# Puppy eating sticks



## RedDwarf (Nov 18, 2007)

Ok,

I know, I know- this sounds stupid. My puppy can't go outside without eating sticks, and leaves. I know....dogs and sticks... its 'normal' but my pup doesn't just chase and chew them.... she outright eats them.

i had a poop from her today that looked like she ate a box of toothpicks for dinner the night before.

Anyone have experience with this... I keep a close eye on her when out for potty time and it pretty much ends up with me chasing her around getting sticks and wood out of her mouth...

is this a phase? any suggestions on it? I have had plenty of dogs before... i understand their love of fetching sticks and what not. But I've never had one who loved to EAT them entirely.

Here's so e more pictures of her too...


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## allux00 (Mar 2, 2008)

Do you keep her on a leash outside? I'm sure someone else will give you a better answer but basically when Rusty goes pick up things that he shouldn't, I tug him away on the leash and say Leave It! Other times when he manages to get them I just have to pull them out of his mouth. Adorable girl btw!


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## goldensmum (Oct 23, 2007)

I would keep your pup on a lead until she learns the word leave it. Some leaves can be poisonous to dogs - Quinn ate an oak leaf about a week after we had him and it gave him really bad colitis, and as you probably know sticks could cause internal injury. Other than keeping the garden clear - we usually go on a clear up before letting Quinn out - I'm unsure what else you could do. Good LUCK


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## TiffanyK (Mar 3, 2008)

Your puppy is SO cute! I agree with what has already been posted too.. but I also have no real insight on this topic.


Tiffany


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## Carraig (Jan 4, 2008)

That is one majorly cute puppy.


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## Katiesmommy (Sep 10, 2006)

First....Oh my god your pupppppy is soooooo cute. Reminds me soooo much of our Katie. That puppy face is soooo precious.

About the sticks.......Katie eats sticks but has never swallowed them. Goldens love sticks Katie is always looking for a new stick to chew when we are out walking.


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## Liza1277 (Jan 9, 2008)

Our puppy eats sticks too...and socks...panties...rubber from old tennis shoes. He is 8 months old now and hasn't eaten a stick in awhile. So maybe they just grow out of it. But yeah his poop used to look like he ate a pile of firewood! I was told by the vet that eating the sticks shouldn't hurt them, and luckily ours had no a.dverse events from it.


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## RedDwarf (Nov 18, 2007)

Thanks guys! 

got some good ideas there! Thank you!

glad you liked the pictures too!


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

She is just adorable and is growing so fast.


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## mackenziesdad (Dec 22, 2007)

Your pup is soooo cute! Mackenzie also eats sticks/grass/rocks/leaves/grass and other organic material (no poop, thankfully). As much as I worry, she's never had a problem. I've tried everything to stop the behavior but, honestly, she wears me down in most cases. She turns it into a game of chase and, well, we all know that game. 

Here's a pic of Mackenzie working on a nice big branch.


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## RedDwarf (Nov 18, 2007)

looks like she has bitten off more than she can chew! lol


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## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

My puppies eat just about everything outside that isn't nailed down and after 13 yrs, so far no trouble. When Hershey was a pup and was eating sticks I remember mentioning it to my nephew, who owned Hershey's mother, and he said, "Everyone needs some fiber in their diet..." LOL! I have never had any problems with oak leaves or acorns. I have a very large oak tree on my property and last year they snacked on acorns from August until the snow covered the ground with no ill effects.


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## s6m1l88 (Mar 12, 2008)

Prince would eat sticks, undies, socks whole!, leaves, my sandals. He doesn't as much anymore and yes his poops like he ate a bunch of toothpicks too.


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## norabrown (Jul 20, 2007)

Wow...she has such an adorable face. And I love her ears!

Don't chase! That just makes it all the more fun to engage you in that whole thing. Instead work on making a game of "trade" in the house and outside. I carry pieces of kibble and when the dogs pick up anything I don't want them to have or things that are not theirs, I tell them "trade" and I would pull out the piece of kibble. 9 times out of 10 they would drop what they have in their mouths and take the kibble. 

Now all I have to do is say, "Trade" and they spit out whatever they have.

Also, now that they are older we have also taught them "leave it". But trade is a great first command for when they are young and seem to constantly have things in their mouths. Plus it really taught them what was theirs and okay to have versus what they should leave alone.


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## 3SweetGoldens (Feb 28, 2007)

e is just TERRIBLE with sticks, Moss, anything 
Klondike is HORRIBLE with sticks! Also moss....he just loves moss, and chews it up and swallows it. I am also working on the "trade" theory! I give you a bit of a treat....you give me the stick, what ever else it is that he has. He also loves to pick up rocks! Boy, I hate this stage of puppy hood, and am waiting for the day it gets better. In the meantime, that is about all you can do. Try to scan the area where they are, but you will never be able to pick up every little thing they find. It is amazing what they put in those mouths of theirs! :yuck: 
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## Daisy's Mommy (Mar 26, 2008)

*14 month old eats sticks too!*

My Daisy is 14 months old and ever since she was a puppy she's always eaten sticks and leaves in our yard. She still does this. It must be a golden retriever trait! Sorry i don't have any good advice for you. 

Daisy's mommy


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## marshab1 (Aug 28, 2006)

This is a picture of Tinkerbell at 11 months eating a rose bush. Thorns and all. She survived, ate a few more sticks and wood chips and then just stopped. She'll still chew on them but doesn't eat them like she did before. So maybe it is something they outgrow.


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