# Puppy eating coal



## Rosa (Sep 18, 2010)

Since the cold weather is back we have started lighting the fire again my 4 month old gsd seams to be getting his paws on coal and eating it...does this mean he is lacking something in his diet? or is he just been a puppy? trying hardest to keep it away from him but throughout the day he seams to get a piece or two some how.

Last night he had diarrhea and also got sick, he seamed to be sweating aswell as when he was sleeping his brow got very moist would this be the effects of him eating the coal?

Any help will be appreciated.


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## Vinnie (Sep 4, 2001)

Hi Rosa, I moved this to 'Feeding Our Puppy' because I thought you might get more responses here.

Sometimes puppies do this because there is something lacking in their diet. I'd be sure to check and be sure you are feeding a well balanced food that provides all the necessary nutrition your growing dog needs. Can I ask what food you're feeding?

But sometimes it's just a puppy being a puppy. Most of the time puppies will eat any thing they can get in their little mouths. Do you have a screen or way to block off this area from your puppy?


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## Rosa (Sep 18, 2010)

Thank you Vinnie,

I'm feeding him Bakers Complete puppy food i'm not sure if you have that in USA but here is a link to what is in the food itself

Bakers Complete: Puppy Food and Dog Health Care 

I'm not sure does give him everything he needs but it was recommended to me by my local pet store.

Last night i blocked off this area so the puppies can't get at it at all.


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## Khromadin (Oct 6, 2010)

Lol yea, my GSD pup loves to find the tinniest rocks and naw on them . I think because of the teething process they just like to chew on hard things. But coal i would really whatch out with. Best thing get him/her and smoked beef bone from your local smoke house. If you do not have one go to your pet food supplier they usually have em.


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## roxy84 (Jun 23, 2007)

Rosa said:


> Thank you Vinnie,
> 
> I'm feeding him Bakers Complete puppy food i'm not sure if you have that in USA but here is a link to what is in the food itself
> 
> ...


*Bakers Complete Puppy Ingredients: *
_*Cereals (min 4% cereals), Meat and animal derivatives (min. 4 % fresh chicken in the soft moist kernel), Vegetable protein extracts, Oils & fats, Various sugars, Derivatives of vegetable origin, Minerals (min 1% calcium in bone kibble), Vegetables (min. 4% green vegetables and min 4% carrots in the green and orange kernels), Milk & milk derivatives (min. 4% milk in the bone kernel). With antioxidants, coloured with and preserved with EC additives.*_

ill just be blunt. that is one of the worst looking foods ive ever seen. what else is avaialble where you live?

usually vets and pet store clerks are two of the worst sources where food recommendations are concerned.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

it means you're not keeping your pup
away from the coals. remember "when your
dog isn't doing something you don't want you're 
doing something wrong". i read that on this forum:
i think.



Rosa said:


> Since the cold weather is back we have started lighting the fire again my 4 month old gsd seams to be getting his paws on coal and eating it...does this mean he is lacking something in his diet? or is he just been a puppy? trying hardest to keep it away from him but throughout the day he seams to get a piece or two some how.
> 
> Last night he had diarrhea and also got sick, he seamed to be sweating aswell as when he was sleeping his brow got very moist would this be the effects of him eating the coal?
> 
> Any help will be appreciated.


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## Rosa (Sep 18, 2010)

roxy84 said:


> ill just be blunt. that is one of the worst looking foods ive ever seen. what else is avaialble where you live?
> 
> usually vets and pet store clerks are two of the worst sources where food recommendations are concerned.


We have Royal Canin that is the only other food i've seen on this forum mentioned that we have over here. 

What exactly should be in the food like bakers etc to make it a well balanced diet?


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

All puppies need to learn (from us) what they can do in our human world and what we would prefer them NOT to do. 

The only way they can learn this is by we humans 'managing' their world with closed doors, baby gates, and keeping the puppy in the room with us. That way when we see them doing something good we can praise them, and see them grab something bad (coal? my new shoes? ) we can IMMEDIATELY remove it from their mouths with an 'uh uh' and replace it with a GOOD toy. So they LEARN what is allowed and not.

Sounds to me like you just have a normal puppy who likes putting things in it's mouth, and if we aren't there to teach it better and they decide they like coal (wood, shoes, furniture, pillows....) and we aren't there to redirect then they will continue.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I agree with Roxy, that food is almost ALL grains and cereals. The 4% meat is 4% by fresh weight, so once it is dehydrated to be mixed in with the kibble, it is probably less than one percent of dried weight of the kibble. 

Dogs cannot digest grains very well - they don't have the digestive enzymes to break down the hard cell walls of plants and seeds. Taking an undegestible powder, and mixing it with fats, sugars and vitamins and minerals might make the food "complete" chemically, but not nutritionally if they can't digest it properly.

Between the two, Royal Canin would be a better choice. And even with that, I would supplement with fresh raw meat and if I could.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Castlemaid said:


> *I agree with Roxy, that food is almost ALL grains and cereals. The 4% meat is 4% by fresh weight, so once it is dehydrated to be mixed in with the kibble, it is probably less than one percent of dried weight of the kibble. *
> 
> *Dogs cannot digest grains very well - they don't have the digestive enzymes to break down the hard cell walls of plants and seeds. Taking an undegestible powder, and mixing it with fats, sugars and vitamins and minerals might make the food "complete" chemically, but not nutritionally if they can't digest it properly.*
> 
> Between the two, Royal Canin would be a better choice. And even with that, I would supplement with fresh raw meat and if I could.


:thumbup: I agree with both of them!


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## Rosa (Sep 18, 2010)

Ok thanks very much ye have been a great help! i'll have a look see what I can find which will be better for him on the Irish market


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