My Dog Is Eating Sticks - Why Dogs Eat Sticks & What To Do

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Exploratory behavior

Puppies and young dogs are very curious and explore the world through their mouths. It is normal for them to carry, bite or tear anything that catches their attention. Starting from four months of age, the dog's milk teeth will start falling out and teething will begin. During this period, dogs will often become destructive as they try to relieve the pain caused by teething.

Chewing on sticks will help the dog to relieve teething pain. As they are young, it is possible they may eat some of the sticks as well. If this is a small amount, it should not cause them much harm, but it may be best to try to replace them with a chew toy. We should never punish puppies for this behavior. It is a natural stage which they will eventually move past.

Read our article on when dogs lose their baby teeth to learn more.

Demand for attention

A very common mistake we can make when our dog picks up something with their mouth is to snatch it away from them. One of their favorite games is to take something we want away and encourage being chased. Trying to take a stick away may be interpreted by the dog as initiation of play. They may also learn that it is a way to get our attention so they will bite and eat sticks to draw us towards them.

Stress or lack of environmental stimulation

When dogs chew sticks for a long time and even start to eat them, it can stimulate serotonin and endorphin production in the brain. This produces a relaxing effect which the dog may use to cope with stressful situations. This is a similar action as to when dogs eat grass, although there are also other reasons why dogs do this. There may be an upset to their routine, a strange situation or some consistent negative stimulus which causes stress.

Another reason why dogs might eat sticks is due to a lack of stimulation. When they do not have enough to keep them cognitively stimulated, they will become bored and behavioral problems will ensue. Eating sticks is a common one since they are often available in yards or when outside on walks.

Pica syndrome

Pica is a behavioral disorder that consists of the ingestion of materials that are not considered food. This commonly includes plastic, stones or sticks. A dog can develop a pica problem for various reasons, including chronic anxiety, improper nutrition or organic pathologies.

For more information, look at a related symptom of pica syndrome when dogs eat dirt.

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