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I was hoping someone could help me understand some general questions about risk levels for my new puppy (male goldendoodle, 13 weeks). We have various sizes of rocks, from pea size to lemon size. Some of the larger rocks break apart, and we have caught him chewing on rocks a few times. We are working on training him not to, but sometimes he goes out into the yard unsupervised through our dog door, so we cannot manage all access. We have never seen him swallow a rock, but we're worried about this, and wondering if we should rehome him to a home that doesn't have rocks.

  1. How likely is it for a dog that chews on rocks to accidentally swallow a rock, or switch to swallowing rocks?
  2. How likely is it for a dog to have a blockage if they swallow a rock?
  3. How likely is it for a dog to continue chewing on rocks once they are done teething?

I know these are hard to quantify, so I'm just hoping for some informed intuition about my risk levels here, and whether it would be better to rehome him (assuming getting rid of the rocks is not an option).

Eric
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Definitely not advised to allow dog to chew or swallow rocks, as chewing can cause damage to their mouths (teeth, gums, etc.), and swallowing of course, digestive issues (ie blockages, or sharp rocks rips/tears).

If the dog/puppy is too young, it might be best to hold off on the "free run" via the dog door until they mature a bit more.

Aside from that, best option is redirection ... have chew/teething toys for them and make them available. If you notice they are going after the rocks, calmly take the rocks away, and present one of the above mentioned toys ...

Ditto
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