How to Stop Dog Chewing Metal
To stop dog chewing metal:
This should help your dog to stop chewing on metal objects, but you’ll still need to address their disobedience which was caused by their underlying issues with anxiety. A failure to do so will just lead to your dog continuing to think that they run the show, and their problem will just start showing itself in even worse ways.
And to do that, we must first talk about what makes dogs tick deep down. You’ve likely heard before that all dogs are pack animals, and that in every pack there is a pack leader.
But every time that your dog chews metal, they are without a doubt proving to you that they have no trust for you in this leadership role.
If they did, they wouldn’t continue to chew on metal despite being told to stop repeatedly. They wouldn’t display any other types of anxiety-related disrespect or misbehavior. And they would immediately obey your commands at all times, and they would do so happily.
Prove to your dog that you are not just their pack leader, but a capable and deserving one who they must respect, and you’ll make all of these wonderful things your reality.
You’ll be better off for obvious reasons. But your dog will be too because they’ll no longer have to deal with all of the confusion and worry that their anxiety problems are currently burdening them with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
That sounds wonderful, don’t you think?
“Absolutely, yeah, but how do I do any of this?”
You should watch an incredibly helpful free video series by a renowned trainer named Dan which is on this exact subject: how to be your dog’s pack leader. In Dan’s series, he explains everything in ways that are very easy to understand and teach to your own dog, and he gets immediately to the point so that you can start seeing these critical changes in your dog before things get any worse.
Start watching Dan’s free training series now by clicking here. And don’t worry, because no, you’re not going to have to be mean or yell at your dog. Dan uses only 100% humane and loving teaching techniques at all times. Not just because they’re the right thing to do, but also because they’re the fastest way to achieve permanent changes in your dog’s behavior.
Why Does My Dog Lick Metal Objects? 4 Possible Reasons
If you catch your dog licking metal objects, there are 4 possible reasons behind the behavior. One reason should give you nothing to worry about, whereas the others warrant a trip to the vet. Let’s take a look at these possible reasons now.
If you catch your dog licking a piece of metal on occasion, it’s probably nothing more than curiosity. This is especially true if your dog only licks the metal once or twice. Dogs experience the world through their mouth, much like we experience the world through our hands.
Because of this fact, dogs will lick just about any object once or twice out of curiosity. Most of the time, your dog is licking metal out of curiosity, nothing more. They either smell or taste something they like on the metal, but they aren’t attracted to the metal itself. It might be helpful to think of your dog licking metal once or twice as a taste test.
If curiosity is to blame for your dog licking metal, you have nothing to worry about. In fact, your dog being curious shows that it is healthy and happy. Just keep a close eye on your dog to make sure they don’t continually lick metal objects, which is a sign that something else is to blame for the behavior.
The second most common reason why dogs lick metal is because of canine pica. Pica is a serious disorder that causes dogs to lick, chew, and crave non-food items, such as metal. Unlike curiosity, pica should cause a lot of concern and you should take your dog to the veterinarian immediately if you think pica is to blame.
You can distinguish between curiosity and pica by paying attention to how much your dog licks metal. Dogs with pica tend to lick metal uncontrollably and are fascinated by it. They aren’t simply tasting it to see what it’s like. If your dog is simply fascinated by metal, you may need to take your dog to the vet.
It is still unclear what causes dogs to get pica. It is similar to compulsive disorders in that it compulsively drives your dog to try items that are not meant to be ingested. Things like anemia, medication, and depression can all cause pica.
Something else that can cause your dog to lick metal uncontrollably is compulsive disorders. Pica is a type of compulsive disorder, but it’s not the only one. Your dog may be licking metal uncontrollably due to another compulsive disorder. Pica and other compulsive disorders will be treated in many of the same ways.
The last possible reason your dog is obsessed with metal is that it contains lead or is covered in lead paint. Lead paint is now illegal because of its severe danger to health, though it is still found in many locations. Unfortunately, the paint tastes a lot like strawberries, causing children and dogs to eat away at the paint.
