There is a condition called Pica, and dogs that have this will eat a lot of unusual things. I’ve heard of many dogs eating stones, and some even have to have surgery to get them removed. If your dog likes eating or licking strange things, this might be what’s causing it:

Mineral deficiency / unbalanced gut

If your dog’s gut or body is unbalanced, it will signal that they need more iron, for example, and your dog will seek out iron-rich foods and plants. This is natural for all animals, and dogs are no exception. So if your dog is eating soil or picking up small stones, it might be worth looking into their diet. Maybe add a probiotic, do a microbiome test, or a blood test to check your dog’s levels.

Feeling sick

If your dog is licking things repetitively, like the couch or a pillow, this might indicate that your dog is feeling sick. Try giving them a balanced raw food diet but also add digestive enzymes. This will help a lot of dogs that are feeling sick. However, if this doesn’t help, it might be a gastrointestinal disorder that needs to be treated medically.

In pain

A study done in 2020 (​Mills et al.​) showed that it doesn’t have to be the gut that is out of balance. A Labrador in the study actually had hip pain, and once on medication for it, he stopped eating stones.

Overtired

Most dogs can get overtired on walks and begin acting like kids trying to stay awake, grabbing anything around them. Try cutting the walks down so they are not too long and keep their brain engaged with something else. My Sniff and Walk game is amazing for this! Click HERE to get this and 4 other games for FREE.

Anxiety

If your dog eats the TV remote or rips pillows when you are away, they are anxious. You need to start over with your home along with training and help them feel safe when you are away.

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