Dogs eating everything.

I hope someone can help me. Our Labrador has now decided to eat all the Pom Pom heads, these are making her ill. Apart from keeping her jailed in the house, or catching her in the act, it is impossible to stop her. last year she eat the bluebells which made her ill, she has also munched on some iris bulbs, are we never to have a flower garden and a dog, my fear is she will die. My husband says other people have dogs which don't do these things, I have tried to get her by the head and speak to her looking her straight in the eye.

I have a lab cross she's  15 months old and she too bites off the heads of daffs or other flowers . I find she does this when she's bored.

Do you walk your dog ? as this will help, aslo give the dog a few toys in the garden.

You need to catch the dog in the act, which is not easy.

I think its a lab thing as they eat anything.

She does have toys, but as these dogs are strong she breaks most, any toys with bell etc she will not stop until the bell is in her mouth, these are all meant to be dog proof.

She is now two years old, and never seems to tire, she will keep going long after any reasonable dog has given up.

I don't think she is bored, as we have two teengager children, and they love her and play with her and talk to her, but the pom poms are my lastest in a long line of evils she has taken a liken to.

Suzie

Suzi maybe you could use a dog mussel this will stop her eating out in the garden she will quickly get the message and leave your plants alone.

Oldchippy.

Hi Suzi,

I was brought up with a household of dogs including lab crosses?, the best way to tire them out & to stop them eating everything is to walk them.

When I was growing up we/I used to walk them for miles.  At only 2 years she has loads of energy & will do for years to come.

Sorry but I don't agree with the use of dog mussel on this breed for this reason

I agree, walking is the key here and is your garden large enough to give her, her own run?

its a square shape, small side, along one half we have my husbands shed, and the green house is in front of this, along the right side we have a hedge, which the birds live in, along the end we had loads of blue bells but I have explain their faith, along with the roses bush which also had a similar faith.

As far as April our lab is concerned the whole garden is hers, she eats anything, bits the birds drop ie old springs and pieces of metal, I don't like the idea of a mussel for her, but when I have had to pay huge vet bills it has crossed my mind as she will eat slugs etc, and as many neighbours put down pellets I fear she will eat something that in the process of the food chain will kill her, when you take her out for walks she also eats any kind of rubbish, we do feed her I promise, and she gets lots of attention.

Suzie

Sorry Suzi but I think that the only solution is a muzzle when in the garden.  This meed only be a short term thing.  It may not sound good but it is far better than her being ill.  We have a lab/collie cross who is 18 months old and again we find as with all young dogs that exercise is the key.  If they are tired they are less likely to look for mischief and more likely to settle down and behave.  You also need to take her into the garden and train her not to touch the plants.  It is time consuming but well worth the effort.

Suzi I have two golden Reterivers to keep one another company,One will always be the leader if you let them run riot in the garden you will have to think about what to plant also slugs can your dog lung worm not nice at all.

Oldchippy.

I have had some luck with lavender as she appears not to be interested in it.

Apart from the lavender and the hedge that is all we have as everything else has gone.

I did a a forneium but she riped it all up over time last year, I did put some wire around the last but and it has come back.

I am taking my time with buying plants for the garden as the last time I went mad and bought loads of rose bushes and eh destroyed them before tea time, only one recovered.

Thanks for all your suggestions

Suzie