My puppy is fascinated by rocks. How do I get him to stop picking them up?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
my pup is fastenated over rocks what should i do to get him to stop
3 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on October 31st, 2016
It's normal for puppies to be very interested in rocks and other things that they can pick up in their mouths - this is how they explore the world, similar to the way that human toddlers want to touch everything with their hands. I would recommend teaching your puppy a reliable "drop it!" command so that you can ask him to drop anything he picks up outside that he shouldn't have. Start with a toy for practice - when he has the toy in his mouth, say "drop it!" in a cheerful tone of voice and put a treat in front of his nose. Most puppies will readily drop the toy to get the treat, praise and reward as soon as he does. With practice, he will begin to drop the toy eagerly as soon as you say "drop it!" without needing the food lure in front of his nose. Make sure that you still reward with a treat every time - we want this behavior to be very reliable! Once he's got the idea, you can start to use this command when you are outside in the yard or on a walk - if he picks up a rock or something else he shouldn't have, just say "drop it!" Praise and reward immediately as soon as he does - you will need to bring treats with you for this purpose. As he gets older, he should grow out of this behavior, so just be patient and consistent in the meantime.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on May 19th, 2017
It's usually quite easy to teach your dog to drop what's in his mouth on cue! :) I would recommend starting with a toy for practice. When he has the toy in his mouth, say "drop it!" in a cheerful voice, and hold a tasty treat in front of his nose. He should drop the toy quite easily to get the treat. When he does, pick up the toy and let him have the treat. Praise him, and give the toy back. Repeat this as many times as needed, until he happily drops the toy as soon as you say "drop it!", without needing to see the treat first. Make sure that you are still rewarding him with a treat every time after he drops the toy, or else he will learn to ignore you unless he sees the treat first. Once he is good at this with his toy, you can start to practice with other things. When he picks up something he shouldn't have, say "drop it!" and reward with a treat when he does what you ask.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on April 9th, 2017
Many dogs like to pick up objects off the ground - this is a very common issue on walks, especially with puppies and young dogs :) I would recommend teaching your dog a "drop it" cue using treats. To start, practice with a toy or other object at home. When he has the toy in his mouth, say "drop it!" in a cheerful tone, and hold a treat in front of his nose. Most dogs will eagerly drop the toy to eat the treat. Practice this until he will quickly drop the toy as soon as you ask. Once he's good at this at home, you can start using it when you go for walks. Make sure to take very tasty treats with you to reward him when he does what you ask! It may take some practice, but most dogs get very good at this once they realize that you will always have something better for them if they drop what they are holding. If you have trouble teaching this, I would recommend getting in touch with a good reward-based trainer in your area who can help you in person if needed.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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