So I’ve got a 12 year old male lab/shepherd/great dane mix. Mostly a black lab, with all the characteristics of a lab. I trained him since he was a pup on a lot, and for a long time he was very obedient. Over the past year, things have fairly regressed. On walks, he has become obsessed with looking for food on the sidewalks. We live in a city and the unfortunate truth of life is that there is a lot of edible items on the sidewalks that he seems primarily focused on. So much so that his nose is to the ground for 99% of the walk, trying to find food. By no means is this dog underfed – the vet loves his diet and body figure. I’m told “he’s just doing what labs do.” He knows the commands “leave it” when he is about to pick things up, and “drop it” when he has something in his mouth. Lately, however, he seems to ignore those in favor of scavenging for food.
First request: what are some good ways to retrain or eliminate this scavenging habit?
Second request: given his age, his back legs have become incredibly weak and he displays lameness a great deal. I’m doing PT with him daily to alleviate his symptoms.
Is there anything in particular I can do to strengthen his backend?
Thank you!
submitted by /u/Provetie
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