Why does my dog hold rocks in its mouth?
Below are likely reasons why your dog holds rocks in its mouth and what would make each of them more likely.
The cause could be that it has started teething. This would be more likely if your dog is still young, it has started doing it suddenly and if it has started chewing on other things as well. In this case, it would help to give it other things to chew on such as bones or toys and to try to hide things that you do not want to be picked up.
Often dogs will carry things around, with their mouths, when they are anxious. Anxiety could be the reason why your dog has been doing it. This would be more likely if it tends to do it more when it is more likely to be anxious such as when you are leaving home.
It might also be the case that your dog has learned that the behavior is rewarded. If you tend to give your dog extra attention, treats or toys, when it holds rocks in its mouth, it will likely do it more in order to get more rewards.
The cause might also be that it is giving the rocks to you as a present. This would be more likely if it tends to bring the rock its holding to you.
It could also be the case that it simply likes the way it feels to hold a rock in its mouth. This would be more likely if your dog has been doing it at random times and it does not seem to be doing it for rewards.
Dogs will often explore their surroundings by putting things in its mouth and it might be the case that your dog holds rocks because it is exploring. This would be more likely if your dog does it when it goes to new locations and if it is still young.
If your dog has also been eating rocks, it could be the case that your dog has been doing it due to nutritional deficiencies causing it to eat things that it should not be. In this case, it would help to discuss its diet with a vet.
Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main cause.
If your dog has not always carried rocks in its mouth, it would help to consider what else happened when your dog first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it might be the case that it learned that the behavior is rewarded, it had a change in its diet, or you started taking it to new places causing it to explore more.
If there is a certain time that your dog tends to pick up rocks, it would also help to consider the timing. For example, if it does it more when you are walking it, the cause would be more likely to be that it simply likes the feeling.
Why Is My Dog Obsessed with Rocks?
Why does my dog play with rocks? The medical reasons may include:
Other reasons stemming from an emotional or physical (rather than psychological or mental) condition include:
Puppies experience teething twice. Once developing their super sharp baby teeth up to 8 weeks old. Twice when their baby teeth fall out to be replaced by their adult teeth at 5-6 months.
If you have a teething puppy experiencing discomfort, it’s best to provide them with soft chew toys.
For teenage or adult dogs, chew toys provide great enjoyment and stimulation when they are alone. We have an article on 19 recommended toys, which include 5 chew toys that they can play with, either indoors or outdoors. You can view that article by clicking here.
But you don’t have to venture far from home to relieve a dog’s boredom. You could play fetch or catch as a routine in your local park or backyard.
In addition, outdoor toys are a great way to keep your dog engaged and occupied for hours.
What is Pica in Dogs?
Pica is a medical condition in dogs. The animal is obsessed with ingesting non-food items. These include dirt, garbage, pieces of human clothing (e.g., socks, underwear), glass, metal, paper, plastic, rocks, wood and yes, even feces.
What causes Pica? It’s considered to be a psychological or mental issue and a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Pica can be caused by malnutrition or an unbalanced diet as well. In this case, your dog mistakenly identifies these non-food items as a source of whatever nutrient(s) its body is currently lacking.
Or, Pica could be the result of something as serious as emotional and/or physical trauma.
Pica would answer a couple of questions about your dog’s behavior being odd:
You can try to train a dog out of their habit of chewing rocks. However, if the underlying reason for their behavior is something more serious, then more serious steps are required to heal your dog.
The American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has stated that Pica is a condition that will not ‘work itself out‘. They recommend this condition must be handled professionally by a veterinarian and/or dog behaviorist. Therapy and treatment are the only ways to ‘cure’ this behavior.
Why Do Dogs Eat Rocks? | How to Stop Your Dog from Eating Rocks | Why is My Dog Eating Rocks?
Our dogs do all sorts of strange things … some are even quite dangerous. Live with an adolescent dog, or any breed that has pent up energy, and you will likely experience serious heart pounding as your dog tries to chase not-so-cuddly critters, jumps off unsecure pieces of furniture, or (of course) attempts to scarf down weird things that are not considered food. They certainly want to keep us on our toes!
Sometimes the things dogs consume (even when we dont want them to) are not cause for concern. And other times, well, they may require a trip to the emergency vet (you didnt want to save that stimulus check, did you?). If your dog is eating rocks, that happens to be one of those things that needs immediate attention. We examine four reasons why your dog might decide to sample them and what you can do about it.