Help! My puppy won't quit eating muclh!

[Gail & Bogey]

I've tried to post this twice on my iPad and doesn't seem to work.  Lets hope this does.

I can't keep my 6 month old golden doodle from eating the mulch.  He just loves to grab a big piece and sit and chew on it.  I've tried everything:  yelling NO!, drop it, giving him something else to chew on, bringing him inside every time he grabs a piece waiting awhile and trying again.  Nothing seems to work.  I've even tried explain to him the hazards of eating mulch!  :)   He loves to be outside and we have an invisible fence and I would love to let him be out there and run.  Anyone have any suggestions of how to break him of this habit?

 

 

[Julie and Charlie]

Charlie had this habit last year-- it's gone this year. I used three strategies.

One, he wasn't allowed in the yard without being on a leash, even if he was roaming around and I wasn't on the other end. If he picked up mulch, he had to come back by me, attached to me. This was a rule, pretty much until he had a solid "come" in the yard. Too many places to get into trouble.

Two, we finally found outdoor toys that kept him interested, and used those when he started approaching the mulched areas- before he committed the "crime." He has a dog flexible frisbee that is the object of his affection these days.

And third, although not a strategy, was to wait it out. At that age, they pick up everything and investigate everything with their mouths.

[Julie and Charlie]

Here is the Frisbee that Charlie loves:

Dogobie Disc

[KLN]

You are not alone, Finley LOVES mulch. When I first brought him home I was beside myself over the sticks and mulch he would eat in the backyard...I was so worried something was going to happen to him if he ate it. I posted a discussion about it on DK and the overwhelming response was that unless I kept him in a bubble, he was going to eat things. I stopped worrying as much and you know, once I stopped running around the yard after him every time he put something in his mouth, the novelty wore off for him. He still eats mulch (more mouths it than really eating it) and sticks and grass but it's not as much.

Another tip someone gave me was the "show me" command. This worked LIKE A CHARM! Take some kibble out to the yard with you and every time he has something in his mouth you don't want him to have, say "show me" and give him a piece of kibble. He has to spit out whatever he has in his mouth for the kibble. Finn has been going to obedience class and it's not reward based, the trainer is very against that method and I agree with her reasoning so I stopped doing this (Finn wont "show me" yet without a reward) but to help you get through the next couple of months this might really help. I just kept a Tupperware container of kibble next to the back door.

Good luck! Hopefully some others have some good advice as well!

[Janice Jones]

Still having the problem with twigs and mulch chewing at 11 months. I am going to try the "show me" tactic first. I love letting my guy roam around the yard and enjoy a little free time. More suggestions of outside toys that doodles show interest in would be appreciated :-)

[Dynamite & Doodle]

We just bought the 8" holee roller for our 4 month old doodle and he loves it! http://www.petco.com/product/9437/JW-Pet-Hol-EE-Roller-Dog-Toy.aspx

His favorite outside toy by far is this vinyl orange "stick" that's a squeaky toy. We found it at the dollar store. It's about 12" long.

Once in a while he goes for some loose sticks in the garden, but mostly he's busy with his own toys. I like that he leaves our apple tree sapling alone. I was worried he'd gnaw it in half so I put some little kiddie plastic chairs around it. He loves to run free in our yard, when we get home from a walk as soon as we close the gate I take off his harness and tell him to Run fast! and he totally zips around, it's so cute!

[Marcia & MoneyPenny]

My 6 month old puts absolutely everything in her mouth & on several occasions has managed to actually swallow a few things. Most of those things have reappeared, from one end or the other. Penny is so quick & a real master at finding things to eat. We leash walk her outside til we train her to the electronic fence. And when we do, she will be VERY closely supervised. Am hoping she eventually outgrows this.

[Suzanne Newman]

LOL Whidbey does it.. I have seen so many puppies do it at the park.  I also see her doing it less and less, so it's just a phase thing.. they live through it too.  LOL

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Gail ~ I just read the responses below and they have a some great ideas for you.  I would suggest that you make sure your mulch does not contain cocoa because that type of mulch is extremely toxic (even lethal sometimes) to dogs.  Since I am a gardener, I buy lots of mulch every season but always make sure it is safe to use in pet areas and all natural.

Good luck, I hope as your puppy matures he will give up this habit!

[Gail & Bogey]

Thanks for the warning. I did check with my landscaper and he said there is very little processing in our mulch except for black dye which I'm sure isn't great for him. Hope he matures soon! :-)