Why does my puppy eat sticks & rocks and dig? How can I stop it?

Question

Puppy won't stop eating sticks and I'm scared for his stomach I never entertained him with sticks but he runs from me and tries to eat them all the time ! I know they can be harmful to him and rocks can be too! And he has started to want to dig and I don't know why !! Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | unneutered | 2 months and 15 days old | 15 lbs

Allison Newth, VMD · Accepted Answer

Certainly sticks and stones are not good for Teddy's GI tract. They can cause irritation, ulcers, and can get stuck and require surgery to remove them. You can try keeping Teddy on a leash to be able to keep him from the sticks as he learns what is ok to chew and what is not ok. I also recommend always having something to redirect his behavior when he does things like grabbing a stick. Things like chew toys or balls to fetch can be helpful tools to redirect Teddy's behavior to something more appropriate to do besides chewing sticks and stones. I always tell clients that animals cannot change behavior in a vacuum. Meaning just saying, "Teddy No!" When he chews sticks or digs in the yard is only one half of the equation. The other half is to give him something that IS ok to chew on or play with. Eventually with consistent redirection your little guy should get the hang of it. Keep in mind, also, that digging is a part of normal puppy behavior, even though we need to stop them from doing it or our yards will look like disaster zones. You can try this same redirecting trick with digging. Also make sure not to leave Teddy unattended outside until he gets the hang both of not digging and not going after sticks and stones. Best of luck with your sweet little trouble maker!

Why does my puppy eat sticks & rocks and dig? How can I stop it?

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