Help! Does anyone have any suggestions on how to stop our 5 month old Labrador puppy bringing in slugs and snails every time it rains? (Apart from moving house.) I know they're dangerous if eaten. He doesn't do that. He just drops them at our feet (his Mum recoils in horror) or trades them for a treat. But getting him to drop them is sometimes a challenge. We've had three in the last two hours!!!! Finding them in the dark is a challenge for us, but clearly not for him. And if you could see the stupid look on his face when he has one, as if it's his long lost, and best friend. He is such a klutz sometimes. Gorgeous, but a klutz. <sigh>
Oh no! I would be horrified! I can't stand snails and slugs and I would be so creeped out if they were brought to me. Unfortunately the only advice I have relates to shoes, because that is Harleys gift of choice. We used to swop out for an appropriate toy but now, after the frustration of trying to find my shoes after she carries them around. So now we don't reward with attention at all (which is SO HARD). She when she brings a shoe with that ridiculous proud look on her face we ignore until she drops it and then we wait a few seconds and distract her with a toy or give her attention. BUT she will try and bop you or put the shoe on you if you ignore her. I am just saying this because euwwwwwwwww I don't wan't a snail put on me!!!
Yes, I'm afraid that, because of their reported toxicity to dogs if eaten, we simply trade for a treat as quick as we can. And that kind of reinforces the behaviour of seeking them out. I simply don't know what else to do. I hope he just grows out of it. Of course with Autumn upon us, there will be more rain to attract more of them.
If it's any comfort, Molly did this for a couple of months but eventually grew out of it. We are crawling with slugs and snails and now she will occasionally nudge a large snail but no longer bothers to pick them up.
I expect he will grow out of it..in the meantime I would continue to swap for a treat or game...I guess you will just have to to try and be more more engaging and interesting than a slug in the meantime!
Jess did this - but she actually ate them Night and day she would find snails and slugs in the garden and eat them - she seemed to quite enjoy the crunch with snails. It was one of her most worrying puppy habits. I'm delighted to say that she grew out of it The worst of it was probably in the first 3 months that we had her. And then after a while I just remember looking at her in the garden thinking 'hmm, she's not been eating snails for a while!' The swap & treat often didn't work with her because she snaffled them so quickly and wouldn't give them up, though that was the habit that taught her that treats that come from the fridge are invariably the best ones - she would pick up a snail, I would lunge for the fridge and pull out something amazing.... For management - I always kept her on a lead when I took her into the garden at night, kept her under close supervision in the garden (though I did this anyway), kept treats handy to swap them where possible, and made sure she had her lungworm tablets.
Bailey used to pick up snails and roll them around in his mouth - we used to swap for a treat. Luckily he has outgrown this habit. Slugs he never touched luckily he just gives them the same disgusted look that I do too!
