Does your Doodle like rocks?

[Heidi]

Bear likes to pick up rocks and leave them in different places. However, when we see him pick one up we have him drop it or tell him to "leave it". So the other day we thought he may have swallowed one. We watched over him to make sure he was OK and checked his stools but nothing. His appetite was the same too. Well two days later, early Thanksgiving morning he is gagging and coughing up mucous. A few seconds later out came a perfectly round 2-3 inch size rock.

How do you keep you doodle from eating rocks when your not around him?

[Ann Kendig]

Sheba is terrible about eating rocks. I have to watch her like a hawk outside. She doesn't care for little stones, it's the at least 1 inch size rocks or bigger. She had eaten a few earlier this summer but they all passed. (Had to have an Xray done) DH has strict orders to watch her at all times!!!! I had to board her for a little over a week in October. Unfortunately their runs were rocks and not cement. This place is one of the best kennels in the area so I went with them. I had to buy a muzzle for Sheba to prevent her from eating the rocks. They were under strict orders to make sure they put it on, and they did. Hated to do it but it prevented something bad from happening to her. They said she didn't really mind it. When she was outside she was so happy to run and play with our LD Duke that she hardly noticed. Hope she grows out of this as I have far to many rocks to spray with bitter apple!

[Heidi]

I wonder what it is about the rocks that they like so much? Bear is the same as Sheba. He likes the bigger rocks too. Hopefully it is something they grow out of. In mean time, we watch him like a hawk around rocks and spray the few around our home so he might get the hint. Good luck.

[Louise and Toby]

Here's a story about rocks. When Toby was a tiny pup he ate crushed granite (gravel) whenever he could (we kept an eye on him so he wouldn't). Thankfully he outgrew that after 5 - 6 months. We asked the vet about it and he said he might be needing some minerals and we could try kelp. We did give him the kelp and perhaps that is why he stopped eating the gravel. The vet also told us how some folks with a basset hound brought their dog in because of poor appetite. Vet checked the dog over and there was a clunking in his stomach area - had his associate check and he said the same thing - clunking. Bottom line - the dog had 7, what they call bull rocks around here, in his stomach. They are commonly used in landscape and are at least 2 1/2- 3 inches and up in size. They surgically removed them. The folks knew their dog liked to carry them around but did not know the dog was swallowing them!

[Heidi]

This is great information. I'll call the vet and get some kelp for him and see if that helps. Thank you for letting me know this.