Why Do Sled Dogs Eat Rocks?

Sled dogs eating rocks is a common problem in many kennels and unfortunately, it often leads to death. The following musher quotes were taken from sled dog central.

Some mushers, like the one quoted below, are very nonchalant about the situation:

I had 6 dogs in a litter that are rock eaters, NONE have come back to where they were before the surgery and 2 died. 2 rock eaters in the litter still are top dogs (no surgery).

And in situations like the one quoted below, some dogs don’t even get a second chance at life through surgery – they just die on their chains due to ignorant handlers:

hate to tell you this, but in my experience, once a rock eater is always a rock eater. Lost a sweet little 2 yr. old female while I was at the ISDRA conference in June – didnt think to tell my ‘dog sitter’ about her being a rock eater – It was just second nature for me to keep her head high when walking her through the part of the yard that has rocks.

As we’ve covered in previous blog posts, most mushers seem to view their dogs as “just dogs” and not as the individual, sentient companions that they are:

I think we have to come to the conclusion sometimes that dogs will be dogs. It is rather funny to see what we as mushers let slide in our dogs. The average pet owner squeals when their dogs do what we see as fairly normal.

So why do sled dogs eat rocks? Let’s review some answers from professionals:

From an article in the Associated Press, by Kristie Leong, M.D.:

Although medical conditions should be ruled out, in most cases, none will be found and your dog’s habit will be attributed to a behavioral problem. This can be a challenge to treat in some cases. Another reason for rock eating in dogs are mental problems such as anxiety or stress. Sometimes simple boredom can even motivate a dog to devour rocks and gravel.

From the ASPCA Website, we have the following answer:

The consumption of nonfood items is a disorder called pica. Although pica can be a sign that a dog’s diet is lacking in some nutrient, when pica occurs in puppies and young dogs the most common culprit is boredom. Occasionally, eating nonfood items develops into compulsive behavior, resulting in a dog who’s highly motivated to find and consume specific objects. Rock eating is the most common form of pica, but dogs compulsively consume a variety of inedible objects, including plastic bags and containers, human clothing and wooden objects.

From the May 2006 Issue of “Ask AKC,” we have the following answer:

Dear Lisa: My son has a beautiful German Shorthaired Pointer who is a companion plus hunting dog. The dog eats rocks. My son has tried everything to keep him from doing this. The dog gets plenty of exercise everyday, has his own toy box full of chew toys, balls to retrieve, etc., gets regular veterinary care and has a good diet. My son has a shock collar (uses the warning ring most of the time) to prevent this behavior and has also taken all of the rocks out of his pen. What else can he do? – Between a Rock and a Hard Place in Beaumont

Dear Rock: The behavior you are describing is called “Pica” which means ingesting non-food items. The cause is unknown. There could be a variety of reasons why your son’s dog does this. It might be behavioral, anxiety or a medical reason.

I would start with his vet and rule out any medical reason, such as a disease, illness, or digestive or deficiency problem. Once any health issue is ruled out, you can move on to a behavioral cause.

It sounds like your son does a fair amount of exercise and training with the dog. However, using the shock collar probably isn’t the best approach for dealing with this issue. It was a good move to remove the rocks from the kennel but maybe your dog learned this behavior as a puppy and it’s just habitual.

If this is the case, then you really have to get firm about teaching the dog a new behavior when it comes to grabbing and gulping rocks just for kicks. Eating rocks can cause serious damage from an intestinal blockage to perforated stomachs and colons. If any of these happens, it could mean an expensive surgery bill or worse.

Different Day, Same Routine

Besides scanning the internet for “Pica Kit” products to address vitamin deficiencies, you might also want to look at changing his dog food. It has been reported that sometimes this behavior is linked to dogs tied out on runs. It could be that your dog is just bored with the same old routine, toys and activities even if you think they are adequate for him.

With a highly intelligent, active hunting dog, like the German Shorthaired Pointer, you will need to constantly provide him with a challenging job. Making strides to incorporate highly stimulating activities for your dog and taking his mind off eating rocks may just save his life.