# Eating pecans(and the shell) twigs, wood...



## MegB

I can tell you that Woody eats all of the things you mentioned, except that we have walnuts and hickory nuts instead of pecans. Also, we have a tree that drops huge acorns, and he munches on those too.

I can't remember when it started. In your case, I might be a little worried because Lucky's puppy teeth may not be strong enough to chew things into small enough pieces. Woody has his adult teeth, and he absolutely shreds the things he chews (you should see my carpet right now!), so I don't worry too much.

You might try to get him some other things to chew on (nylabones, marrow bones from the butcher) while he is outside. Otherwise, you might just have to keep him away from the pecans until he is a little bigger.

Honestly, until I read your post, I had never even thought of nuts and twigs as being dangerous for dogs. If anyone reading this knows this not to be true, please inform me!


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## Lucky's mom

Thanks MegB. I'm sure that when Lucky gets to be a big dog with big jaws and teeth...I'll stop worrying so much.


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## Brandy's Mom

Our last golden, Reyna, was a huge pecan eater! Mostly just the shells because the squirrels would get to the meat before her. The biggest issue was that they scraped her teeth pretty deeply. The vet tech who cleaned her teeth mentioned that she had large scratches from the shells. Reyna would hide them in her mouth because she knew she wasn't supposed to eat them. I finally taught her to spit them out in the palm of my hand. Very funny!


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## mojosmum

I would be VERY careful about letting your dog eat anything hard and rough like shells or twigs (sticks).. 

When DH and I were at a dog show talking to our breeder she told us she was supposed to be showing another golden but instead she had to call the vet in to look at him. He had been chewing on a twig in his backyard and a piece had lodged in his throat. He was in pain and had to have the stick removed surgically that night. Anything that splinters can be harmful. 

I give my guys nylabones. Last night Zoe was acting funny. It was like she had a locked jaw and was trying to pop it back in place. When I checked out her mouth I couldn't find anything. This has been going on (off and on) for many days now. I don't know why but I ran my funger over the top of her teeth and I found a splinter stuck in between her back two teeth. I had to get DH to give me a hand. We had to hold her head steady, pry open her mouth, pull back the side of her mouth and try to get the splinter with tweezers. Took about 4 tries but I finally got it and she stopped her jaw popping. Now I don't know WHAT to give them. Mojo has broken his 4 canine teeth on bleached bones from the pet store. :big sigh:


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## Brandy's Mom

Agreed about being careful! Unfortunately Reyna was so quick that we usually didn't see her pick up the nuts. 

I'd hear "crunch crunch crunch" when I had my back turned. I'd turn around, and her jaw would be still. She'd look at me with an expression that said, "Hey, I'm really innocent this time!" 

Turn away, the crunching would start again! 

So I'd hold out the palm of my hand and ask her to spit it out. "Ptewy" -- out came the shells. 

Then came that Golden Sigh, and I knew she'd try again the next time.


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## Lucky's mom

I've been keeping him on a leash outside and running with him for his exercise instead of letting him run free to forage. I have greater control over his eating habits and he seems to have more fun with me running along side him. He can play better with the kids that way...as I don't worry about him biting them in his play. I have control over that too. So things should be less stressful. Thanks for the help. Lucky's Mom


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## Goldndust

The young ones always are putting things into there mouth, sounds like ya got it under control though. I've had a problem with Kody and he's a year, he's got a thing for apples that fell from the tree. lol He loves them, but I worry about the apple seeds because I heard they were poisonous. I know walnuts can be poisonous do a dog, but I don't know if pecans are. Either way, I would do my best to keep him away from them like your doing.

Picked up all the apples, so now he don't know what too do. He runs around looking for them though wondering where they all went...he probally thinks Bianka ate em' all! lol

I like the idea others mentioned about nylabones and such, those I would think would help with your puppy too when outside.


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## Lucky's mom

Last night I walked him in the house from a potty run and he had a huge, dead, half rotten nightcrawler hanging out of his mouth. Ugh! That was really hard for me to deal with. I never know what I will find. And tonight he threw up a rock! Only a single rock that he had eveidently just swallowed. All this while he was on a leash. He's sneaking these things.


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## Cassey

Cassey is a secret cigarette butt eater!!! (I am a non smoker but she will seek and swallow on her walks)She is now 6 months old and I still haven't had a full roll of toilet paper in the bathroom. I quit buying facial tissue. It is a constant struggle to get her to stop eating everthing. Yes I give her all kinds of chew toys, treats and I do feed her. Puppy times are very trying


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## MegB

AAAHHHH! Apple seeds and walnuts are poisonous? Woody has eaten both of these! I will make sure he stays away from them from now on, but I hope I didn't cause him any harm...


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## shaneamber

I've researched this a bit and found some good info on both apple seeds and walnuts.
Please read.
Shane 

http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/apples.asp

http://www.virtualvet.com/petowners/poisonfacts.htm#nuts


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## FranH

We also have the twig/sticks problem. Our oldest dog Jenny eats oranges. She started as a puppy .....eating the ones on the ground. She then learned to get the ones on the lower branches of the tree. She even peels it! 
Here is a photo of her peeling her orange. (our beloved Molly who lived to be almost 16 is in the background)


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## mojosmum

Do you think I could borrow Jenny for a bit. I really don't like peeling oranges. :lol: 

Thanks Shane - that's good information to keep on hand!


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## shaneamber

Fran,great photo.What does she do with the peels? Facial scrub?  I'll bet it keeps her breath sweet.
Shane


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## MegB

Thanks Shane!


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