Uncontrollable eating

[MIKE IN lINO III]

I have a springer and a lab.

When we have fires at the fire pit the springer will find and chew small twigs and bark ( off of wood ) nonstop. I am constantly correcting her but it doesn't seem to affect her. I usually put her in the house after about a half hour of correcting her. She has been doing it for a long time and I am tired of it. She has the lab doing it also, he gets corrected and will stop.

On a side note: She is constantly eating deer and rabbit turds. I can't take her in the back yard without her eating piles of turds. I've read some posts about this not being terribly harmful to the dog but it is annoying as all get out.

Is there anything I can do to stop this bad habit?

Mike

[nofishfisherman]

Most dogs that I know will chew sticks. I don't see a huge issue with it as long as its outside. I have seen dogs who try to sneak a stick or even a log inside with them, now that would be annoying.

[MuleShack]

try getting him some other toy to chew on. Rubber one or raw hide or something else "healthier" for him to spend time on.

[crothmeier]

My 3 year old lab chews on sticks all the time. i dont see any harm in it. turds on the other hand she leaves them for me to pick up

[FCspringer]

Get some cow hoofs at mills FF, they clean teeth well and last a long time they should keep bussy with them.

[crothmeier]

I pick up the smoked beef knuckles at Schmidts meat market in Nicollete for 1.99 They last quite awhile and are 1/4 the price of the ones sold at fleet farm or walmart, and my dog likes them better.

I'd think any butcher shop would be able to provide them

[Bowfin]

My lab chews sticks - vet says that may be why her teeth are so good.

[prov1900]

FWIW, I had a buddy who had a lab that chewed sticks. The dog stopped eating and was contantly coughing. After awhile the dog went to the vet and they discovered the dog had swallowed a small stick, about 2 or three inches long. The stick had become lodged sideways in the throat, causing a nasty infection, plus requiring surgery.

Again, just for what it is worth.

[bottomdweller]

I have two labs and a smooth coat collie, they all chew sticks and the oldest lab is always eating [PoorWordUsage] of any sort. Oldest is twelve. Has not hurt her so far. Great teeth for a twelve year old