable of producing squeaks well out of the range of human hearing: if your dog is staring or growling at “nothing” in the corner of the room, they might just hear a mouse (which is maybe even scarier than a ghost) or some other high-pitched sound on the other side of the wall.

The nose knows

Although there’s no definitive research in the limits of the canine sense of smell, researchers think that it’s anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than the human sniffer. Even if we’re going with the more conservative number, that means that if you can smell meat being grilled out on the patio, your dog can conceivably smell the same thing more than two miles away. It would be pretty easy for your dog to sniff a chipmunk scurrying around the backyard, even from your bedroom in the middle of the night. And what dog could resist barking at a chipmunk, even through a wall?

Eyes on the prize

Comparing a dog’s vision to a human’s is tricky because they’re just designed for different things. By human vision standards, dogs are technically nearsighted, but they have greater peripheral vision than people (able to see about 250 degrees compared to our 180), and see a lot better than humans in the dark. So if something is out there in the dark, they’ll see it.

Potentially a scary issue

Fun and games and ghosts aside, if you do notice your dog behaving differently than usual, it could be a sign of canine cognitive dysfunction, a condition similar to Alzheimer’s disease in people. Aimless wandering, lack of response, sudden nighttime hyperactivity, wall staring, and a loss of house training are signs that you should contact your veterinarian. source

Yes, Your Dog Is Totally Barking at an Invisible Ghost in the Corner

Just call your dog Haley Joel Osment, because just like that cute little kid in The Sixth Sense, your pooch can see dead people.

Written by Marc Aaron  in Doggy Blog cited

There’s nothing more stomach churning than going on a sedate country walk with your dog, only to turn back and see them chomping on something totally gross. My dog does this all the time and seems to have an unhealthy appetite for horse manure and poop!This weird habit fascinates me, because there must be some reason dogs do it. If your dog also has a desire to eat horse droppings, I hope the guide below helps you. I’ve researched into what it could mean, what scientists say, and whether it’s bad or safe for your dog to eat horse poop, including the risk of worms!

But before I get into the detail, here’s the quick answer to why dogs eat horse manure and are so attracted to it.

Why do dogs eat horse poop? The reasons why dogs like to eat horse poop so much are wide and varied. The simplest answer is that they just like the smell and taste. However, some dogs will also chew droppings due to something missing in their diet or a health problem.

How common is it for dogs to eat horse poop?

Don’t think your dog is alone in having this gruesome habit. It’s actually quite a common condition and even comes with its own medical name; coprophagia (read Wikipedia definition).

In fact, in 2012, a researcher at the University of California said this regarding the findings of a study regarding coprophagia in dogs:

“The findings revealed that 16% of dogs sampled engaged in frequent conspecific coprophagy, defined as having been seen eating stools at least six times. Coprophagic dogs were more likely to be reported as greedy eaters than non‐coprophagic dogs. The coprophagy was overwhelmingly directed at fresh stools, defined as being no more than 2 days old..” (view study).

7 reasons why dogs eat horse poop

So, if you do have a dog who loves to eat horse poop, it’s not all the unusual, and it would appear that they prefer fresh manure too, rather than older poops! Below you can see all the possible reasons why your dog is eating horse dropping and then some advice on how you might be able to prevent it.

 

Why Do Dogs Eat Horse Poop? The Worm & Harm Factors

Written by Marc Aaron  in Doggy Blog

There’s nothing more stomach churning than going on a sedate country walk with your dog, only to turn back and see them chomping on something totally gross. My dog does this all the time and seems to have an unhealthy appetite for horse manure and poop!

This weird habit fascinates me, because there must be some reason dogs do it. If your dog also has a desire to eat horse droppings, I hope the guide below helps you. I’ve researched into what it could mean, what scientists say, and whether it’s bad or safe for your dog to eat horse poop, including the risk of worms!

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But before I get into the detail, here’s the quick answer to why dogs eat horse manure and are so attracted to it.

