We have a 9 mth. old hound mix I rescued from the SPCA around Christmas time. He's a wonderful dog. I love to take him in the back yard and run the tar out of him. He loves it and it's good exercise for him. We also have a pool and he loves to stand at the edge and bark at us while we are in it. My kids have even taught him how to swim and he loves to float on the rafts when they are in. Problem is though that he eats everything in the yard. YUCH!Leaves, Pine Cones, Grass, Pebbles, Rocks, Twigs and fallen Branches, just about anything he comes in contact with. Then sometimes when we go back inside he throws up. So now I don't take him outside anymore unless he's on a leash and I can control him. What can I do to stop this eating infatuation he has? Any and all help will be appreciated.

Do you feed him enough? You could maybe try taking a treat and when he goes to eat something pull him away and give him a treat, or ask your vet???!!!

Hrm... ok, this is gonna sound Freudian... but your dog could have what my 12 year old Sheltie has. Dogs, just like humans, can have psych disorders, Calypso has an oral fixation. If she was human, she'd probably be a chain smoker! She licks the carpets constantly to the point where she hacks up hairballs like a cat. The vet and I talked about it and figured out that in her case Calypso was taken from her litter two weeks early <6 weeks rather than 8, the breeder had lied to me. Had I been told the truth I gladly would have paid him to hold her for the extra two weeks, but I was in high school and didn't find out about this until after we had at home for those two weeks! Lesson learned, we now know he was a bad breeder, but I love my girl anyway.> It is difficult to dissuade her ill habit, and all I can do is distract her when she starts. Typically we give her a sharp "Ahah!" sound to get her attention and then give her a dog toy to chew on. But that only works when we're around.

It is possible that your hound has the same sort of obsession going on. Best would be to keep a close eye on him when he's outside and try and stop him in the act, try and get him interested in a toy he can play with. Next time you're at the vets, mention this issue and see what they say about it. After all, you can't spray the whole world with Bitter Apple! Good luck!

I feed him the recommended amounts twice a day and he seems to be putting on the appropriate weight, so I don't think the food thing is the problem, if there is even a problem. I've had other dogs before him and I know that they do tend to want to eat grass while outside. I hate to keep him in all the time as he love to run in the yard and I feel he needs this exercise. It's very difficult to keep an eye on him all the time when we are out there as we are occupied doing things also. I do try to stop him as much as I can when I see him, but he just runs from me when I do, and with an item in his mouth to boot. I've tried bringing toys and chews outside with me but he drags them through the dirt and winds up with a mouthfull of dirt. Yuch!

Yeah, it does make it tricky when they play 'keep away'... but here's the issue: eating grass is safe (some dogs simply throw it back up, not big deal), sticks and stones can get stuck in his intestines and kill him before you even know anything is wrong. Sorry to lay it on the line so bluntly, but it's the truth. Pets die every year from torn intestines and stomachs, and sadly it is completely preventable.

Here is what you need to do for the sake of your dog. Train him to Stop and Stay with reliable obedience on that <it will take diligent training>, teach him to Drop It! And that command needs to be 100% obeyed by anyone who gives it to him. And until he learns this he needs to be supervised when he's outside. This is the only way you can be certain he isn't consuming something, and if he does happen you'll know it's time to watch for signs of a blockage.

I've been through tough calls, our Brittany decided one day that she was going to ignore the yard boundaries and run across the street to greet a dog. The result was rigorous retraining, and only be permitted outside on a leash until she regained out trust... prior to, we let them outside and simply watched them. That was one cold winter to have to do it! But she's back to staying in the yard and listening.

This is the best thing for your dog. If you decide it's better to indulge his love of running around the yard without correcting this dangerous habit, make sure you have a decent pocket of savings set aside for emergency surgery. I haven't checked what the rates are for having a large portion of the intestine removed to prevent blood poisoning.

Thank you very much for the informative insight. I now have, at least, as glimmer of what I may do to illeviate this annoying problem. I need to get over to the vet within the next few weeks so maybe I will ask them also. Thanks again!

Best of luck! To a long and happy life with your four-legged companion!