Your Dog Just Wants to Try Them Out
Like human toddlers, puppies love to try out new things with their mouth. A hand? Put their mouth on it. A squeaky toy? Lick it. Your new pair of jeans? Bite it. And for some pups, and adult dogs, too, a rock can be just one more thing to test out with their mouth. If this is the case for your dog, using positive reinforcement to teach them a “leave it” cue can be really helpful and extremely useful in many contexts. Avoid just grabbing something from your dogs mouth—-not only does this increase the chances of your dog resource guarding things in the future, it can also increase the chances of eating rocks becoming a fun game.
“It [rock eating] can be reinforced by inappropriate attention, like trying to grab and pull things from the dogs mouth instead of you just trading or redirecting,” says Leslie Sinn, DVM, DACVB, CPDT-KA, veterinary behaviorist and owner of Behavior Solutions in Hamilton, Va.
To prevent resource guarding and accidentally reinforcing rock eating, teach your dog helpful cues like “give” and “drop.” Then trade with your dog by offering them something else they might really want, like a treat or favorite tug toy. When they go for that thing instead, you then remove the rock from their line of sight and move your dog to a different area.
Boredom is a common culprit for myriad reasons our dogs do things. From chewing on furniture to ingesting odd things in your yard like dirt or plants, a dog that is not mentally and physically enriched will find ways to alleviate boredom. And if a dog is constantly bored, meaning his environment doesnt offer much mental stimulation, he may ingest things that pique his interest more than a dog that is simply bored at random times.
This can lead to a significant behavioral and health concern, as dogs that lack consistent opportunities to engage their brain will soon become frustrated and anxious and look for ways to soothe those feelings.
To prevent this, make sure youre providing your dog daily chances to use their canine smarts to investigate and learn. You can help prevent boredom in your home and yard by offering up new toys and puzzles, rotating old ones, and adding safe chew toy options. Take your dog for walks and hikes every day and let them sniff. Play games, offer up daily sessions that teach them new skills and tricks, and go out and discover the world together.
4 Reasons Your Dog Eats Rocks
Chewing, licking, or even accidentally swallowing a rock doesnt always mean your dog has a serious problem, per se, but it can quickly become an emergency situation. Rocks can quickly do damage to a dogs body and when your dog is constantly trying to eat them, you need to seek immediate help from a veterinary professional. Here are four common reasons your dog might become a rock collector.
In the meantime, work on the “no” and “leave it” commands with your dog. Practice with other objects and work your way up to rocks, so that you can convince your dog to drop any that he or she may see on a walk. You can also make a point of carrying toys with you and replacing any rocks that your dog may pick up so that your dog comes to understand what is and is not okay to chew. If the dog keeps going for the rocks, though, you may need to try a muzzle.
The answer to the second question is a definite no. Plenty of dogs chew rocks, despite the fact htat it is dangerous for their teeth and digestive systems. So why is it so popular? Like many strange canine behaviors, the reason depends on the dog.
Part of being a dog owner is keeping your furry friend away from things that he or she should not chew or eat. Rocks are one of those things that can really hurt a dog, and so they are one of the most important things to keep away from his or her curious mouth. That doggone habit is pretty dangerous!
If you do have a rock-eater instead of just a rock-chewer, it is even more important for you to stop the behavior. A dogs system cannot pass a rock easily, and it can cause a painful and dangerous obstruction. Before this happens, make an appointment with a veterinarian who can perform the tests necessary to determine whether your dog has a nutritional deficiency or other underlying medical condition. Should this prove to be the case, treating the condition itself is likely to eliminate your dogs desire to self-medicate with rocks. If there is no medical reason why your dog is swallowing rocks, the answer is likely pica. The American Society or the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has confirmed that the compulsive nature of pica means that it will not work itself out and requires special training. There are professional behaviorists that can help.
As the owner of a rock-chewer, you can start by finding out whether your dog is chewing rocks for the purpose of eating them. If so, the dog may have a psychological condition known as pica. Present in both animals and humans, pica causes a compulsive desire to eat non-food items. In dogs, the item of choice is often rocks or gravel. Although pica is the most common cause of rock-eating in dogs, it is not the only medical explanation. Some dogs chew and swallow rocks or stones because they have nutritional deficiencies, and their bodies identify rocks as a good source of whatever is missing. Others have an intestinal disorder, diabetes, or worms. If your dog is not eating rocks but simply chewing on them, however, the reason is almost certainly psychological or emotional. The dog may be trying to work out anxiety or frustration, although it is also possible that he or she is simply bored. Many dogs start chewing on rocks because they have a compulsion to chew something, yet they lack the right chew toys.
Why Do Dogs Eat Rocks? | How to Stop Your Dog from Eating Rocks | Why is My Dog Eating Rocks?
In this article we will look at the reasons why dogs eat inedible objects like dirt, stones or trash. We’ll help you understand this dog eating dirt problem. Then, we’ll share some reassurance and helpful tips. We’ll also be pointing you in the direction of some great training ideas and solutions.
