Labs that will eat anything

If you’re a dog owner, you’ve likely wondered if there’s anything they won’t eat. You might have even tested this theory once or twice, staring in amazement at the enormous quantities of week-old, straight from the refrigerator, leftovers your pooch is willing to ingest, still showing no signs of stopping. In fact, a study conducted in the UK showed that about half of the country’s dogs were at the time overweight. This has caused an increasing popularity of canine diet drugs as well as “fat clinics” for dogs.

The problem of an overweight animal can usually be solved quickly and easily with the right diet and exercise plan, of course, just like humans—except with dogs, the problem is solved much more quickly due to the fact that someone else has total control of the diet and that pesky wavering will power never comes in to curse the situation. However, if you’re the owner of a dog with pica, a disorder which causes dogs to eat very strange, and usually inedible things, the cure is not so simple.

While many dogs are capable of having this disease, the most common breeds are Labradors and Retrievers. Pica usually manifests itself in the form of your dog chewing and sometimes even ingesting non-edible items such as shoes, furniture, books, etc. Although it seems like your pup is just being rebellious, dogs with pica are actually chewing and eating these strange items in an attempt to get rid of stomach nausea. That being said, if this becomes a habit for your dog and normal treatments such as adjusting food intake and taking proper disciplinary actions have not worked, it is highly recommended to see a vet to make sure there isn’t a more serious problem as well as seek further advice.

So we’ve covered why Labs are sometimes prone to seeking out strange items as a side dish to their main course, but let’s take a look at a couple cases which are slightly more extreme than your average case of “Rover’s got dad’s shoes again.” One dog owner reported that her dog would not only chew on, but regularly swallow pebbles, rocks, and even pieces of asphalt from the side of the road! That doesn’t seem like much of a cure for an upset stomach if you ask me. Along these lines, there have been several accounts of dogs, Labs specifically, who often eat dirt, sticks, and anything else from the yard they can get their mouths around. Let’s just hope the neighbors’ cats don’t take a nap in these dogs’ yards. In addition to these yard items, there have also been cases in which dogs have eaten some very dangerous items, from an 11-inch-long steak knife, to a lightbulb, to batteries, and even a cell phone. A couple other dogs, these with more expensive taste, were reported to have eaten a 2-carat diamond engagement ring and a Rolex watch. Now that’s an expensive form of medicine. Last but not least, once dog even decided he needed a little more protein in his diet, and turned to eating a live pet turtle. And that’s survival of the fittest for you.

Do you have a dog with this disorder? Is there anything we missed on our list of dog food gone wrong? If so, share your story and we’ll add it to our list!