When we rescued our pup I noticed that she always ate rocks, dirt, mud. It was alarming as well as embarrassing.
For days I kept wondering if what I was feeding was okay..
Was it an issue with the environment?
Here is how we reduced this alarming behavior ( yes it does pop up once in a while).
Why is your Dog Eating Rocks?
After looking at various articles and multiple visits to the vet, I found out a couple of reasons my puppy might be eating gravel and rocks.
Reason #1 Pica in Dogs
Pica is a term used when dogs eat everything which is not food. It could be dirt, gravel, plastic, wool.
There can be many reasons the puppy might be doing this and each one needs to be handled differently. Eating gravel is a different issue than say dog eating poop for instance.
How do you know if your dog has pica?
If your dog is eating everything it isn’t supposed to such as cardboard, wood, plastic, rocks., then it probably has pica.
Other tell tale signs include
- Lethargy
- Vomiting
- Lack of Appetite
- Diarrhea
- perforated stomach or colon
- Chipped or broken teeth
- Upset stomach
How big of a rock can a dog pass?
The rock should be tiny enough to pass through the digestive tract. Bigger rocks will cause internal blockages and pose a serious health risk.
Usually the vet will take an xray to determine if any foreign objects are stuck in the stomach and recommend procedures, laxatives and /or surgery for its removal.
What can you do to Prevent a Dog from eating Stones and Gravel?
Dietary Changes
Ensure that your puppy has enough to eat. A rumbling stomach can make the dog look for alternatives. Lack of minerals and nutritional deficiency can also be another reason why your dog is displaying this unwanted behavior.
Consult with your vet and include Nutritional Supplements in her diet.
Offer a Toy
Distraction does work like a charm for dogs. Mine loves playing ( a LOT). Ensure that your dog has good chew toys lying around.
Sometimes it might just be the desire to keep munching. I have a cocker spaniel mix and she keeps munching on stuff ( especially her ears).
The only thing we found helpful was to divert her attention with toys.
Include lots of playtime and make it a fun activity by introducing puzzles and chew toys.
Change the Route
This is the first thing to be done. Avoid those paths with a lot of rocks and gravel. Try and find a different route for your dog. We have totally eliminated such areas from our walking route.
This is probably the first step to get a good hold on this matter.
Walks
It is found that lack of exercise can play a key role when you are addressing behavioral issues in dogs.
The puppy might simply be too bored… especially those breeds who just love to exercise.
The easiest way is to tire the dog out by taking her on long walks everyday. For a cocker spaniel 30 to 45 minutes of walk time tires her out and keeps her all satisfied.
Every breed differs, so find a schedule which works for your pup.
Mental Stimulation
Your puppy might simply be toooo bored. So get her some play toys such as training Toys, Chew Toys and Puzzle Toys.
The best toy we got for our pup was the cloth tug toy. She loves playing with it but it needs us to tug on it.
So she also has a chew toy which she can chew on to her heart’s content and we are not required to keep playing or monitoring.
Gosh it already does sound like distracting a baby and keeping them happy… yes our pup is treated like a baby 🙂
Attention
This habit your dog is displaying could simply a case of not getting enough attention. Maybe you are too overwhelmed with work, kids are loaded with school work, and puppy feels ignored and sigh… bored.
While always giving attention isn’t good, but it is important to identify this need and address it. Have designated walk and play times for your puppy. Generally two 30 minute slots per day of going for walks would be ideal.
Certain breeds require much more time, and would enjoy runs, a swim. These needs if unfulfilled can almost immediately translate to boredom.
Muzzle her up
You can invest in a muzzle to stop your dog from eating rocks. Find one which helps her breathe easily and is comfortable. Those tight closed muzzle should be banned in my opinion.
The dog shouldn’t feel tied down, just slightly restricted when you are taking her for a walk. Always monitor your pup when on a muzzle and remove the muzzle if you notice any discomfort.