Why do dogs eat horse poop? The reasons why dogs like to eat horse poop so much are wide and varied. The simplest answer is that they just like the smell and taste. However, some dogs will also chew droppings due to something missing in their diet or a health problem.

How common is it for dogs to eat horse poop?

Don’t think your dog is alone in having this gruesome habit. It’s actually quite a common condition and even comes with its own medical name; coprophagia (read Wikipedia definition).

In fact, in 2012, a researcher at the University of California said this regarding the findings of a study regarding coprophagia in dogs:

“The findings revealed that 16% of dogs sampled engaged in frequent conspecific coprophagy, defined as having been seen eating stools at least six times. Coprophagic dogs were more likely to be reported as greedy eaters than non‐coprophagic dogs. The coprophagy was overwhelmingly directed at fresh stools, defined as being no more than 2 days old..” (view study).

7 reasons why dogs eat horse poop

So, if you do have a dog who loves to eat horse poop, it’s not all the unusual, and it would appear that they prefer fresh manure too, rather than older poops! Below you can see all the possible reasons why your dog is eating horse dropping and then some advice on how you might be able to prevent it.

1. Horse poop tastes good!

Whilst our stomachs might turn at the thought of eating horse poop droppings, for dogs, it’s an amazing taste and treat – it makes sense when you think about it.

The feces of other animals will contain great tasting snacks and will also have a great smell and texture that far outweighs any thoughts your dog might have about it being poop.

It might smell bad to you, but to dogs, horse poop has a stink that will attract them from quite a distance so your dog will actively seek it out.

This is particularly true when you consider what horses like to eat; it’s things like grass, hay, fruit, vegetables, seeds, grass, grain, bulbs, and berries – all things you’ve probably seen your dog eat before.

Put those ingredients into one neat and smelly little poop package, and you have something that resembles a dog salad!

A dog’s sense of smell is said to be between 10,000 and 100,000 times better than ours. We have around 6 million smell receptors in our nose, dogs have around 300 million… so just think how appealing that horse poop must smell to a dog!

Handy Hint: Dogs love this stuff so much they will also try rolling in it! Here are some theories on why dogs roll in horse poop for you to consider.

2. To protect their pack

Dogs are said to still have many instincts left over from the ancestral days of being wolves and wild dogs, and this relates to the next possibility: Dogs like to eat horse poop as a way to protect their pack and younger relations.

 

Why Do Dogs Eat Horse Poop? The Worm & Harm Factors

Written by Marc Aaron  in Doggy Blog

There’s nothing more stomach churning than going on a sedate country walk with your dog, only to turn back and see them chomping on something totally gross. My dog does this all the time and seems to have an unhealthy appetite for horse manure and poop!

This weird habit fascinates me, because there must be some reason dogs do it. If your dog also has a desire to eat horse droppings, I hope the guide below helps you. I’ve researched into what it could mean, what scientists say, and whether it’s bad or safe for your dog to eat horse poop, including the risk of worms!

0 of 15 secondsVolume 0%

But before I get into the detail, here’s the quick answer to why dogs eat horse manure and are so attracted to it.

Why do dogs eat horse poop? The reasons why dogs like to eat horse poop so much are wide and varied. The simplest answer is that they just like the smell and taste. However, some dogs will also chew droppings due to something missing in their diet or a health problem.

How common is it for dogs to eat horse poop?

Don’t think your dog is alone in having this gruesome habit. It’s actually quite a common condition and even comes with its own medical name; coprophagia (read Wikipedia definition).

In fact, in 2012, a researcher at the University of California said this regarding the findings of a study regarding coprophagia in dogs:

“The findings revealed that 16% of dogs sampled engaged in frequent conspecific coprophagy, defined as having been seen eating stools at least six times. Coprophagic dogs were more likely to be reported as greedy eaters than non‐coprophagic dogs. The coprophagy was overwhelmingly directed at fresh stools, defined as being no more than 2 days old..” (view study).

