12/16/2023 0 Comments Dog pica barking gnawingIn cases where it seems that the dog is exhibiting pica behavior in order to gain attention and the dog is performing the behavior in your presence, it is best to ignore the dog if it already has something in its mouth. (Make sure the bone or chew item is large enough so that the dog cannot swallow it.) Encourage the dog to play with acceptable chew items. Teasing the dog with a bone or chew toy will help stimulate interest in the object. After a long run the dog will spend more time resting, and this should help use up some energy that was spent looking for items to pick up in its mouth.įor dogs with an urge to find, chew and hold items within their mouth it is useful to orient the dog towards an acceptable object such as a strong nylon or rawhide bone. Taking the dog out for a good long walk twice a day will help tire the dog out, provide the dog with companionship and diversion. The easiest treatment for pica behavior is to provide adequate exercise and active play for the animal. Sometimes these two functions are so closely associated with each other that the dog ends up partially ingesting something that it originally intended only to investigate and release. The dog’s mouth is an organ by which he explores and takes possession of objects, as well as eats them. Puppies which were orally oriented, encouraged to pick up objects and play with them, can retain the attribute into adulthood. Pica is often a carryover from puppyhood. A dog with little to do in his day will “explore” behavioral activities, such as chewing on foreign objects. Boredomīoredom or lack of exercise for long periods of time without companionship can play a major role in a dog’s interest in chewing on non-food items. Even if a scolding follows, this may act as a reward for a dog deprived of attention. The attention provided by the owner can be rewarding and reinforced even though the reward is unintentional. To Gain AttentionĪ dog can quickly learn that picking up a foreign object or a non-food item will gain the owner’s attention. In the absence of any physiologic or pathologic causes, there are a number of behavioral reasons for pica. There are many medical conditions such as dietary deficiencies and esophageal dysphagia which should first be ruled out through a veterinarian’s examination.
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