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My puppy is fascinated by rocks. How do I get him to stop picking them up?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

my pup is fastenated over rocks what should i do to get him to stop

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on October 31st, 2016

It's normal for puppies to be very interested in rocks and other things that they can pick up in their mouths - this is how they explore the world, similar to the way that human toddlers want to touch everything with their hands. I would recommend teaching your puppy a reliable "drop it!" command so that you can ask him to drop anything he picks up outside that he shouldn't have. Start with a toy for practice - when he has the toy in his mouth, say "drop it!" in a cheerful tone of voice and put a treat in front of his nose. Most puppies will readily drop the toy to get the treat, praise and reward as soon as he does. With practice, he will begin to drop the toy eagerly as soon as you say "drop it!" without needing the food lure in front of his nose. Make sure that you still reward with a treat every time - we want this behavior to be very reliable! Once he's got the idea, you can start to use this command when you are outside in the yard or on a walk - if he picks up a rock or something else he shouldn't have, just say "drop it!" Praise and reward immediately as soon as he does - you will need to bring treats with you for this purpose. As he gets older, he should grow out of this behavior, so just be patient and consistent in the meantime.
Vote Icon1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on May 19th, 2017

    It's usually quite easy to teach your dog to drop what's in his mouth on cue! :)

    I would recommend starting with a toy for practice. When he has the toy in his mouth, say "drop it!" in a cheerful voice, and hold a tasty treat in front of his nose. He should drop the toy quite easily to get the treat. When he does, pick up the toy and let him have the treat. Praise him, and give the toy back. Repeat this as many times as needed, until he happily drops the toy as soon as you say "drop it!", without needing to see the treat first. Make sure that you are still rewarding him with a treat every time after he drops the toy, or else he will learn to ignore you unless he sees the treat first.

    Once he is good at this with his toy, you can start to practice with other things. When he picks up something he shouldn't have, say "drop it!" and reward with a treat when he does what you ask.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on April 9th, 2017

    Many dogs like to pick up objects off the ground - this is a very common issue on walks, especially with puppies and young dogs :) I would recommend teaching your dog a "drop it" cue using treats. To start, practice with a toy or other object at home. When he has the toy in his mouth, say "drop it!" in a cheerful tone, and hold a treat in front of his nose. Most dogs will eagerly drop the toy to eat the treat. Practice this until he will quickly drop the toy as soon as you ask.

    Once he's good at this at home, you can start using it when you go for walks. Make sure to take very tasty treats with you to reward him when he does what you ask! It may take some practice, but most dogs get very good at this once they realize that you will always have something better for them if they drop what they are holding.

    If you have trouble teaching this, I would recommend getting in touch with a good reward-based trainer in your area who can help you in person if needed.

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    2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Training & Behavior
My puppy is eating rocks. Why do they do this and is it dangerous?
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
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My puppy eats dirt & rocks. Is he missing something in his diet?
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Why does my puppy eat rocks outside and should I be very worried?
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How to stop my 8-week-old puppy from chewing and eating rocks?
Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. I would recommend using bitter apple spray and apply this to the rocks to prevent red from chewing on the rocks. If it is a big enough problem to the point where he is interested in swallowing the Rocks, I would invest in a basket muzzle whenever he is outside going to the bathroom near the Rocks so that he does not swallow the rocks and cause an intestinal obstruction. If you end up resorting to the basket muzzle, you will need to get new sizes of basket muzzles as he outgrows the previous ones. I hope this helps! Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.
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How do I stop my puppy from picking up sticks and leaves on walks?
What a cutie! Consistency is key here - each time he picks something up remove it from his mouth - you may need to bribe him with a treat to get him to release the item. You could also work on a cue like 'look at me' to teach him to make eye contact with you, and if you can anticipate when he's about to pick something up ask him to look at you instead: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/watch-me-command-grab-dogs-attention/
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Why does my puppy eat sticks & rocks and dig? How can I stop it?
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My 2-month-old puppy eats rocks. Is it a diet issue or health problem?
It may due to boredom or an attempt to correct a nutritional deficiency. If she continues, she could cause a gastric or intestinal obstruction which may require emergency surgery. Review her diet with your veterinarian to confirm a balanced diet. Provide extra playtime and a variety of toys and activities to keep her distracted from eating rocks. Restrict access to areas with rocks if possible as well.
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