Home > Out of the Cage! > October 2005 > Behavior & Training: Is Your Dog a Gutter-Diver?

Behavior & Training

Is Your Dog a Gutter-Diver?

by Dawn Prentiss, Certified Pet Dog Trainer, Semper Fido

I live across the street from a busy subway station. The sidewalk on my block often looks like an All-You-Can-Eat Buffet. Daily, my dogs and I encounter a minefield of trash laced with pizza crusts, half-eaten breakfast sandwiches, fast-food wrappers, containers of Chinese food, and the much-dreaded chicken bones. My block is messier than most, but the findings are not uncommon in New York City. It's no wonder that dog owners commonly complain that their dogs "gutter-dive," voraciously sampling the delectable treats found on the sidewalk or in the gutter while out for daily walks.

The most basic principle of learning theory states that any behavior that is rewarded is likely to increase. Gutter-diving is all about reinforcement. One taste of something good on the sidewalk is all it takes for some dogs to become relentless scavengers. This behavior not only is annoying, it can be dangerous. Your dog could ingest something toxic like rat poison or anti-freeze. A bone or candy wrapper can cause intestinal blockage. Some dogs will also guard high-value items they have in their possession. Depending upon your dog's tolerance, he could growl, snap, or bite if you try to take something away from him.

If it's all about reinforcement, the most basic way to combat gutter-diving is to reinforce or reward your dog for doing what you want him to do. I like to teach dogs to pay attention and watch me while on walks. This not only teaches them to walk nicely by your side, it also teaches them to keep their head up off the ground. A dog cannot watch you and pull on the leash or lunge for trash at the same time.

Teaching your dog to pay attention is simple. All you need are a few small, smelly, easily consumed treats. Just wait until your dog looks at you, and when he does, say "YES!" (this tells him he just earned a treat), and then give him a treat. Your dog will quickly learn to watch you more often and for longer periods of time. Some dogs will need to learn to pay attention in less distracting environments before being able to do this outside or on walks. If you are concerned about your dog's waistline, you can use his dinner and train him at meal times.

There are other behaviors you can teach your dog that will also help with "gutter-diving." Teach him to "leave- it," which means that your dog should not sniff something, look at it, or pick it up with his mouth. Technically, he should also look away from the item and, ideally, look at you instead. If your dog has a chicken bone fetish, practice having him "leave-it" while walking by chicken bones in your house before trying this on the street.

If your dog is excitable and lacks self-control, teach him that good things come to those who wait. Teach him to sit and wait until released before he is allowed to eat, before going outdoors, before crossing the street, before he is allowed to play, and before greeting people or other dogs. Once your dog learns these simple rules, he will be less likely to act on every impulse. Finally, teach your dog to willingly drop items he has in his mouth.

Regardless of whether you want to use one or all of these methods to counter "gutter-diving," remember: you must be more interesting to your dog than the environment in order for this to work. If you look at it from your dog's point-of-view, there are free fifty-dollar bills all over the ground. You are the anchor at the end of the leash preventing him from collecting the money. If you want him to behave, you must pay him handsomely for any job you expect him to do. Otherwise, why would he give up the opportunity for free cash?

Dawn Prentiss, CPDT, is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer, professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, and owner of Brooklyn-based Semper Fido. In November 2001, she left her job at sports broadcasting staple IMG/TWI to pursue her love of training dogs and their owners/guardians. Dawn shares her life with partner Matthew, dogs Zoe and Whisper, and cats Mango and Cheetah.

If you have a behavior or training question or topic you'd like to see addressed in this column, please e-mail it to us at info@AnimalAllianceNYC.org.