# My puppy eats rocks/stones ... whats wrong?



## dvdk (Jan 28, 2014)

Hi everyone... 
Jarvis is 13 weeks old, but does not matter how old he is, he likes stones from his first days. I dont know what does it mean, but it is not normal in my opinion. Does not matter if he is hungry or few minutes after food, he goes outside and take every small stone what lies in ground and eat. 
Now he is at home and eating stones only when he is outside during walk, but wonder why he is doing that. Our vet said its because his taste cells (palate) on the tongue are not really growth (sry for my english, cant find better word). Someone said it is because he needs to sharp his teeth. But... i am afraid because he eats stones and he cant sleep in night because of stomachache and sometimes there is also vomit process :/ 

can i somehow force him to stop do that? or i need to wait till he understand its not ok and tasty ? thanks


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## Xena9012 (Oct 12, 2013)

Puppy eating stones

Check out this thread I started when I got my puppy. Like yours she would eat small stones. To stop this behaviour I taught her drop and after a lot of practise she finally stopped eating the stones.


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## robeangyalchen (Aug 11, 2013)

*In my experience with Tyson.*

Mind did the same until he was almost 4 months, i had to rearrange the flower pots and cover the garden mud/soil with bricks temporarily. I taught him to drop it, but since i am as new to training as my new Puppy it took me lot longer. BUt before mastering Drop it, he stopped eating small pebbles and soil.

So, keep an eye on him so he cannot eat it, if he eats it remove it or teach him to drop it. I don't know if it was a puppy behavior or something else but he stopped eating it at almost 4 months old. Your might stop as well if given time and if taught not to eat.


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## Angelina03 (Jan 9, 2012)

Rocco did this too. It was a big problem for us. One time he even threw up a whole rock (thank god he threw it up). He had to be supervised closely when outside (even just walking him). He grew out of, but occasionally will pick one up to chew. Be very careful because if he swallows a rock, his stomach will not be able to digest it. It could be a surgery/life or death situation. I was baffled by it too, but apparently it's normal for puppies. 


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Mine did the same thing. 100% supervision around rocks and a lot of fingers in his mouth. They are crazy at that age.


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## Neko (Dec 13, 2012)

We had puppy Pica! it was awful and it was very hard to keep the puppy safe. I had to follow him like a hawk and teach leave it and treat.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

I think it is pretty common with puppies. They like to explore with their mouth and mine would pick of EVERYTHING outside. I hovered over him the whole time we were outside, taking things out of his mouth and trying to interest him I things he could safely chew. He grew out of it eventually.


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## Eiros (Jun 30, 2011)

Puppies dont have hands to pick things up and feel them, so they explore new things with their mouths!! 

Just watch him carefully, teach the pup "leave it" and "out", and trade the rock for a treat or something else fun when he obeys. Once your pup realizes that all rocks feel pretty much the same, he'll probably not be as interested in them. Until then, keep and eye on him so he doesn't hurt himself. If something goes in his mouth that might be dangerous, by all means don't be afraid to stick your hand in there and get it out!!


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Eiros said:


> Puppies dont have hands to pick things up and feel them, so they explore new things with their mouths!!
> 
> Just watch him carefully, teach the pup "leave it" and "out", and trade the rock for a treat or something else fun when he obeys. Once your pup realizes that all rocks feel pretty much the same, he'll probably not be as interested in them. Until then, keep and eye on him so he doesn't hurt himself. If something goes in his mouth that might be dangerous, by all means don't be afraid to stick your hand in there and get it out!!


Rocks can be dangerous... This was removed from Tasha's stomach at age 7


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## Shaina (Apr 2, 2011)

If it is so bad that you're having a hard time even when you're supervising, might not hurt to use a basket muzzle for being off leash in the yard until he grows out of it. May seem extreme, but I can't tell you how many rocks we pull out of puppies and young adult dogs in an emergency surgery situation! Can be very life-threatening if they don't pass. Obviously also teaching a strong OUT and LEAVE IT will be your best friend too.


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## Eiros (Jun 30, 2011)

shepherdmom said:


> Rocks can be dangerous... This was removed from Tasha's stomach at age 7


No kidding, yikes!! Hopefully the OP has some luck using the methods everyone offered


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

A friend's Elkhoud ate rocks. It caught up to him later in life = two scary stomach surgeries.

My present 4 yo picks up moderate size rocks, carrys them around & rolls on them in estacy. The 4 mo old has been emulating this behavior but not eating rocks.

I had two that ate rocks as pups. One had feces that looked like they were formed of asphalt! The other chewed on large rocks. Keeping dogs away from rocks was impossible in the situation I was living in then and it is impossible for the one I'm in now. Neither dog had a problem with rocks in the long run.

Sometimes the more intent you are in trying to take something away, the more excited they get about it. Ah if they would only catch my excitement for training tools!


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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

Yep, my pup did this as well. Have to watch them like a hawk, they are so quick sometimes. They usually outgrow it, but you have to watch they don't swallow anything.


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## njk (Jan 11, 2014)

My pup does this, and it's become a game for her. I was always hovering right over her and sticking my fingers in her mouth to dig the rocks out so she started grabbing them and running because she wanted me to chase her. So I got a couple of squeaky balls and I throw and chase them myself. Playing that game with me is more fun and she abandons the rocks in favour of grabbing the ball I seem to want and making me chase her for it. We still have the problem since I don't have as much energy as she does, so I got a spray bottle and mixed vinegar and lemon juice in it then started spraying the (huge) areas of our garden that have stones. This makes her mostly reject the stones but she's still determined at times to find one that tastes alright.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

I have that the dogs have access to. 5 of them are sage brush and juniper. Maybe I could hire a crop duster?


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## Germanshepherdlova (Apr 16, 2011)

pica


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## meek (Feb 14, 2012)

Mine did the same thing. 


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## dvdk (Jan 28, 2014)

Yeah.. it seems the LEAVE IT command will be my best friend. Actualy we are teaching this one, but it works fine only inside with clothes, furniture etc.. Leave it works. Then we go for a walk, everything ok, he smells everything, interested in other dogs and then suddenly stone... maybe half second and its inside... Without basket its immposible to stop. Sometimes i cant notice he chews sumfin. God thanks now its only small stones which goes out with pooh. Will see what will came later :crazy:


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