puppy eating dirt and grass?

[BULLBLASTER]

my puppy loves to eat dirt and grass outside and then he comes in and barfs everywhere
is this normal for puppys to do?

[Sneaky]

I had the same thing with my chocolate lab. Turned out he had intestinal blockage from some yarn he ate and it got all matted up. 3 grand later hes a healthy pup, I hope you don't have the same problem, but it wouldnt hurt to get him checked out.

[BULLBLASTER]

he goes to the vet friday for checkup and shots.
he still poops a lot too so i hope hes not clogged up with yarn!!

[Sneaky]

Yea, puppys eat things. The vet told me they eat grass when they're not feelin swell but its a good sign that hes still crappin. Good luck hope hes alright

[luvtohnt]

Dogs will eat grass to ease anxiety also. Does he do it when you are home or only will you are at work?

Brandon

[BULLBLASTER]

he will reun around smellin the ground then plop down and start eating, there is always somebody there when he is outside, the longest he has been outside himdelf was 30 minutes, until he came to the door wanting inside.

[EbrgHunt]

Like said above they eat grass when their stomach doesnt feel well.  If the pup is doing it all the time, maybe the food doesnt sit well with the little guy.  Mine did it twice and i changed food, and she stopped.  I would ask the vet first though before changing anything. Hope he is ok!

[jackelope]

it is perfectly normal for a puppy to come inside to poop/pee/barf/chew stuff/etc regardless of what you think he did outside.
 

[oneezreiter]

I would make sure that you are feeding him a good quality puppy food, and as long as he isn't eating rocks and he is still pooping he should be fine.  Just keep an eye on him.

[millirad]

I have a similar situation with my 5 month old yellow lab. However she actually eats rocks when not closely monitored. I keep her in check with accompanying her (leash) when out, the wife is not so diligent. I've tried Tabasco, Bitter apple. Both of which she likes. By the way, I tried those products on something other than rocks to see how she might react. Does anyone have any suggestions? I was wondering if a mineral block in the yard might be an alternative. Has anyone heard of this being done? Of course I will check with my vet before doing so.

[Pathfinder101]

My lab puppy is the same way.  But since this is my second lab, I was expecting it.  THEY EAT EVERYTHING!!  Grass and dirt?  you bet.  firewood?  yup.  His bedding?  Uh-huh.  Dead mice?  You betcha.  Anything not tied above jumping height?  Count on it.  My back deck looks like an Alabama trailer park after a tornado. 
Comes with the territory.  Here's my solution:

...waited until my 10 year old was old enough to beg me for a new hunting dog.  Guess who cleans up the yard...

Swear to God... the dog just ran past the window with one of my wife's birdhouses...  Wife has the camera or I would take a pic and post it.

[whacker1]

I have a 1 1/2 year old chocolate lab pup - he eats everything.  We have him pretty well trained inside, but he still goes after some of my sons toys.  Still waiting for him to pass some legos.  His claim to fame though, when he was about 4 - 5 months old, we took him for a walk.  Before we left the yard he pooped, and he couldn't shake that one loose, so he started dragging his butt to get it loose.  Still couldn't get it loose.  So after a minute of so of dragging, he starts shaking his butt and dragging.  He stops and poops a little more, and now this poop is a foot long and still won't shake loose.  I am thinking that he must have passed soem yarn/string something, and it was all just poop on a sting, but we gave him a few more minutes.  The poop is now over a foot long and he is starting to run with his butt on the ground (still on the leash mind you).  Still no luck, so my wife and I have the discussion of who is going to get down there and pull?  My wife was pregnant, so I lost that conversation.  So, I get down there and grabbed hold and pull gently, and a little more to the length pops right out.  Dog is happy, and I get to looking at it...... The dog had eaten one of my wife's knee high nylon leggings.  Luckily he was able to pass it.  So, if you were ever wondering - Yes if he eats a nylon, it will fill up and hopefully pass it at its full length of 15 - 18 inches.

good luck at the vet. - sounds like you might need a diet switch - had that problem too. 

