Puppy Eating Rocks

[FourIsCompany]

My 8 week old puppy Jaia is obsessed with eating rocks. Even his favorite toy cannot get his attention away from a good rock. He doesn't eat all that he picks up, but I'm sure some are going down.

Any ideas why he's doing this or how to get him to stop?

Even in the yard, he hunts for them. It's like he's on a mission.

Another dog of mine, Cara, used to eat rocks as a puppy, but never like this. She grew out of it.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Deidre]

It's hard to get a dog to stop doing something when he has easy access to things esp. rocks...I suppose you could try 'aversion therapy' such as spraying some of the rocks with bitter apple or even smear some of them with hot english mustard or anything that will deter your dog from wanting to eat them; training would also help, just stay outside with him and whenever you see him trying to pick up a rock admonish him with a loud and stern "NO!" A little light smack on the bottom wouldn't go astray either as you say NO again. If you keep doing this enough times he may just get the message....dogs go through phases where they do some strange things and most of the time they grow out of it but you could speed things along by training and spraying a few rocks around the place.

[borzoid]

Sometime's when dogs are eating unusual things (rocks, paper, etc..) it might mean that they are lacking something in their diet and are trying to supplement. Possibly a mineral supplement would help curb his craving for rocks.

[Deidre]

Here is some information that I have downloaded for your, it is very interesting

Abnormal Eating Habits

Dogs eat a lot of questionable things that, from our point of view, make no sense, such as their own or another animal's stool. Although unpleasant to contemplate, it's relatively normal behavior, especially for young dogs.

But dogs sometimes try to eat inorganic matter that has no digestive upside at all. Rocks provide an example of one of the more common non-food objects dogs chew on. This behavior is sometimes called pica, the term used to describe the craving and ingesting of nonfood items.

Chewing rocks can be dangerous to more than your dog's teeth or soft mouth tissues. It can lead to intestinal blockage, vomiting, diarrhea, or even choking, if the rock is large enough to block your dog's throat.

What causes this bizarre behavior? There are a number of possibilities that range from medical to behavioral. Chewing rocks may be one way for an attention-starved dog to get noticed. In this instance, the dog may even be acting out of boredom, anxiety or frustration.

There may also be medical reasons behind the behavior. Disorders of the intestinal tract, deficiency of some vital nutrient, such as iron, or diabetes mellitus (as well as other illnesses) may underlie indiscriminate eating behavior. It's important to rule out a medical cause for pica by visiting your veterinarian. If the pica is subsequently deemed to be a purely behavioral problem, you and your vet can devise a strategy to overcome it.

Pica, by the way, is not limited to rocks. It includes any non-digestible item, such as rubber bands, carpet, string, wood, etc. Stopping this behavior is difficult, and usually cannot be done just by scolding. Scolding may even "reward" the behavior if it's an attempt to gain attention. Furthermore, to scold your dog after the fact is useless; he or she won't connect the "correction" with the behavior.

Finding and Treating the Cause

Pica may be nothing more than an outlet for chewing. One strategy is to keep a good number of chew toys on hand, and rotating them every several days. For instance, put three chew toys out for your dog to play with, and keep three hidden. After several days, bring out the three hidden toys and remove the other three, so they always appear to be "new."

If you catch your dog eating rocks, you may want to startle him out of the behavior with a loud noise or spray gun – but try not to let him see you doing it, or he may associate your presence with the noise or water. Praise him when he leaves items alone.

Look at your own schedule: is your dog left alone most of the time? In that case, spending more time with your dog will probably help. Better yet, aerobic play may leave him too tired and happy to want to chew rocks. A final strategy involves dietary and feeding changes. Ad libitum feeding of a high fiber weight reducing diet provides your dogs with a constant option, rocks or kibble. Many choose kibble! It's best to check with your vet before switching your dog to a different diet if problems are to be avoided.

Your veterinarian may prescribe a behavioral drug to help defeat the pica. He or she may also refer you to an animal behaviorist, if necessary. Always keep your dog leashed when walking to stop him from eating inappropriate or dangerous items. If your dog runs in your backyard, clear out rocks and other dangerous items or keep him with you under supervision. (In other words, don't just tie your dog up to restrict his movement and then leave him.)

If you and your dog look forward to running free in an off-leash doggie park, you may have to curtail these outings until the pica disorder is under control. For more information, see the article on pica.



Legal Disclaimer

If your pet is showing any signs of distress or you suspect your pet is seriously ill, CONTACT YOUR VETERINARIAN immediately.

[FourIsCompany]

Thank you. This is an 8-week old puppy. He doesn't have unsupervised time outside his crate, much less outside. We have our first vet visit on Tuesday. I'll talk to him about it then.

Also, the breeder has recommended a mineral supplement.

He also has tons of chew toys and attention.

[borzoid]

That's good information Deidre but you really need to give credit to the author and website you got it from.

[Jig]

My boston terrier used to not eat rocks, but chew them, which grinded her teeth right to the gums. We always took them away but she would go get another one. I think it's just something they do- and there are too many rocks to avoid it. But I would say correcting him when you catch him with rocks could help. If it ends up that he is actually eating them then maybe some type of light muzzle that will prevent it could be used outside?

Sorry.. I'm just trying to add information to my story about how my boston used to chew them.... I'm kind of not very useful. LOL

[Deidre]

Originally Posted by borzoid

That's good information Deidre but you really need to give credit to the author and website you got it from.

Borzoid, I would have done so but I thought we are not allowed to mention other websites