Some dogs are just drawn to rocks, whether to chew on them, carry them around, or even swallowing them. While it might seem harmless at first, this behavior can quickly turn into a serious problem.
One of our office dogs, Finnegan, used to grab small stones and roll them around his mouth as a puppy. He never swallowed them and eventually outgrew the behavior.
I found out my dog, Fozzie, had swallowed a rock when I took him in for X-rays after he also swallowed a larger animal bone that was under our deck (a story for another day). Fortunately, the rock was smooth and small enough to pass without causing any issues – check out his X-ray below. But even when things turn out okay, they could just as easily go very wrong.
Let's look at why your dog might be eating rocks and what you can do to stop it.
Why Dogs Eat Rocks
Dogs may mouth, chew, or eat rocks for several reasons.
Behavioral Causes
- Boredom: If your dog doesn't have much to do and is under-stimulated, they will often engage in unwanted behaviors, such as eating rocks. This is especially true for dogs who are left outside and have easy access to rocks or gravel.
- Anxiety: Dogs who suffer from anxiety may start eating objects, including rocks. Repetitive behaviors, like rock chewing, can be a coping mechanism.
- Attention-seeking: Some dogs eat rocks because they've previously gotten a reaction from their owner when they did it. Even if this attention is negative (yelling "no!" or chasing them around the yard), your dog might have found it reinforcing.
- Normal Puppy Behavior: Puppies use their mouths to investigate their environment and may pick up rocks and swallow them. And during their teething phase, they often prefer to chew on hard objects like rocks to temporarily relieve gum discomfort.
Underlying Medical Issues
- Lack of Needed Nutrients: If your dog is missing out on essential vitamins or minerals in their diet, they may seek out non-food items like rocks. This is more likely in dogs who are fed raw or homemade diets that are not properly balanced to include needed nutrients.
- Pica: A compulsive disorder where a dog obsessively eats non-food items.
- GI Issues: Any issues that cause poor nutrient absorption or pain, such as food allergies, pancreatic disorders, or stomach ulcers.
- Other Health Concerns: Conditions such as dental issues, pain, diabetes, anemia, parasites, or neurological issues may cause abnormal eating behavior.
Why Eating Rocks Is Risky for Dogs
Whether it's a pebble, jagged chunk of rock, or mouthfuls of gravel, swallowing rocks can lead to serious health problems for your dog.
- Intestinal blockage: Rocks can obstruct the digestive tract, preventing food and water from passing through normally. This may require emergency surgery.
- Choking hazard: Rocks can become lodged in the throat and block airflow.
- Internal injuries: Sharp or irregular rocks may cause lacerations or perforations in the digestive tract.
- Dental fractures: Chewing on rocks can damage or break teeth, often requiring dental surgery.
Not every swallowed rock will lead to an emergency, especially if it's just one small and smooth stone. But there's no way to know for sure without veterinary evaluation. If your dog has swallowed a rock or you suspect they might have, call your vet or 24/7 veterinary expert for guidance.
Check Their Poop! Monitoring your dog's feces is an important (albeit a bit gross) aspect of monitoring whether they are eating rocks or other non-food items. Here's more about what your dog's poo can tell you about their health.
How to Stop Your Dog from Eating Rocks
Management
The best way to protect your dog from rock-eating risks is to prevent rock access in the first place. Management of the environment plays a critical role in keeping this behavior from becoming life-threatening. The more opportunities your dog has to chew or swallow rocks, the more likely the behavior will become habitual and harder to break later.
Create barriers or modify your yard
Reduce access to rocks in your yard by using mats, fencing, or landscaping fabric. Consider switching to pet-safe ground covers like turf or larger stones that cannot be picked up and swallowed.
Use a basket muzzle on walks
A properly-fitted basket muzzle with a front-guard prevents ingestion of rocks (and other nasty things!) while allowing your dog to pant and drink like normal. Some designs, such as clear vinyl basket muzzles, provide protection from object ingestion without the need for a front guard.
If you'd like a basket muzzle alternative, consider using the Outfox Field Guard – while it doesn't totally prevent your dog from picking up the rocks, it does prevent swallowing them.
Clean up waste quickly
If your dog scavenges for poop (called coprophagia) and their usual potty area is gravel or has rocks present, make sure to scoop the waste right away to prevent inadvertent rock ingestion.
Provide safe chewing alternatives and mental enrichment
Keep a variety of safe chew toys available for your dog. When a dog has appropriate outlets for natural instincts, they are less likely to engage in undesirable behaviors, like rock chewing. Chewing is a natural and much-needed activity for every dog, so make sure to give them opportunities as much as possible.
One of my favorites is the rawhide alternative, Earth Animal No-Hide chews. And you can do double duty by giving your dog a chew that also helps with dental health, like the Virbac CET rawhide chews.
Incorporate more mental enrichment activities into your dog's daily routine, whether it's using puzzle feeders or providing different games that match their instinctive drives (herding for herding breeds, chasing for hounds, etc.) Get personalized suggestions for your dog's breed or breed mix by taking our enrichment quiz here.
Training to Stop Rock Eating
Prevention is only part of the overall solution, but in many cases, it solves the issue. In other instances, however, training is needed.
Teach Your Dog to "Drop It"
If your dog has something in their mouth, it's crucial that they drop it when asked. The last thing you want to do if your dog is carrying a rock, is to rush over and try to rip it out of their mouth. For many dogs, this triggers a "swallow as fast as you can" response, which can greatly increase the risk.
Learn how to train your dog to Drop It here.
Train a "Leave It" Cue
Being able to tell your dog to leave something alone (BEFORE they put it in their mouth) can be a life-saving skill. This can be especially helpful if your dog likes to pick up things on walks.
See how to teach your dog to Leave It here.
Consult a Certified Dog Trainer
If your dog is in the habit of searching for and swallowing rocks, getting support from a professional dog trainer can really pay off. Not only will they help you brainstorm management specific to your home setup, but they can also help jumpstart basket muzzle training and skill training that will help your dog kick this dangerous habit to the curb.
When choosing a trainer, look for a certification and then ask these important questions to ensure they are qualified and ethical in their training methods.
When to Involve Your Veterinarian
Contact your veterinarian if your dog has swallowed a rock, regardless of size.
If your dog frequently chews or mouths rocks, you suspect a nutritional deficiency, and/or your dog is on a raw or homemade diet, speak with your vet about potential nutritional deficiencies. If you notice other unusual eating behaviors or health changes, or the rock eating behavior seems compulsive, your vet can help you rule out potential underlying conditions and help you create a safe and effective treatment plan.
Dogs might chew or eat rocks out of curiosity, stress, dietary need, or habit. While not every rock incident leads to an emergency, the risks are serious enough that management and prevention should be top priorities. Whether your dog is a rock-mouthing puppy or a repeat offender, the combination of supervision, environmental changes, training, and veterinary guidance can help keep them safe. And if you're ever unsure about what your dog has swallowed, consult a veterinarian right away.