7 reasons why dogs eat horse poop

So, if you do have a dog who loves to eat horse poop, it’s not all the unusual, and it would appear that they prefer fresh manure too, rather than older poops! Below you can see all the possible reasons why your dog is eating horse dropping and then some advice on how you might be able to prevent it.

1. Horse poop tastes good!

Whilst our stomachs might turn at the thought of eating horse poop droppings, for dogs, it’s an amazing taste and treat – it makes sense when you think about it.

The feces of other animals will contain great tasting snacks and will also have a great smell and texture that far outweighs any thoughts your dog might have about it being poop.

It might smell bad to you, but to dogs, horse poop has a stink that will attract them from quite a distance so your dog will actively seek it out.

This is particularly true when you consider what horses like to eat; it’s things like grass, hay, fruit, vegetables, seeds, grass, grain, bulbs, and berries – all things you’ve probably seen your dog eat before.

Put those ingredients into one neat and smelly little poop package, and you have something that resembles a dog salad!

A dog’s sense of smell is said to be between 10,000 and 100,000 times better than ours. We have around 6 million smell receptors in our nose, dogs have around 300 million… so just think how appealing that horse poop must smell to a dog!

Handy Hint: Dogs love this stuff so much they will also try rolling in it! Here are some theories on why dogs roll in horse poop for you to consider.

2. To protect their pack

Dogs are said to still have many instincts left over from the ancestral days of being wolves and wild dogs, and this relates to the next possibility: Dogs like to eat horse poop as a way to protect their pack and younger relations.

This is referenced in the 2012 study I linked to earlier, with the following statement published with the research:

“A hypothesis is offered that coprophagy reflects a tendency inherited from the ancestral wolf to keep the den area free of faecal‐borne intestinal parasites that might be deposited in the den resting area and would typically have parasite ova that are not initially infective, but could develop infective larvae after 2 days. An evolved parasite defence strategy to consume fresh faeces in the rest area would be adaptive.”

When I read that, my view is that we have to seriously consider that horse poop consumption is simply part of your dog’s DNA relating to how they would have behaved in days gone by.

3. As investigative and scavenging behavior

Younger dogs and puppies will eat horse poop as way of investigating things. They are very similar to how human babies will want to put things in their mouth to see what they are, and puppies are the same.

There is also an element of scavenging behavior where puppies will often worry about where their next meal is coming from, trying to eat everything in sight before it gets taken away.

4. To replace nutrients or an enzyme deficiency

Dogs also like to eat horse poop and manure due to deficiencies in their diet. This can include things like a lack of nutrients or enzymes.

The reason this makes them eat horse manure is down to what the horses themselves eat. They will have a diet that is rich in enzymes and partially digested proteins because of what they graze on. Not all dogs get these elements into their system, so their body will seek it out elsewhere.

It’s not an uncommon occurrence in the animal kingdom. For example, the American Kennel Club say this on their website on the topic:

“For some species, such as rabbits, eating fecal droppings is a totally normal way of obtaining key nutrients. In fact, if you prevent rabbits from doing this, they will develop health problems, and young ones will fail to thrive.”

Domestic dogs will also have this instinct which has developed over thousands of years of evolution.

5. To self-medicate themselves

Dogs will also turn to eating horse poop to make themselves feel better as a way of self-medication.

For example, dogs with parasites will often turn to poop to try to medicate themselves. Parasites will leach nutrients from your dog, and your dog might think it can replace those nutrients via horse poop, which will often be high in it.

6. Horse manure can look like a tasty treat

Once horse poop is all dried up and broken apart it can resemble certain dog snacks. No wonder it’s so appealing to eat!

Dogs are so food-orientated that once they lock on to the smell of horse poop then see some on the ground, it’s going to be very hard to convince them that’s it’s not a tasty dog treat. You can’t blame them for wanting to have a chew on the manure despite how gross it looks to us!