[Idabooner]

whacker, you caused me to nearly lose my breakfast from laughing.  I thought bulldogs were the only ones that ate everything.

[Bird_Bagger]

bullblaster, i fed my dog great food, had their own kennel, etc.. no stress, nothing! My GSD and lab eat rocks and grass and dirt. I was worried at first and then saw that they just chew on the rocks and don't swallow them (lucky me $$$) Just keep an eye on them and you will probally be OK. just my 

[BULLBLASTER]

thanks bird bagger, he has only barfed twice from it, and both times were when i took him outside to potty and he wanted to play and run so i left him out until he came to the door, when we let him in he barfed a few minutes later. other times he has stayed out by himself and not barfed.

[whacker1]

A friend of mine had a chocolate lab that never did take to training or growing up.  Cody was this dog's name.  This dog ate rocks the size of golf balls and racquet balls.  He would eat them for a few days, and then a few days later, you would find a pile of rocks in the garage. 12-18 of them.  He didn't grow out of this until he was not long for life.  He never settled down, so my buddy had him fixed at like age 6 thinking that this would help.  A few months later the neighbor 1/2 mile down the road shot him with buckshot, because he was mounting one of his dogs.  After he was fixed you could drive down the road and see Cody at one of the neighbors sleeping with his head hanging out of their dog house in the rain, and the neighbors golden retrieveer would be laying out in the rain and mud.  He was just a renegade dog, and he was like that until he died.  Great spirit and good demeanor, just had a mind of his own.

New subject.

If you thought my story was funny regarding the nylons

Several years ago, I went with a buddy to some friends house.  He and his wife had just gotten a yellow lab puppy and were showing him off.  They were commenting on the behavior we have talked about so far - eating grass, rocks, beauty bark, sprinkler heads, chewing on furniture - etc.  The dog was about 10 weeks old.  So a few weeks later we went over to their house - dog is now in that 12 - 16 week old age group.  They then begin to tell us a story about going to the vet.  Apparently the dog was sick and hiding under the bed.  So they took the dog to the vet, and the vet came out after removing 3 pairs of womens underware from the dogs stomach that he wasn't capable of passing.  So - in my head - I am thinking 3 pairs of thong underware, no big deal.  They then go on to tell us that they were granny panties.  So, picture this.  I am 5'8" 255 - I have a big ass.  She is built a lot like me in the ass region - hers may have been bigger at that time in life.   So, this dog had eaten 3 giant pairs of her granny panties.  I almost peed my pants that day.  Needless to say that these folks are very timid - quiet people and gave the dog away about 3 months later, because the lab was too much for them.

[parrydog]

My female golden and male black lab will roam the backyard like a couple of bovines grazing on the lawn, and if we are somewhere that has a different variety of grass, smorgasbord!  And don't take them huckleberry picking with you.  They don't eat rocks but will find them in the yard and procede to play keep away with each other like that particular rock is a rare treasure.  We lucked out on chewing, they are about the same age and didn't chew/eat too much stuff they weren't supposed to.

[fisheral87]

I agree with makeing sure that the food you are feeding them is sitting well with him. Our golden was the same way, changed the food and did wonders with her weight, attitude, behavior, everything. The food the vet sells is not always the best, it does put more money in their pocket though.

[millirad]

I just wanted to give an update my puppy eating rocks. I purchased an E-collar and it took only a few stimulations when I observed her picking up a rock. Now she appears to have no interest. At least while I am in the yard. I am now observing from inside the house while she is out. Things are still looking positive. I have also noticed a more obedient dog since getting the collar. Sit/stay, heel, and here are going well, even with no leash and some distractions. Stimulation is hardly ever needed. I was a little apprehensive about using the collar, not so much for the dog, more so about the operator. Although I personally use it sparingly, I could see where it could abused.

[Pathfinder101]

Interesting.  thanx for the update.  Been thinking about one of those for mine...