Puppys and eating grass
Discussion
Hi all, our 12 week old beagle is obsessed with eating twigs, dirt and grass. I am concerned at what damage this might do.
We are dilligent at getting stones/pebbles out of his mouth, and as much grass as we can, but we cant get it all, and I am worried if it is going to do him any damage.
Until he has his 2nd lot of jabs, the garden is his only outside time, and whilst this is great fun for him, and us, he is more interested in eating grass than associating that outside as a place to wee?
Roll on tomorrow, when he gets his shots and we can start taking him for walks, and tire him out a bit.
We are dilligent at getting stones/pebbles out of his mouth, and as much grass as we can, but we cant get it all, and I am worried if it is going to do him any damage.
Until he has his 2nd lot of jabs, the garden is his only outside time, and whilst this is great fun for him, and us, he is more interested in eating grass than associating that outside as a place to wee?
Roll on tomorrow, when he gets his shots and we can start taking him for walks, and tire him out a bit.
Let me know if you find anything, my little one (7 months now) eats grass, twigs, stones, plasterboard, bricks, toys... literally anything he can find that we can't pull out/don't see him eating, happily comes out the other end a day or so later.
Not advisable, I'm terrified that he's going to damage himself doing it...
Other than being a massive piggy, I've no idea why.
Not advisable, I'm terrified that he's going to damage himself doing it...
Other than being a massive piggy, I've no idea why.
Stones and pebbles are definitely not going to do him any good if he swallows them, and chewing them will damage his teeth. As above, he could well be bored, does he have lots of toys? There are also toys made specifically to tire dogs out mentally now, which would be worth investing in.
my lab eats grass all the time. Sometimes he does it when he is a little bit under the weather other times he does it cos I think he likes it. Hasn't done him any harm at all.
He also eats sticks, well not eat them as such mainly chews them and then spits the little bits out. He managed to sneak one into the hosue one day, it looked like someone had started a chipper in the kitchen when we discovered what he had done.
He has also eaten dead rabbits that he has discovered while out walking. Again no harm done.
Dogs have a fairly strong stomach and can handle a lot of stuff. Just make sure he doesn't eat flowers, our lab did this when he was a puppy and made himself really ill.
He also eats sticks, well not eat them as such mainly chews them and then spits the little bits out. He managed to sneak one into the hosue one day, it looked like someone had started a chipper in the kitchen when we discovered what he had done.
He has also eaten dead rabbits that he has discovered while out walking. Again no harm done.
Dogs have a fairly strong stomach and can handle a lot of stuff. Just make sure he doesn't eat flowers, our lab did this when he was a puppy and made himself really ill.
t.Thank you all for your replies.
I understand where you are coming from with suggestions of boredom, but find it hard to believe, as appart from a few hours at a time when crate training, he has not been left alone since mid-march when he came home. He has a wide selection of toys and as many cuddles as he can get, so boredom it aint.
so Grass = ok. unless it is huge quantities.
As for the pebbles thing, it is becoming a problem, untill he finishes his inoculations, the only place he can go out is the garden, so the garden is associated with fun, rather than a place to go pee. Every time he makes out like he needs a wee, it is forgotton about once he gets outside, as he darts off to play stones and twigs. As a result, through trying to get them out of his mouth he is becoming a bit anxious about going outside, and sems to be taking a step backwards with the toilet training.
This morning he looked me deep in the eyes and curled one onto the carpet. We are not scalding him, and trying not to shout or raise voices, but it is becomming a propper bain.
As soon as he can get out for walks. then I am hoping this will start to resolve itself. but for the moment it is a pickle.
I understand where you are coming from with suggestions of boredom, but find it hard to believe, as appart from a few hours at a time when crate training, he has not been left alone since mid-march when he came home. He has a wide selection of toys and as many cuddles as he can get, so boredom it aint.
so Grass = ok. unless it is huge quantities.
