Hello, our Cane Corso puppy has been eating stones in our garden, as well as little bits of wood, dead leaves and grass, but it's mainly the stones that I think are the most worrying for his digestive system.
He does it less when we're out on walks because I think he's too distracted.
I know puppies explore everything with their mouths, but I'm really worried about his health.
I've read some articles about pica, but apparently, it's more common in adult dogs.
How did you manage to get your puppies to stop this behaviour?
Thanks in advance for your replies.
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Thanks everyone for your replies, I'm taking all your advice on board. I'll be back in a few days to update this thread and let you know how we're getting on.
Hi there,
I’d like to add to Marion’s advice from Provéto Junior Conseil.
He might be eating stones to try and soothe a digestive issue that’s either already kicked in or is just starting—things like soft stools, the beginning of diarrhoea, a bit of gastritis, or even worms, even if he’s recently been wormed.
Is he 3 months old? You can start teaching him the "drop it" command now, which will help you get him to let go of stones later on. It’s a great way to distract him too.
On the other hand, I’d avoid marrow bones for a Cane Corso puppy or junior, mainly for the sake of his teeth. Once he’s a junior or young adult, he’ll have the jaw strength to snap those kinds of raw bones. You always have to be careful with the size of the bone compared to the size of his mouth; if it’s too small, he could swallow it whole, which means a trip to the emergency vet or, at the very least, some very nasty indigestion.
Never give cooked bones—they are incredibly dangerous! They become far too brittle. It’s the same if a dog or puppy buries their bones (they become crumbly, brittle, and much less hygienic). You should only ever give fresh, raw, meaty bones.
Even a raw marrow bone can splinter into sharp shards or cause a tooth to fracture. As a precaution, it’s best to avoid weight-bearing bones from large animals.
If your dog is used to chewing and you’re supervising him closely, you could try a fresh long bone split lengthwise with the marrow, such as a calf's foot or even the whole foot. Just make sure he doesn't have too much at once, so you don't overload his digestive system with too many minerals (calcium) in one go.
Puppies do indeed have a tendency to pick up anything they find in their mouths. You should still make sure they aren't swallowing everything though, as this can lead to health problems, such as damage to their digestive tract.
To stop your puppy from eating the stones in your garden, I’d recommend distracting them with chew toys. Marrow bones or pressed rawhide chews are very effective for this; they’re much tastier and will keep the puppy busy for a good while. You can also distract them from the stones with any other dog toy: a ball, a rope, or even some dry food scattered around the garden. It’s important that your puppy has plenty of things available that they are allowed to chew on.
Regarding pica, it can occur in adults but also in puppies. The causes vary: poor diet, nutritional deficiencies, anxiety, or even boredom. In a puppy, however, it’s more likely to be a perfectly normal physiological behaviour as they explore their environment.
If the problem persists over time, I’d suggest seeing your vet, who will be able to make a diagnosis and start a treatment plan if necessary.
