7 Ways to Avoid Dog Baiting

With pet-baiting on the increase in Australia, we're urging pet owners to be on the lookout.

Dogs are natural scavengers and we all know that they want food at every opportunity! However, there are some steps one can take to bait-proof your precious pooch:

1. Teach your dog a command to eat so that they never take food off of anyone unless given permission with a "password".

2. Create a rule of no scavenging.

3. Ensure your dog knows the 'drop it' command.

4. Keep your dogs on a leash when walking.

5. When off-lead, have a strong recall and train dogs to respond, especially in public places.

6. When left alone at home, keep them at the rear of your property.

7. Keep a regular feeding pattern to form a habit. 

Note:

Dog baits can look like anything. Commercially made rat bait and other toxins are designed to be tasty. However, bait in parks and yards is most often disguised in peanut butter and meat.

If you’re worried that your dog has swallowed something suspicious, speak to your vet. One injection can help them bring up the bait quickly before it takes effect.

Bait symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, black tar-like stools, lethargy, rapid breathing, abdominal pain and abnormal behaviour.