How can I get my GSD pup (11 wks old) to stop eating rocks. She scoops them up like a vacumm cleaner. I have already had her to the vet once for this. She had 4 small rocks in her intestines which showed up on a X-ray. The vet thought they should pass on their own because they are small. This has become a real problem for me.

Don't let her around rocks.


Provide more chew toys.


If you catch her with rocks in her mouth correct her.

We had a Leerburg pup who liked to chomp rocks.. and subsequently poop rocks all day long - LOL

She grew out of it... thank God!

I go with VC's advice.. keep it away from rocks! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Very young puppies, such as yours, will often play with rocks, but since your pup has already swallowed a few, you MUST be diligent in closely watching your puppy ANYTIME it is outside to discourage this behavior. Hopefully, this is just a puppy phase, but there are dogs that are habitual rock eaters. The brother to my 14 month old male has had two major surgeries before the age of 10 months old, to remove a swallowed rock...big ones, too. The second time, a portion of his intestine was so damaged that it had to be removed. He will not survive another surgery for this, and so he must wear a muzzle anytime he is outside in the yard. It is very unfortunate for the dog, and a pain in the butt for the owner, but it is better than a dead dog. Having done some research in this area, there are some large, well known kennels that have problems with this. Many of their dogs are confirmed rock eaters, so they must be kept on cement outdoors. It can occur in any breed. There is some thought that it may even be genetic, and sadly, many dogs have died from swallowed rocks.
Definitely, correct your puppy for playing with stones, and give him lots of toys to distract him, and keep him busy.

Our shepherd liked to walk around with rocks in his mouth too. I started to pepper-spray (the self-defense stuff) our landscaping rocks a few minutes before putting him outside - all the rocks he had access to. It took a few cans and a few weeks, but he decided that rocks didn't taste so good anymore and he stopped. FYI - the spray only seemed to deter him for a few hours, you'll have to respray several times a day.

I love this forum. I thought only my dog ate rocks. as a pup it started with eating grass then dirt, crap, then slugs & finally rocks, small pebbles. But he is almost 5 mo now & has stopped eating grass, dirt, crap & pebbles, for the most part. I notice him every now & then scup or lick up some dirt & eat it. I believe if I did not correct him he would still be eating all of the above. Especially other dogs crap. I say this cause I see him sniffing dog crap & looks at me to see if im watching him, I wouldn’t be surprised if I was not watching him, he would probably eat some. Though what he does now, about a month now is he looks for bigger stones (the smoother the better) & mouths them licks them, walks around with them & believe it or not he plays what I call hike with them. he uses his front two feet to hike the stone between his two back feet? he does this all the time now when we are outside. I let him, I don’t think this is a danger to him as the stones are usually to big to swallow. I was considering renaming him Hike cause of this habit.

Anyway, gently correct your pup when he picks up a stone. Get the message across to her that you do not like this. If you can do it gently great, if you need to use some type of force then do that. This is a dangerous habit. After she understands, always praise her when she does not do it. I.e.: when you see her sniff a rock & does not take it into her mouth say good girl.

My female is 2. She would do the same thing. She knows "leave it". I would correct her on the e collar if she started to pick it up.She would also do the hike. It would actually hit her back legs and she would yip and then continue. I think the command leave it gives her the chance to do the right thing and if she decides to say screw the "leave it" then the correction comes. She always needs a toy and if there are none around she finds one and hopefully she finds rocks not fun anymore. Whenever we go out now I say get your ball, Find it is also fun. Whenever she drops the ball I sneak up and make it come alive again. Now she watches me after she drops it.
She is now going to rock eaters anon. I supervise and join in on her play time so she dosn't fall off the wagon.

Thank you so much for all your advice. She definately understands "NO", but I don't see her all the time before she gets one in her mouth. She does have so many toys, but I keep them in the house. I guess I will try and take her balls or something outside to distract her. The breeder thought I might have to use an e-collar if this doesn't improve. Again thanks so much for all the suggestions.

If she continues to snack on rocks at any given opportunity, I'd have her checked for anemia as well, rock eating is a form of pica <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> .

Ok, I am stupid sometimes....What is pica???? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />