puppy eating everything

[Kelly Stazyk]

Our 6-month-old neutered Collie/Lab(?) mixed breed, Tucker, puts EVERYTHING in his mouth and eats it if possible. I have minimal experience dog training, but I'm at a loss for what specifically to try to stop this behavior. I realize puppies are like babies and that's how they learn, but it's to the point that if it's not tied down, he'll probably grab it. This includes dirt in potted plants, natural items (twigs, leaves, etc) and garbage he finds on the ground or in the grass, pen caps, plastic wrappers from sliced cheese, and the list goes on. So far, I've just been opening his mouth and pulling out what I can. I haven't tried any verbal or physical punishment or correction up until this point. I would appreciate any suggestions! Thanks!

[Trish McMillan]

Hi Kelly,

This is pretty normal puppy behavior - taking your puppy to class and teaching a very good "leave it" and "drop it" command are very helpful in curbing this behavior. It's also important to get your puppy some aerobic exercise every day - use two balls to teach a retrieve (don't throw the second one until he drops the first one) and give him lots of "legal" outlets for his chewing, like bully sticks or food-stuffed Kong toys. Playing with other dogs is another great chew-and-energy burner!

Trish