Some dogs struggling with this will start swallowing anything they think may help stop the discomfort. If your dog isn’t getting enough food, he may be walking around with a perpetually rumbling tummy. Accordingly, it is important to have your vet give your pup a proper neurological exam to rule out these types of problems. Diseases of the nerves and brain (which is really just a big jumble of nerves) can cause dogs to do very strange things, like chowing down on rocks.
Your poor pup is suffering from some type of neurological disease. Rock-eating behaviors are often most common among high-strung or traumatized dogs (such as many shelter pets, who’ve had a tough life). Fear and anxiety (which are closely related emotions) can cause animals and people alike to do strange things, including eating rocks. Your pooch is suffering from fear or anxiety. If your dog is experiencing mental or emotional stress because she is under stimulated or deficient in vitamin snuggle, she may try to eat rocks in an effort to get more attention or as a form of acting out. Your pup is bored, frustrated or in need of more attention. This is somewhat similar to the strange cravings many pregnant humans experience (although hopefully you don’t get a craving for rocks – you might want to call your doctor about that one). In these cases, your dog is trying to obtain calcium, magnesium or some other vitamin or mineral that she is not getting in sufficient quantities. Your dog is suffering from some type of nutritional deficiency. So…yay?īoth behaviors occur for somewhat similar reasons, but there are a ton of these reasons.
Poop (and you’ll want to back away from your breakfast at this point), occasionally contains undigested material, which does provide nutritional value. However, there is one important difference: Pica only involves the eating of inanimate objects that have no nutritional value, such as rocks, sticks, plastic or car keys. Pica is similar to coprophagy, which is the practice of poop-eating. Dogs who eat rocks and other non-food items are said to exhibit pica – a condition that has been documented in a variety of breeds, ages and both sexes. Though relatively rare, rock-eating behaviors are well-documented, if poorly understood. This in turn, means that if they don’t pass through your dog’s system, they’ll likely remain in his digestive tract for a long time.Īs you’d imagine, this isn’t a great strategy for long-term (or even short term) health and happiness! Why Do Some Dogs Eat Rocks? You don’t want your dog to eat things that will look the same coming out as they did going in – that means your dog can’t digest them.
This is obviously not a good idea, and it can be very dangerous. But some dogs take this behavior to a whole new level, and start ingesting inorganic objects, like rocks.
They have interesting smells, tastes and textures - it makes some sense (in doggie logic, anyway) that they are interested in these things. Whether they are sifting for “treats” in your cat’s litter box or sampling some two-day old garbage at the bottom of the trash can, they’re always popping one thing or another in their mouth.īut while many of these things are unthinkably gross, they are generally organic in nature. Dogs rarely hesitate to taste anything that looks vaguely interesting.
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