My puppy eats dirt and leaves. Is it harmful or just exploring?

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.

You are correct that activities like this can lead to an intestinal blockage which can be fatal and generally require surgery. This is normal puppy behavior. Most dogs will outgrow this behavior between 2 to 3 years of age. Until then you will need to watch Lexi at all times and never leave her unsupervised in a non-puppy proofed area. Best of luck.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I don't think you have much to worry about with the rabbit poop. I would just monitor Steeler's stools and continue to deworm as advised by your veterinarian. Puppies need to be dewormed at least 3-4 times in my opinion. This is done every 3 weeks. Usually, we use pyrantel pamoate for this which kills the roundworms and hookworms that the puppy got in utero and while nursing the mother. Once heartworm prevention is started, most of those contain a dewormer so that can count as a regular deworming for puppies also. Eating grass and leaves is another thing that puppies and dogs like to do. Usually, this doesn't cause a problem. Sometimes they vomit sometimes they don't. What would concern me is if the lawn has been treated with any chemicals. I would advise no chemical use on the lawn where the puppy has access to. This mainly concerns the use of weed killers that many people use on their lawns. Leaves may upset their stomach but again I would be careful since some plant leaves can be toxic to pets. Research what is in your yard and make changes if you have to. Good luck

Puppies are kind of like kids, they explore things with their mouths. There is nothing wrong with Mayor. However, I would recommend that you keep a close eye on him and prevent him from eating rocks. Dogs will ingest rocks (or several small pebbles at once) that are too big to move through their intestines and will cause a blockage. He should always be supervised outside (and inside!) until he (hopefully) grows out of his puppy stage and eating things he shouldn't.

Puppies absolutely do like to get into things they shouldn't, as frustrating as this can be. Exploring their environment, including rocks, is in most cases a normal developmental stage. To keep Atlas safe from the possible harmful effects of eating or chewing on rocks, such as broken teeth or intestinal concerns after ingestion, such as blockage, try to remove rocks from her environment as much as possible. One reason why puppies are known for their destructive or explorative tendencies is they are in need of more stimulation, or experience anxiety when separated from you. There currently are several toys on the market which will interact with Atlas and release treats, that can be used while you are out. Atlas also possibly benefit from plenty of exercise, as well as puppy socialisation classes. Though less likely, there is also a possibility that Atlas could have something else wrong that causes him to seek out strange foods. For instance, metabolic disorders, parasites, and vitamin deficiencies can all be underlying causes. In order to rule out these causes a trip to the veterinarian would be needed. The vet would check on the parameters of Atlas's blood, and check a fecal sample for parasites. Hope that was a helpful answer! Warmest regards and best of luck to you both

My biggest concern is that he could ingest some intestinal parasite eggs and get worms. So try to prevent him from eating the dirt if at all possible. If not, I would just periodically have him checked for worms - every 4-6 months.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! At California's age it is very common to want to eat everything they see, just like human babies want to put everything in their mouths. California should always be monitored until her curiosity stage and desire to eat everything calms down. Walk her on a leash when outside and teach her to "leave it" when she picks up things in her mouth. With that being said, eating a leaf here and there shouldn't be a problem. Mushrooms in the yard can be toxic and rocks can cause blockages. I hope this helps and I wish you and California the best!