As a result, many dogs obsessively lick objects covered in lead paint, including metal, because the paint tastes like strawberries. Do not let your dog lick lead paint because of how dangerous it is. Signs that the paint has lead in it includes severe symptoms of lead poisoning, like issues in the GI tract.
Of these three possible reasons for your dog looking metal, pica is the most dangerous since it’s more difficult to spot. It’s important to understand canine pica and take your dog to the veterinarian if you think pica is to blame for their abnormal behavior.
If you notice that your dog is fascinated with metal or another type of object it should not be eating, it’s a great idea to take your dog to the veterinarian to rule out pica. During the diagnosis process, your vet will ask about your dog’s medical history, as well as your dog’s current behavior.
After that, your dog will go through a standard physical, including listening to the heart and checking the weight. The vet may order a complete blood count as well to rule out other possibilities. Once the vet rules out all other physical conditions, they typically diagnosed the dog with pica.
One thing that makes pica difficult to diagnose and notice is that there is no one source that causes it. Instead, a number of factors could lead to your dog’s obsession with metal licking. Here are the most common causes for pica caused metal obsession:
How does your dog lick metal?
As with any physiological or psychological problem in our dogs, we need to look at the context of their symptoms. This means we need to see how the behavior manifests itself. If we see our dog licking a metal object while out on a walk or when they find something new in the home, it wont necessarily be a symptom of a problem. Dogs are curious about their environment, using all of their senses to read information and ensure their safety within it. Licking is often just one way of extracting information.
When we see our dogs licking metal objects regularly and obsessively, it indicates there might be another issue at play. As we stated above, this kind of behavior is not well documented. Some of the reasons why your dog licks metal will have some scientific evidence to support it. Others are theoretical and will need further research to back up their hypotheses.
Looking at the context of this behavior also means watching out for other symptoms. If your dog is displaying abnormal behavior such as becoming aggressive or having gastrointestinal issues, then there could be a number of explanations. Going to the veterinarian is the only way to achieve a thorough diagnosis and start a suitable treatment plan if needed. In saying that, below we give some of the possible explanations for your dog licking metal.
Metal itself shouldnt act as a source of nutrition. Dogs know they get their dietary requirements from organic material and not from inorganic metal objects. However, if a dog is suffering from some sort of nutritional deficiency, they may lick objects to try to get the nutrients they are lacking.
There are many minerals that your dog needs to survive and thrive. These minerals are chemical elements which are found in a dogs food. They take the form of simple compounds and include:
Some of these are essential nutrients for dogs, but others (such as iron and zinc) are considered ‘trace elements’. This means they do not need very much of this element to maintain their health. Still, if they do not get them, they can begin to suffer from a nutritional deficiency. For example, dogs which are unable to have a sufficient uptake of iron can develop anemia. This could be due to blood loss or malfunction of certain organs such as the duodenum[1]. Nutritional deficiencies might also explain why certain dogs have been observed licking concrete, sand or other materials.
It is possible your dog is licking metal objects, such as coffee table legs or radiators, because they have a mineral deficiency. It is possible there is an underlying health problem which is causing this inability to synthesize certain minerals. This is why you will need to take the dog to the vert for suitable diagnosis and treatment options. However, it is also possible you are simply providing an inadequate diet for your dog which is leading to their deficiency. Take a look at our article on how much and how often to feed your dog for more information on canine dietary requirements.
How to stop my dog from chewing things – simple solutions
It is not abnormal for our dog to lick many things. Whether they excitedly lick our face when we return from work or licking the ground while out on a walk, these behaviors can have benign explanations. If you wonder why does my dog lick metal?, you may think the same applies. Licking metal objects every once in a while might be a simple way to get some information out of their environment. Licking regularly is likely a sign of an obsessive disorder.
Pica in dogs is one such disorder which can explain why your dog is licking metal things. Unfortunately, it is also a condition which is poorly understood even by the veterinary medical community. AnimalWised looks into what we do know about it, but we also explore some other reasons why your dog might be licking metal things. You may also be interested in: