What is Pica Dog Behavior?
Article written by Nancy Settecasi
When a dog ingests unnatural objects such as rubber bands, socks, small children’s toys, etc., this is referred to as Pica Dog behavior. Ingesting these objects can cause your dog to choke or possibly end up with an intestinal obstruction, which can result in death, therefore, do not ignore Pica Dog behavior.
Reasons for Pica Dog Behavior
There are many reasons why a dog would engage in such behavior.
- He could just be exploring his surroundings and accidentally suck up a gum wrapper because the smell enticed him.
- Young puppies often pick up objects they shouldn’t. If this behavior is not dealt with early on, they may carry it into adulthood.
- If your dog is left alone all day, he may look for objects to chew on as a pass time.
- This is a great attention grabber. If your dog is ingesting an object for the first time, try not to get hysterical because your behavior will demonstrate to him how much attention he can
get if he does this. - Before you assume that your dog is demonstrating pica dog behavior, you should rule out any medical conditions by consulting your vet.
Preventive Measures
The best way to deal with pica dog behavior is:
- Make sure you have “dog-proofed” your home. Keep your floors clear of any objects that may be enticing to your dog. The only objects that should be on the floor are his chew toys.
- When you play with your dog, use his chew toys to play fetch, this way he will come to understand that “these” are the acceptable objects for him to chew on.
- Provide your dog plenty of exercise. After a nice game of fetch, his only concern is getting some rest.
- In such cases where a certain object cannot be removed from the floor, try spraying it with a deterrent such as Bitter Apple or Citronella.
Pica dog behavior is a condition that is treatable. Please don't ignore this behavior because the results can be devastating.