As for the pebbles thing, it is becoming a problem, untill he finishes his inoculations, the only place he can go out is the garden, so the garden is associated with fun, rather than a place to go pee. Every time he makes out like he needs a wee, it is forgotton about once he gets outside, as he darts off to play stones and twigs. As a result, through trying to get them out of his mouth he is becoming a bit anxious about going outside, and sems to be taking a step backwards with the toilet training.
This morning he looked me deep in the eyes and curled one onto the carpet. We are not scalding him, and trying not to shout or raise voices, but it is becomming a propper bain.
As soon as he can get out for walks. then I am hoping this will start to resolve itself. but for the moment it is a pickle.
My sister has a 12 month old Beagle with a similar obsession to yours with putting everything he can find into his mouth for a good chew.
Nothing constructive to add other than it seems to have done him no harm - Apart from the occasional pukey twigs found on the floor - Maybe its a beagle thing, they certainly have a great nose on them.
Nothing constructive to add other than it seems to have done him no harm - Apart from the occasional pukey twigs found on the floor - Maybe its a beagle thing, they certainly have a great nose on them.
Hello 
I have a few suggestions for you...
I know you say he can't be bored as he is not left alone, but working type dogs can be high energy and need an outlet for it. They tend to need some brain training as well as physical exercise, so playing is good, but also some sort of training to tire his brain out can work well too.
This is what I would do:
1. He is bred to use his nose, so scatter feed him his kibble in the garden. That way he has to use his nose to find the kibble, it gives him something to do and will also build up positive associations with the garden.
2. Clicker training. See Karen Pryors website (and many others). Do a bit of free-shaping and capturing. He will have to use his brain to work out what you want him to do in order to get his reward. You can teach a dog to do all manner of things using clicker training. I would only do it in short bursts as he is so young and won't be able to concentrate for long, but it will make him very tired.
3. When he has something in his mouth that you don't want him to have, play swapsies for something of higher value. If you just chase him around to take the thing away from him, he is likely to either think it's a great game and so run off with it, or start guarding it to stop you getting it. Swapsies is always a good game and sets him up for later life too.
Hope this helps
I have a few suggestions for you...
I know you say he can't be bored as he is not left alone, but working type dogs can be high energy and need an outlet for it. They tend to need some brain training as well as physical exercise, so playing is good, but also some sort of training to tire his brain out can work well too.
This is what I would do:
1. He is bred to use his nose, so scatter feed him his kibble in the garden. That way he has to use his nose to find the kibble, it gives him something to do and will also build up positive associations with the garden.
2. Clicker training. See Karen Pryors website (and many others). Do a bit of free-shaping and capturing. He will have to use his brain to work out what you want him to do in order to get his reward. You can teach a dog to do all manner of things using clicker training. I would only do it in short bursts as he is so young and won't be able to concentrate for long, but it will make him very tired
.3. When he has something in his mouth that you don't want him to have, play swapsies for something of higher value. If you just chase him around to take the thing away from him, he is likely to either think it's a great game and so run off with it, or start guarding it to stop you getting it. Swapsies is always a good game and sets him up for later life too.
Hope this helps
Mrs Grumpy said:
When he has something in his mouth that you don't want him to have, play swapsies for something of higher value. If you just chase him around to take the thing away from him, he is likely to either think it's a great game and so run off with it, or start guarding it to stop you getting it. Swapsies is always a good game and sets him up for later life too.
This.Our puppy is doing exactly the same - it's natural for them to want to put everything and anything in their mouths and see whether it is food. Tally now responds to a stern "leave it" and a reward of a treat occassionally.
Frankly I don't rate Jan Fennel in the slightest 
She is still into very much outdated 'dominance', 'pack leadership' and 'alpha status' all of which was based on flawed studies of captive wolves. I much prefer Pamela Dennison - The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training. Far from being written for idiots! It's an easy read and makes a lot of sense
She is still into very much outdated 'dominance', 'pack leadership' and 'alpha status' all of which was based on flawed studies of captive wolves. I much prefer Pamela Dennison - The Complete Idiot's Guide to Positive Dog Training. Far from being written for idiots! It's an easy read and makes a lot of sense Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff