How can I get my dog to stop eating rocks?

Hi Angelene:

Although I don't have an answer to your question, I did find an interesting article on the subject here: http://www.dogingtonpost.com/why-is-m...

Has the owner talked to their vet about the rock eating? I don't blame you for being worried about this behavior! I hope you find the answer soon!

I completely understand your concerns. Eating rocks or any other sort of foreign object is a good way for them to catch a disease/parasite, or chip their teeth, but most concerning, it is a good way to get an abdominal obstruction which many times requires surgery.

Because of that, I will be very honest with you. Getting the pup to curb this habit is going to be a long tricky process that will require a lot of patience and training on your (and the owners) part. First and foremost, you must never leave the dog outside where they can reach the rocks unsupervised. With that, it is important that you always have treats/toys or whatever the dog enjoys most. Every time the dog reaches for a rock, you will give your command (drop/leave/watch or whatever you would like) for them to leave the rock alone and instead focus on you. When they do this successfully, give them their prize and lots of praise. The key part, you must do this every single time.

I know its tedious, and doesn't necessarily mean that it will work for good, sometimes once a dog settles on a behavior it can be nearly impossible to change it, but it is the only way.

Best of luck!