My 11-month-old puppy eats everything: twigs, poop, stuffing. Help!

It really sounds like you have pretty much done everything we recommend in these situations. Often times dogs will "outgrow' this behavior but there is no guarantee. There is an old wives tale that says dogs do this due to a nutritonal deficiency. That has never been proven so I don't necessarily believe it but you can try giving Chaplin a multivitamin (like Pet Tabs) to see if that helps. This article has some other ideas you can try. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1613 My other recommendation would be to add a probiotic to his diet like Fortiflora (the best one in my opinion). https://www.walmart.com/ip/Purina-Pro-Plan-Veterinary-Diets-FortiFlora-Probiotic-Supplement-30-CT/43284986 Finally, if he is eating inappropriate things (other than the feces) you can try putting basket muzzle on him when he is unattended. He may be able to still eat feces through it but depending on which type you get you can minimize that. Don't get a regular tight fitting muzzle on the snout. It needs to be the kind where he can still pant and drink water through it. https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=basket+muzzle Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This can of course be an issue as she could eat something tha perhaps upsets her stomach or even worse that causes an obstruction. The best thing is to teach her by continuously letting her know that that is unacceptable behavior. Otherwise, another option is using a basket muzzle when going outside which may prevent her from getting things in her mouth. Good luck and have a great day!

Hello, and thanks for your question. Sounds like Alex is quite the trouble maker! You're right - the best way to prevent them from eating material is to simply keep the house as spotless as possible. Dogs naturally explore the world with their mouths, and some are more prone to eating what they find than others. Teaching Alex the "drop it" or "leave it" command will help when you see him getting into something he shouldn't. I would also recommend crate training Alex and keeping him safely confined when he's alone. In a few extreme cases, I have had patients wear basket muzzles to prevent them from eating what they shouldn't - but this is not usually necessary and is only something I usually consider after a dog has had multiple foreign body surgeries! If you are thinking about going this route with Alex, I would definitely touch base with your vet for guidance. It's important to make sure it's an appropriate fit so dogs can still pant, drink water, etc, and they need to be properly trained to wear the muzzle to minimize stress. Hope this helps!

Yes, a basket muzzle is a good idea but you should also consider working with a professional in-home dog trainer. They can probably help you train her to stop this behavior rather easily. I like BarkBusters and they have a trainer in your area. I’m pretty sure they do a free consult and the training is guaranteed for the life of the dog. No harm in calling them. ( https://www.barkbusters.com/dog-training-naperville-chicago ) Hooe this helps. Best wishes.

Since Vivi can't talk, it's hard to know why this behavior is occurring. Many dogs exhibit this behavior. Some dogs out grow it and some don't. Unfortunately, there is no training that will stop the behavior for a determined dog because humans cannot watch dogs for 24 hours a day. Dogs who exhibit this behavior at at risk for a potentially fatal intestinal blockage. The safest thing to do is to always watch Vivi any time she is loose in the house or the yard. She should be crated any time she is not directly monitored to prevent ingestion of objects. Even if you are just taking a shower, Vivi needs to go in her crate. Use baby gates or a leash in the house to prevent her from wandering off and eating things. She should also not be left loose in the back yard. You may create a dog pen that is free of objects she may eat. Be aware dogs will eat just about anything, even glass and sewing needles! I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional question.

To be honest, removing the mulch is your best bet. You can try using a basket muzzle (not a regular muzzle) - only put it on when he is outside and I don't suggest you leave him out with it on unattended - but in the end, removing the mulch is the best option. There is this article about trying some home remedies. You are welcome to try them but I have not had many clients report that they work well. ( https://www.doityourself.com/stry/making-your-mulch-dog-repellent )

Some dogs will eat anything. I've even seen dogs eat glass. Unfortunately you can't train a dog out of this but you can protect them. Keep the house picked up and things kept out of Toy's reach. Kennel toy or keep him in a small room that is 'Toy-proofed" so he can't get into anything. Never leave Toy unattended as he could end up with an intestinal blockage that requires a surgical repair. lastly, one would think feces tasted bad enough BUT there is a supplement called Forbid that can make them taste worse. You feed it to the dog and then when he eats the feces he dislikes it. Some dogs don't respond to this. The other tough thing is most dogs will eventually taste the stool again and may resume the habit again. Forbid is not meant to be given a prolonged amount of time. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.