How to Train Your Dog to Not Roll in Poop

Hello Jessie, First, I would teach pup the Leave It command if you haven't already. Second, I would only let pup out into the yard leashed with you, working on pup's Leave It on leash with you around the poop and pee spots, rewarding pup for leaving it, and using the leash to interrupt pup if pup attempts too. Once pup knows the new rules and leave it is associated with the pee and poop, you will also likely need to create an avoidance of pup's poop and pee spots when you aren't around too, so pup knows that the new rules apply when alone, so they can be let into a fence off leash again, if you have such a yard. I would use a vibration or unscented air remote training collar to spy on pup and correct when pup gets on top of the pee and poop spots. Clean your yard well and mark all the spots with something you can see from afar to tell when pup is over one. Another option is to clean all poop and pee spots well accept just a small handful and place them on top of something like a small scat mat, so when pup touches the area right under the poop for example, it's unpleasant. This scat mat should be small so it's only the area right under the poop, where pup would want to roll. Finally, whenever you catch pup leaving a poop alone in the yard, reward pup with a treat and praise to help pup further make the connection that the yard is pleasant, it's just touching the poop and pee that's no longer pleasant. I would also work on building pup's confidence in other ways, through pleasant social interactions with other dogs that are calm and not overly rambunctious - be picky about which dogs. Classes, structured walking or hiking groups, one on one play dates with a dog pup loves, who isn't too rough, ect... Another general confidence builder is agility, either in the form of a class or making or purchasing your own obstacles to set up at home and work pup through. Agility, when taught right, can help pup practice overcoming new things successfully, while having fun and building trust in you. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

March 7, 2022

Hello Zoe, You will need to booby trap some poop and hide during the correction to create an avoidance of the poop. You can do this either by using a stimulation or vibration based e-collar or something like a snap trap. Set up some poop she is likely to roll in - collect some with a poop bag, being careful not to directly touch it and washing hands well after. Place what's called snap traps on the ground then carefully cover with leaves (be careful not to trigger the traps, and put the poop next to the traps)... These traps work like mouse traps but won't actually get caught on her, they just jump and making a snapping noise to startle. You will need to booby trap poop in a variety of locations randomly over the course of a month and limit her roaming during that month when you don't have the poop booby trapped (you don't want the inconsistency of the booby trap with the poop sometimes but not always - you want her to think poop is always booby trapped now so she will avoid all of it). If you go the remote e-collar route, you would set up poop spots, spy on pup from somewhere pretty far away (I suggest using binoculars and a remote collar with at least 1/3 mile range just to make sure it reaches). As soon as pup starts to touch the ground to roll in the poop, push the button to stimulate the collar so that it appears that the poop created that sensation, not you or a collar. She should also wear the collar around with it turned off for a week prior to doing this so that she doesn't associate the correction with the collar but with the poop. You will also need to repeat this several times with different poop in different locations to convince her poop is the problem and she should avoid it. Check out James Penrith from TaketheLeadDogTraining on YouTube to learn more about properly fitting and using e-collars. Beat of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Dec. 10, 2019