I will agree with the leave it. Giving him a “pop” might be the quickest way, and it seems like they’d learn. It actually just teaches them fear-association. They don’t know it’s bad or wrong, and obviously don’t realize that it could hurt them. They do, however, associate “Hm…after I eat something….I get in trouble….. Eek! I’m in trouble!!!!” And they sense your anxiety/disappointment/upset attitude which goes into more fear.
This gives many owners the impression that their dogs do have consciences and know wrong from right. It is wrong though, dogs don’t have a conscience, they simply know energy signals from their owner, and will associate actions with responses.
I’ll agree with Sue on the leave it.
There are many variations, and most of them will (hopefully) get the same results: a dog that will ignore something on cue.
I taught my Loki (he doesn’t eat everything, but he gets just as dangerous by attacking everything from roosters to weed eaters) the leave it in a few steps.
#1. The stay/still. Make sure Bruno knows how to stay or hold still fairly well.
#2. “Watch me”. This is one of THE most important commands I’ve ever taught Loki. The concept is fairly simple. Start by holding a treat by your face. Say “watch” when he focuses on your face, reward him (I hide a treat in my opposite hand and use that). Eventually try to have the treats completely hidden so you know he’s watching you, not the food. Also try to get him to focus on you for several seconds before the reward. This step can take time and needs practice (a great one to work around distractions, too!)
#3. The leave it. When Bruno is sitting/laying calmly at your request, hold a treat in your fist. He’ll sniff it and know it’s there. Tell him to stay, and place the treat a bit out of reach. If he stays, then reward him (with a different treat. Leave the other on the floor). If he gets up, take the treat and give a correction (just an “ah ah” and a touch on the neck is fine) and put him back where he started.
Once he stays, then ask for a “watch”. When he watches, reward.
Tell him “leave it. Watch me” and move the treat a little closer. If he ignores it, reward.
Eventually, you should be able to have the treat between his paws while he calmly watches you.
I didn’t go /quite/ that slow with my boys, as I sometimes needed that “leave it” in an instant. But if you can make the time to go slowly, then it gives a great foundation.
Your goal is to hopefully get him to the point of /always/ looking at you before taking something on the floor (believe it or not, my crazy anxious Loki will now bring me /anything/ new that he wants, drop it by my feet, and look at me. If I tell him “no” and put it up, he walks off. If I tell him “okay” he continues to eat it/chew it).
Once he does pretty good with the treat, then get adventurous! Try using a favorite toy instead. Try tossing something past him (Loki will leave a treat that goes by his face, but isn’t quite to the point of maintaining eye-contact. He’s gotta turn that head and glance at the treat first…..he’ll get there tho).
Try to incorporate “wait” or “leave it” into your daily routine. It’s a snap to practice, as you can use it on his dinner, his snacks, his training rewards, and even in his playtime! Get creative with it to make “leave it” a fun game, and have Bruno thinking “Oh goody! Something new! I’d better wait for mom’s permission!”
Until you’ve both got a good hold of leave it, prevention is definitely best. Try to keep everything picked up and out of reached, even if that might include confining him to a room or two.
