Why does my puppy eat non-food items? Is it a vitamin deficiency?

Labs get into things frequently, this is their nature. They will ingest just about anything. I would recommend monitoring him closely when she is out playing and discouraging him from putting things in her mouth that she shouldn't. Give her a Kong toy or similar chew toy to occupy her time. When you are not home it is best to keep her in a crate so that she does not get into things he shouldn't. You can also try spraying a product called Bitter Apple or Yuk gel on things that she likes to put in her mouth to try and deter him from doing so. Best of luck with your puppy Bella and getting her to stop putting things in her mouth that she shouldn't. We want to try and prevent a foreign body ingestion and possible obstruction as best we can. As she grows she should get better at not doing this. Take care!

All dogs are scavengers, and are thus constantly on the lookout for something edible falling into their area, but Labradors have a reputation for taking this to the next level. Many of them will eat almost anything, so it's a good idea for owners of Labrador Retrievers to be extremely vigilant about leaving food on the counter, and make sure that trash cans are well-secured. To learn more about Labs, visit PetCoach's breed page: www.petcoach.co/breed/labrador-retriever

This is certainly a frustrating behavior and can it hard to control. I have two thoughts for you. 1) Often dogs who eat lots of none food items have mild intestinal upset all the time. I would recommend starting by talking to her vet about this and starting her on probiotics 2) For management, remove all the dog beds from your house and teaching her to wear a basket muzzle while outside and/or only taking her out on leash. Check out this site for more information: https://muzzleupproject.com/muzzle-training/ . I know this sounds extreme, but her current behavior is potentially life threatening. My last idea is to talk to a behaviorist to see if she needs help with anxiety or other behavioral problem. But only after exploring the possibility of intestinal upset with your regular vet. https://avsab.org/resources/behavior-consultant-near-you-2/

This is not normal for a puppy. He may be doing it out of boredom, curiosity or in an attempt to correct a nutritional imbalance. Restrict access to areas where there is dirt if possible. Monitor him for inappropriate licking and correct the behavior immediately. Provide a toy or task as a distraction. If he complies, praise and reward him. If possible, transition him slowly to a better quality puppy food. If the behavior persists, he will need to be examined by your veterinarian.

It could be Luella Rose is suffering from a nutritional deficiency, she could have intestinal worms, or it may be she simply likes the taste. Make sure you are feeding her a high quality dog food like Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, or Iams. Also make sure her deworming treatments are up to date. Finally, keep her away from other dog's poop as best you can. I hope this helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your questions. Unfortunately for you, not all labs love the water. She may get used to the pool over time and use it more but she may just not be interested. As for the abnormal ingestion of stones, leaves, etc. I would recommend having a hose handy and whenever she goes to eat the stones or leaves, spray her with the hose and say "off!" to deter her from doing this further. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you kindly!

Address the underlying cause of anxiety or stress – In some cases, the abnormal consumption of nonfood objects may stem from an underlying stress or anxiety. Trying to determine the cause of your pet’s angst is an important step in eliminating the behavior. To determine the source, careful observation of the behavior, including its frequency, duration, and time of occurrence are important. In many cases, the behavior may occur only while the animal is not under your supervision. In this instance, the use of a video camera may be used to capture the act. Understanding the circumstances in which your pet feels driven to perform the behavior is important to works towards elimination. Another important point to keep in mind is how you interact with your pet on a daily basis. Setting proper boundaries helps your pet respect you as the leader figure. Being conscientious about the use of rewards when interacting with your pet is important to let your pet know that he must be behaving properly and actively participating in maintaining proper behavior to gain attention and rewards from you. Enrichment – You can help reduce this behavior by increasing environmental enrichment. Giving your pet toys that are breed and size appropriate may decrease unwanted behavior by increasing positive stimuli. Redirecting your pet’s energy towards an acceptable outlet is a good alternative. Exercise – With our busy lives, it can be hard to find time to help our pets get sufficient exercise. However, a physical outlet can be an excellent alternative to reduce abnormal eating habits by increasing the level of neurotransmitters that support healthy brain function. Counter-conditioning & Remote Punishment – This technique involves retraining an animal to avoid certain behaviors that they previously sought. For both dogs and cats, placing a discouraging taste or smell on the object of desire will help them avoid eating that object in the future. For example, you can put hot sauce on the wool that you wish for your pet to avoid. Alternatively, association of a negative stimulus, such as turning on a vacuum cleaner at time of the pica, can lead to stopping the behavior. These things by themselves will not address the underlying problem. Medication – As an adjunct to behavior therapy, medication MAY be used to reduce anxiety if the pica is induced by stress. Pica is a complex behavior with many possible underlying causes. Remember to always seek professional advice from your veterinarian when determining the cause of your pet’s motivations.