7. Your dog is just hungry

And finally, it might be just because your dog is hungry. Before you go anywhere with your dog where the chance of eating horse poop is high, make sure they’ve had a meal, or you take some alternative snacks with you.

Is it safe for dogs to eat horse poop?

This is a hard one to answer, because most of the time it will not be bad for your dog to eat a little bit of horse manure, and they should not suffer any adverse reactions. There’s nothing naturally occurring in horse poop that is toxic to dogs (view source).

However, there are still some risks, and I will start off with the one that is most alarming; ivermectin poisoning.

Ivermectin poisoning

Ivermectin is a chemical found in worming treatment medicine given to horses. Scientists have found that ivermectin can stay in horse manure for up to 45 days after the worm treatment is administered.

If your dog eats horse manure, then it could hurt them. There is this small risk, and according to the UK animal charity, the Blue Cross, here’s what to consider:

“Small amounts of ivermectin pose a health threat to some breeds but most dogs will not be affected. Symptoms of ivermectin poisoning include dilated pupils, disorientation, lethargy and vomiting. Dogs showing any of these signs or known to be at risk should be seen by a vet immediately.”

Whilst it appears that the risk is low, it’s still important to consider. If your dog has diarrhea after eating horse poop then this could be the reason why, so get in touch with a vet immediately.

The Blue Cross go on to say that certain dog breeds are more at risk from eating horse manure:

“Any dog that consumes a large amount of horse poop containing the chemical could become very ill, but a percentage of dogs of certain breeds have a gene mutation which predisposes them to toxicity from ivermectin at low levels. These include collies, Shetland sheepdogs, Australian shepherds, Old English sheepdogs, long-haired whippets, merle Pomeranians and possibly other herding breeds as well as those with white feet.”

Can my dog get worms from eating horse poop?

There’s also the consideration that your dog could get worms from eating horse poop. For example, if the horse is not up to date with its worm treatment, those parasites could pass through the manure which is then ingested by a greedy dog. So yes, dogs can get worms from horse poop.

As well as possible ivermectin poisoning, there are other small risks that could mean eating horse poop is bad for your dog.

Other risks of harm

For example, there can be traces of salmonella and campylobacter in horse feces. Admittedly that sounds bad, but dogs are said to have quite robust gastrointestinal tracts, so infections are said to be few and far between.

You should also be wary when you see holes and flies around the horse poop. This could be a sign that there are parasites in the manure droppings which could lead to a bacterial infection.

The bottom line is this; I would try to stop my dog from eating horse poop as much as possible. Whilst statistically speaking the chances of them getting ill after eating a small bit of manure is slim, there is always a chance it could lead to a problem.

You certainly need to take action if your dog likes to eat horse manure. Stop it happening as soon as you can, and here are some tips on how to do so.

How to stop your dog eating horse poop

You will have already considered stopping going to walks where you might encounter lots of horse manure. It might not always be possible to avoid it completely though, so here are some short tips you could consider:

• Improve your dog’s diet: Your dog might be chewing the poop due to a nutritional deficiency, so make sure you change the diet appropriately.
• Keep the animals apart: If you keep horses, don’t let them run free in the same area that your dog has access to.
• Contaminate the poop: Horses owners can also try sprinkling cayenne pepper or similar onto the poop to turn your dog off. After a few days, the dog should get the message.

And above all, if the poop eating becomes problematic then it could be sign of health issue such as parasites so you should seek a professional intervention.

When to call a vet

If you have any concerns, you should always consult with a vet. The notes in this guide are written by me, a dog lover and not a veterinary professional – everything you read here is based on my own online research and opinion.

What I would say is this though; if your dog’s poop eating appears to be problematic and way to regular to be dismissed, you should call your vet.

Conclusion

Everything in this guide is based on my personal opinion and research. You should always do your own due diligence when it comes to things like this and see if you agree that a little horse poop probably won’t harm your dog in most cases.

However, if it’s regular and in volume then it certainly is something you need to put a stop to reduce the chance of your dog coming to harm.