[MarshMS]

Hello all!

I have a few questions that may sound stupid, but as a new dogowner I don't know the answers.

My 3 month old doodle Amanda loves to chew on trees, branches, sticks, etc. I think she does ingest some of these items. Is this okay?

Also, even though she has fresh water inside, she sometimes drinks from any water source she can find outside--like tipped over toy trucks that have water in the wheels, or a leaf filled with water. There aren't any old puddles or dirty water around. My question is more on whether it's safe for her to drink fresh rainwater found outside, if that makes sense.

And lastly, she loves to chew cardboard boxes--again pieces of which she probably ends up swallowing. Is this okay?

Thanks as always for your help to a newbie!

 

[Jamie]

Bella loves to chew a branch or two when out with Madge, a couple of times when she was a few months old she did almost choke and I had to interviene.


Now she's older (19 months) and she hasnt choked since then, we can't stop her doing it despite trying. It's a doodle thing, like so many other crazy things they do.

Maybe keep a close eye on Amanda when she's playing, encourage her to stay close so you can see.

We take a small empty plastic drink bottle and encourage her to use that instead, luckily she loves the bottles just as much so is happy to give up a stick :wink:

On the subject of water I think they just like the taste, again bella does the same, she particually loves to drink from a manky, nasty pond nearby

We try and take her to the alotments where it has a brook running alongside, just deep enough for the to swim and because it's fresh we don't worry so much

Dogs just like dirt full stop :lol:

 

[blueteal]

Hi there:

In a "perfect world" as my vet likes to say, we would not want our puppies to eat sticks, rocks etc. But we have Doodles and I can not count the amount of times my Denver(currently 7 months old) has chewed the
last piece of the stick before I could get to him. I have since taught him
"give" or "drop" etc so that he does not get as many. As far as water outside, I am very careful. If you know for sure that it is just rainwater
then that according to my vet is sort of ok but preferrably bring puppy in for a drink. Never allow your pup to drink water when you are out walking as you do not know the source and it could be a run off containing all sorts of poisons to dogs(antifreeze comes to mind)
Your questions are definately not stupid and the experts in this forum will help you a lot, as they have helped me, so ask away and enjoy your Doodle.

 

[gene]

As blueteal says, there are no stupid questions, if there were, I would have been banned a long time ago. Sounds like a typical doodle to me. Jonah love sticks, he's always trying to sneak one in the house! Now taht we have snow again, he's in seventh heaven because NOTHING tastes better than a frozen stick!! As for water outside, my back yard floods and to him it's a mammoth drinking bowl. Probably tastes better....no chlorine! :lol:

 

[Jac]

These are very good questions!
And I think it is so important for everyone to know about the dangers that their dogs may encounter...so, when you ask, someone else reads and might even get info to help their own dogs...so ask away!

Sue, I believe that you qualify as one of the 'experts" :wink:

Sticks are not the best chew toy, but I will NEVER be able to stop my dogs from chewing them. I would suggest that you watch for two things, mainly...1) the type of stick...some wood is poisonous, find out what is in your yard and look it up to see if it is safe for your dog. You can call your local college extension service to get answers generally, or check the web...lots of good sites about poisons for animals. 2) Check your dogs mouth and teeth on a REGULAR baisis. I have heard horror stories about dogs who got splinters (of stick or bone or???) stuck in their gums or the back of their throat or roof of the mouth...you get the idea. You will not know they hurt until it is almost unbearable...so look...use a flashlight and make it a routine.

The water, I agree with Sue, is a potentially hazardous thing...but again, I don't know how to completely stop the dogs from drinking it...our pups used to do what your dog is doing, only they were looking for (and eating...eeewww) big snails! So, you could have small pollywogs or something in the puddles that your dog is searching for...again, find out and make sure that it won't poison your dog (some frogs are poisionous, other things have bites/stings that can be really bad)...AND be sure to talk to your vet about giardia testing and prevention. You can give your dog a shot for giardia, but I gave it to my dogs and they still got the disease...so it is not fool-proof. http://www.canismajor.com/dog/giardia.html

All of this info is not to frighten you, but to prepare you. If your dog is chewing sticks and drinking dirty water, you need to know what to look for in case something happens...when you can't stop them, and I know sometimes you can't...then be prepared with information and a first aid kit that can get you through an emergency.

 

[Angie]

My problem is everyday! !!!!!!!!!!I take Otto to the beach and he drinks sea water when he is thirsty, I try and stop him but he is to fast. he is always sick or has the trots you would think he would get the message

 

[MaxandMe]

MarshMS...the only stupid question is the ones you don't ask.

asking is a great way to learn

like stated, unless it's rain water etc and you KNOW it source then it's fine otherwise keep your doodle ona leash in unfamilar areas to prevent accidents.


I am the overbearing overprotective mom and Max is allowed to run with sticks but the moment he tries toeat them...MOM is faster than lightening hahahhaa taking it away. Then again i haven't let him go off leash unless i have a doodleplaymate with us. I don't have a fenced yard yet...waiting till spring

and another thing...always check the pads/paws for little stones, splinters of wood. burrs etc

 

[charleyg]

chewing sticks and drinking question

Hi. We live on a little over 2 acres on heavily wooded land, and, Charley has been chewing sticks since we brought him home from the breeders! He is almost 10 months old and sits by the door and cries to go out just to chew on his sticks! He loves them. He has been chewing the bottom branches on our pear tree, they are almost gone now. He has begun taking logs out of our firewood and chewing them also. He has never had a problem, and, we did at the beginning try to stop him, but, it is almost a compulsion. He's happy, healthy and has never chewed anything except sticks and his toys. No furniture, socks, shoes, books, etc, so, I'm happy too!!!

 

[gene]

Jonah is a stick addict also. He prefers them frozen, but any way is fine! He still sneaks one in the house about once a week!

 

[MaxandMe]

Being in landscaping 15yrs+ i have a habit of cleaning the yard at all times of debris LIKE STICKS...poor Max needs high winds to find sticks hahhahaa he snaps them up so fast!!! but we manage to not let them in the house with him to-date.

I love when he tries to take a branch off a shrub hahahah they don't break if they're still alive/green sticks hahhahhaa stick bends, he pulls harder and snaps back...he tries again. HE loves the 8ft tall grasses I have in my yard.

Walking him in the winter is so much fun!! NOW if I could attach a small plow on his nose my front entrance would be shoveled about 6 times a day