Chewing on stones leads to broken teeth, while swallowing them causes a life-threatening blockage in the digestive tract.
Although it happens rarely, I have caught our puppies with stones in their mouths and made them drop everything before it was too late (trip to the vet).
If that stone reaches the stomach, you are looking at an expensive surgery. You cannot wait for the puppy to ” because this risk can turn fatal.
Puppies usually pick up stones out of curiosity or boredom, but it can also be a sign of a medical condition called Pica. This happens when the dog lacks nutrients or has parasites.
To stop this, clear the gravel, trade a toy for the stone, and teach him to “drop it.” You need to deworm him and improve nutrition for the puppy.
Start with “Leave it” and “Drop it”
To teach “drop it,” use a toy the puppy likes but isn’t his favorite, hold it still against your leg, and if he tugs, don’t pull back until it gets boring.
As soon as he stops tugging, say “drop it”, wait one second, and then put a tasty treat right under his nose. When he opens his mouth to take the snack, tell him “yes”.
For “leave it,” show the puppy a stone in your open palm, then close your fist before he can grab it.
Your puppy will sniff and nudge your fist to get the stone he just saw. The moment he gives up and looks at your face, say “yes” and give him a treat from your other hand.
Trade Stones for Toys
When you don’t have time to play, give the puppy something to do so he ignores the gravel.
Give him a long-lasting chew or a puzzle toy filled with food to keep him busy while you are work, because a puppy chewing on a tough rubber toy won’t look for rocks in the yard.
In areas where he usually “searches for rocks”, scatter safe chew toys on the ground.
Check the Bowl: Does It Have Enough Minerals?
If your puppy “hunts for stones”, he might be lacking minerals. You must use food for puppies (age and breed) to get the right calcium-to-phosphorus ratio they need to grow.
Don’t add random supplements to his meals, as too much of one mineral can block others lead to bone growth problems.
With the right food, the puppy “will leave the rocks alone”.
Talk to a vet to see if a mineral deficiency is causing this behavior.
Training with Leash
Use a leash to keep the puppy away from the rocks.
When he goes for the rock, give a quick tug on the leash and say “no.”
Keep this training in your yard until he is fully vaccinated. Wait for the final vaccine before you take him to public spaces or dog parks.
Sarplaninac Puppies and Stones
Based on my experience, every puppy reacts differently to a paw-sized rock.
Some puppies see the stone as the toy and begin to play with it, biting, chewing, or trying to move it around with their paws.
Other puppies may be more careful, sniffing the stone for a bit before deciding whether to touch it.
I asked my father about this, and he explained that one of the reasons is the pain puppies feel when they start teething.
As their baby teeth fall out and new teeth come in, they feel pain, and the stone helps them cool down their gums.
See the video below to watch Mila check out the “unknown object”.
Conclusion
Puppies will try to chew on rocks at some point, sometimes because their teeth are coming in and other times because they are just bored.
You need to be there to take the rock away and offer a toy, and though repeating the “leave it” command takes time, it is worth the effort when the puppy grows up healthy.
