Now I know this is probably a ''common sense" question... but is this normal behavior for dogs, or a bad habit mine has picked up...

I have a dog, about 7 months old, and I've noticed for the past week that when he has been out in the backyard, he is getting rocks and chewing on them like chew toys.

They are not small rocks, like pebbles or anything, they are about fist size rocks he is digging up and finding then bringing to the porch and chewing on them. He will even stand at the sliding glass door and scratch to come in with the rock in his mouth, thinking he can bring it in like any other toy!

I always tell him through the door to drop it, and I won't open the door to let him in until he does.

I am scared that he is going to damage his teeth, but I obviously can't dig up my whole yard and get rid of every rock.

He has plenty to chew toys, and I get him bones... is this new habit normal for dogs?:confused:

I doubt it is good for their teeth. After all, I discourage real bones because they wear the teeth too much. One good thing is that it sounds like he is choosing ones too large to swallow and crate a blockage.

Perhaps as damage control, when you catch him with a rock, give him a sharp ''Ah, ah, ah!'' and offer him a chew toy. Get rid of the rock, maybe the trash. Maybe he will run out of rocks or lose interest.

My Holly wants to bring sticks in from outside.

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Originally Posted by labman

My Holly wants to bring sticks in from outside.

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It's actually pretty cute... Lennox stands at the door, with a big rock in his mouth and paws at the door, then when I won't let him in, he tilts his head to the side like "why can't I come in with this toy"

Haha... Yeah I just don't want him to break his teeth or anything. It seems to be harmless at this point, but he keeps bringing more and more rocks, and when I let him in the house without the rock, he stands at the door and barks at the rock because he wants it haha

This question made me laugh so hard because my puppies do the same thing! It really is annoying because half the time I have to go digging in their big slobbery mouths to make sure no pieces broke off or there's not another pebble in there. I never realized how many rocks there were in the ground until I got these two:) When I tell them no and say ah ah ah then they'll leave that particular rock alone and go on to find another. Sometimes I swear they're part cow with the way they 'graze' in the back yard. Hence why we never leave them alone out there. I'm hoping they grow out of it. Or at least get sick of us telling them no. Like labman said, just be sure he doesn't get to swallowing anything.