Hi all, Hope you all had a great Christmas. Young Harvey (17 weeks old) is taking an increasing interest in carrying stones around. Removing the source of the temptation is really not practical as we have hundreds around our garden as part of the overall design. Do you allow your dog(s) to do this? I've read conflicting advice in various sources from 'it'll break their teeth or get stuck in their intestine' at one extreme to 'you should never take anything off them because it makes them wary of bringing anything back to you and can ruin any chance of reliable retrieving'. What approach did you take? (assuming of course that you had/have a stone carrier)
Re: Picking up stones Hi uncle bob My two when they were pups would pick up anything and if small enough try to eat it. Scott once ate the big flat squeaker out of a cuddly toy. It re emerged 2 weeks later, whole and would probably have squeaked !! : I take things like that off them but I'd try to have something to swap it for or a tasty treat. Scout is not good at letting me have things he's found that he knows I want off him. However perhaps it's luck but he is the better retriever of the two. Not sure if that helps Jen
Re: Picking up stones Harley used to pick up stones a lot - my front drive is covered in them. At the start I would get her to leave (usually by giving a treat), but over the past month I have ignored it and she has now stopped picking them up Would be worth trying both - treats or ignore
Re: Picking up stones Hi, I was told be a vet that stones damage teeth resulting in total decay. I would start using "leave it" every time Harvey goes to pick one up and treat him if he leaves it or if he likes retrieving then throw a ball or something interesting that he likes as a reward. Just how I would do it. Hope that helps. x
Re: Picking up stones Dexter was a very committed stone hunter!!we always swapped for a treat.......I think he actually enjoyed the clacking sensation on his teeth as he didn't seem to have any interest in trying to eat them.....where we live gets very hot so I started to give him ice cubes to clack,this seemed to satisfy his desire and he's grown out of it now.it was a nuisance while he was such a devoted stone chewer as he would sit at the back door and look mournfully out in the garden about 8 times a night.....he was only young 5 or 6 months so he had us up and down ,up and down seeing if he did in fact need the toilet.he used to kick up his legs with glee when we let him outside to get a stone! He also got wise and used to pick one up and carry it carefully in his mouth,he'd hold it still and come in and lie down on his bed and when he thought we weren't looking and had forgotten about it,he'd happily begin to crunch! Little monkey!
Re: Picking up stones I was worried about the retrieving and have a pup that always needs to carry - anything, stones, sticks, rubbish... i ended up training him to bring and give me everything. It backfired, and turned him into a terrible retriever thief, who will now bring me the contents of the whole kitchen/study/bathroom unless everything is nailed down. Up side, on walks, I just have to say "is that for me?" and he'll give me whatever he has - then go back for more... : Unless he is crunching or swallowing the stones, I'd leave him to it...
Re: Picking up stones We too have lots of stones - pesky gravel in two different sizes and colours. Brew likes them both ;D Can't remove them as it's not our house, but Brew is doing a certain amount of redistribution. She swaps them happily for kibble, though. Recall whistle, she spits them out immediately and sits for her treat. I'm working on the principle that the appeal of the stones will lessen, she's happy to drop them when recalled and I'd be struggling to stop her from ever picking them up... She has no interest in stones at all out on walks, so I am not too bothered. Clare
