How do I stop him eating stones???

[JanetandJohn500]

I've just got back from the vets having paid them to make my 6 month old shih tzu vomit up a stone I watched him swallow.
If you try to get the stone out of his mouth, he runs away and I'm always scared he'll swallow it by mistake. Today, I was trying to tempt him to drop it by showing him treats.... he swallowed the stone in order to make mouth-space for the treats 🙄🙄🙄
Please help me stop this- all of the borders in our garden are stone-filled and there are stones everywhere!

Mine used to try and eat stones. My DH used to panic about him eating them so would do an exchange for a tasty treat. This meant he learnt to do it more often.

I had to stop DH from giving him a treat and what I would do is ignore him and walk away. I watched him spit them out because he was doing it for attention and not because he thought they tasted great.

I wonder if your dog thinks they are a highly priced item because you have made a big thing about trying to get them off him.

In the meantime what about only out in the garden if he is on a lead or use a basket muzzle to break that association?

You need to teach a strong leave it.

Put a treat he wants in your hand and an even tastier treat in the opposite hand. I would probably go for something like a biscuit and chicken or hotdog.

Show him the boring treat, he will probably be interested and try and paw it or chew your hand but he can’t have it. Once he looks at you for a signal what to do next and stops trying to get it then release the more exciting treat from the opposite hand. Make a huge fuss and give loads of praise.

You can progress to doing this with the boring treat on the floor or in various places but the key being that when he ignores the less exciting treat he gets something even better than the thing he wanted in the first place.

You can then do the same with a toy swap etc, always swapping for something he really really wants.

Once he realises that the word drop it or leave it means he’s going to get something amazing he will probably spit the stone out to get to you. Mine will drop almost anything instantly now. I would be careful not to make it a game or a swap as that’s not what it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be more when you hear leave it return to mum because you’ll get something much better.

Has he enough toys and things in the garden too? I would play with him in the garden using toys you want him to use and try not to let him sniff around picking stuff up until he breaks the habit.

Hopefully won’t be too long!

Personally I would not teach a leave it

Try a positive interupter . Very useful for a puppy for many occasions and also less intimidating to a leave it. Makes the whole thing fun rather than scary.

What is a Positive Interrupter?
It is a sound that when your dog hears it it will stop what it is doing and run straight to you because good times are about to start.
From the owners viewpoint a positive interrupter is a happy noise that you make to get your dogs attention and allow you to direct them to appropriate behaviour
Benefits of Using a Positive Interrupter?
 The dog will stop what it is doing
 There is no frustration for the dog the Positive Interrupter is a clear cue
 You do not have to use punishment which can frighten dogs and ruin your relationship
 It works 😊
 Dogs love the game
 It is fun and easy to train
When would I use a Positive Interrupter?
If your dog is about to chew the furniture, pick up something that is dangerous make your positive interrupter sound and the dog will leave what is was about to do and bound to you. This then gives you the chance of offer a more suitable behaviour.

How to train the Positive Interrupter
Decide what sound you like to use. A kissy kissy sound with your lips, of a happy clicking of your teeth, a happy word “yayhay”. Use what is more natural to you.

1. Have your dog close to you
2. Make the Positive Interrupter (PI) sound and immediately give your dog the best treat ever.
3. Do this often throughout the day in different locations
4. Very very soon you will see your dog look to you for the treat the minute they hear the PI sound IMPORTANT Make sure the dog hears the SOUND FIRST then gets the treat. We want the sound to predict the treat.

It may not go down well here as it’s not positive but I’d only let him out on a long line and the second he went to get a stone he’d get a sharp, growly ‘ah’ or ‘hey’ or similar and be brought straight back inside each and every time.

Distract him with a treat initially. Then start to teach him to leave. My dog did the same.

Is there any chance he could have a mineral deficiency?

Pica can often be a sign of low iron or calcium levels...