Why do dogs eat dirt, stones, and other trash? If you’ve ever felt concerned about your normally well-mannered dog eating dirt, you’re not alone. Some Labradors eat the most astonishing amount of trash. But besides Labs, other dogs also eat dirt, rocks, mud, disgusting dead animals, sticks, leaves and even poop. Puppies in particular often eat stones, leaves and bits of paper. And it is natural to worry about whether this will harm them. Let’s find out now — why DO dogs eat dirt? Why do dogs eat trash? What can you do about your dog eating stones? We’ll begin with the first question.
There are a few reasons why you might have a dog eating dirt situation. As we review each of these reasons, think about which of them seem most likely for your doggie. It’s also possible that there might be more than one of these issues with your pet.
One possible reason is that dogs that eat dirt may have a mineral deficiency. In this case, by eating dirt, they’re trying to get nutrients from the soil. There’s no hard evidence to support this theory, but it seems a reasonable one, and it’s certainly worth reviewing the diet of a dog who eats dirt. This is important especially if you are feeding a home cooked diet. Most complete commercial pet foods contain the full range of vitamins and minerals required by your pet.
Swallowing the occasional bit of dirt is unlikely to harm your dog. But, if your Lab is munching on soil on a regular basis, he needs a check up from the vet. There are some illnesses that can cause malnutrition and potentially this kind of abnormal eating pattern. One of such conditions is anemia — a drop in the red blood cells. Dogs with anemia may show any or all of the following signs:
Other illnesses such as liver and gastrointestinal issues may also show up as your dog eating dirt. IMPORTANT: some garden mulches are poisonous to dogs, so never let your dog have access to mulch.
Eating dirt could arise in dogs that are bored, or as an attention-seeking device. Basically, your pup is saying “look at me, I’m eating dirt. I bet you want to stop me doing this!!” Which of course, you do.
If this is your dog’s problem, you may just need to spend a bit more time interacting with him, and giving him a bit more exercise and attention. However, you’ll need to do this when your dog is displaying good behavior.
Do your best in the meantime to avoid fussing over a dog who’s eating dirt. We’ll discuss more specific tips later on what you can do. But, if you’d like some ideas on training, check out our training section for more information and tips.
Another reason for eating dirt may just be a strongly flavored area of soil. Perhaps something tasty (to your dog) has been spilled there, or is buried in that patch of soil? It might help just to wait them out and see if they return with anything specific or interesting. This option is especially worth considering if your dog keeps digging and snacking in the same place.
Again, if your dog is taking this to extremes, get some professional help. See your vet in the first instance, and from there you may need a referral to an animal behaviorist. Why do dogs eat dirt? There you have four solid reasons why your dog may be eating dirt. But what about stones? Why do dogs eat stones?
Eating stones is a very common activity among puppies. So, if you’re a dog parent with a dog eating stones, don’t feel bad. In many cases, it probably starts with the puppy just exploring a pebble or two with his mouth. Puppies are similar to toddlers in that way; they use their mouths to explore new sensations.
However, if left alone with the small stone/coin/plastic toy or whatever he has in his mouth, most puppies will simply spit it out when they get bored with it. But of course, we worry that the puppy will choke or swallow the thing, and we try to get it off him. The puppy then does swallow it, simply because if it’s in his tummy, no one else can take it. For this reason it is always best to “swap” items you don’t want your puppy to have, for a tasty bit of food. It helps to avoid the swallowing habit getting started.
Puppies often grow out of eating rubbish. But, if a dog eating stones or rocks persists into adulthood it can be much more serious. We’ll look at that below.
Many dogs that appear to be eating sticks are actually just chewing them up. It’s an activity that many dogs really enjoy. For Labs, this chewing is often born from their retriever instincts. Still, stress, boredom, and anxiety may exacerbate these chewing tendencies.
Most of the tiny bits that the stick breaks down into, are spat out. You’ll often find them in a pile around the dog. But if your dog is actually eating and swallowing wood, then you should be worried. In this case again, we’ll do what we did with the puppy and stones. Swapping the stick for something tasty makes it less likely that your dog will swallow what is in his mouth, or run off with it.
However, for some dogs, eating everything and anything is a real psychological problem and health risk. These dogs often consume items of clothing such as socks, dishcloths and cleaning rags, toys, sticks and pretty much anything they find lying around.
If you’re wondering “why does my dog eat trash?” you’re not alone. Many dogs love a good trash rummage. There are a few reasons why your furchild loves to snoop in the trash. And no, it’s not because one man’s trash is another (doggie)’s treasure.
Sometimes, it’s as simple as the fact that something in the trash smells like food to your dog. Other times, it’s because your trash can seems like an exciting gadget for your dog. Perhaps he’s noticed that pushing a lever magically opens this trove of food. Dogs also love weird smells. If you’re a dog owner, you’ll know that they sniff anything from butts to smelly feet — don’t be shocked if they love the way trash smells.
Still, trash-loving dogs may have serious issues too. Maybe your dog’s appetite is skyrocketing because of an undiagnosed illness? Either way, if you find it happening too often or your instincts tell you there might be more to it, see your vet. We’ll have more tips for dealing with dogs eating trash in our tips section below.