My standard poodle Abbey will swallow anything that is soft, like socks, dishtowels, washclothes, etc. She is 11 months old and other than this one issue she is great in the house.

She knows the command leave it, but, if she see something made with a soft material, she will grab it and swallow it before I can get it. When she releases something, I give her a treat and reward her, but with her "favorite things, she will gulp it down .

Of course I watch her carefully and try to puppy proof everything, but this can be anything from a paper towell to a dish towell to socks, to a pair of sweats, she will literaly tear a strip of the material from a a pair of sweats to gulp down. She is amasingly fast. Since it is so many things it is really is hard to prevent her from finding something, even though she is always with me when she is not in her kennel,I just have to turn my head for a minute and she has something.

I have tried using bitter apple on items that I know she would grab, it doesn't slow her down, I have tried vinegar, thinking she wouldn't touch it, wrong.

Does anyone have any ideas how to stop this behavior. I have tried everything I know to do and nothing has slowed her down. With food or her toys she sits and won't touch them until I give the OK cammand, but, with these things, it's lke she's addicted.....I would appreciate any suggestions.

I don't know if this is the best suggestion but an ecollar might be something to try? I would be very worried that Abbey's luck is going to run out and she's going to eat something that only a vet can remove through surgery.

Thanks I was wondering if the e collar would work with this issue. I have been really worried about this issue. Of course it makes her kennel time alot more than it would be if she didn't do this.

I have had dogs all my life and have never had this happen. I have had them chew stuff up, which isn't an issue with her, if she can't swallow it, she won't touch it. I can't give her a soft toy, she rips a piece off to swallow.

My husband thinks it is something missing in her diet, but she is fed the raw diet with a great variety and vit e and salmon oil. So if that is it I sure don't know what it can be,

Sometimes pica (eating of non food items) is related to health issues or digestive disorders.

I'd make sure it's not a medical problem before I treated it as a behavioral problem.

I'd seek out a homeopath or holistic vet for answers to this.

you can find a resource for vets on our website, use the search function in the upper left hand corner of leerburg.com.

Absolutely follow Cindy's advice. More often than not, eating things not meant to be eaten is the result of a deficiency or imbalance. You wouldn't want to punish the dog for something that is a health problem and not a behavior issue.

Thanks, I hae learned one thing with this issue, you learn something new everyday when it comes to our beloved pets....

Cindy, I will take your advice, I did make an order for the Digest Zymes and the Alfalfa powder, I ordered the Kelp also, however I already use the Kelp. (from this website of course) I thought maybe if there is an enzyne issue going on, this might help..

I did a little reading, and one vet said that puppies that were mouthy many times does this, and Abbey was the mouthiest puppy that I ever had, and I got to thinking that it was after, i corrected the mouthiness and got her to stop this, she started the swallowing thing, so now I wonder if that is part of it. I'd much rather her mouth my hand and arm, she can't swallow them!!!!

Thanks for your help. Claire

I thought I would update this. I don't know if it is just a coincedence or if it helped already, but, I started Abbey on the Digetzymez and added alfalfa to her diet, and she has not tried swallowing anything she is not suppose to, the one time she started to pick up a toy that wasn't hers, I told her to leace it and she did.

Would it be possible for the Digestzymez to work this fast? I know I will keep giving it to her, rather it is just a coincidence or not...