Eating Rocks?

[blacklabby]

Does anyone else have a problem with their puppy or dog eating rocks? Our 14 week old black lab has recently started chewing and consuming rocks. I have read how dangerous it is and the possible reasons of malnutrition but Abby is VERY well fed. Any suggestions on how to stop it?

[Dax]

I would discourage this by any means possible. Using Apple bitter or correction. Try giving more interesting chew toys even large marrow bones from the butcher. Rocks can sit in the digestive system causing all sorts of problems or damage those pearly whites.

[Blaze]

Dax is right - you really have to get her out of the habit! Besides the dangers of it I knew a dog whose teeth got so bad that she could only handle eating soft food in the end. She was in a lot of discomfort too!

At 14 weeks it could be possible that Abby's teething. I found with my dog Lilly that she started wanting to chew everything in site at that age too and then her baby teeth started to fall out a few weeks later. It's a good idea to distract her with toys, bones, kongs, pigs ears etc. Use positive reinforcement when she's good and tell her off when she chews on the rocks, teach her that it's more fun to eat her own things and eventually she should get the hang of it. Also is it possible it may be due to boredom at all? I found putting a variety of new toys, chew bones etc out for Lilly and then changing them around regularly kept her amused and stopped her from getting into too much trouble. And like Dax said Bitter Apple works well too!
Good luck!