New pup trying to swallow everything in the yard

[ENShawkins]

Hey everyone, first time poster. My wife and I just got a brand new black lab pup. She is only 8 weeks, so she still has a steep training curve in front of her. When she is chewing something she isn't supposed to be, we give her a firm "no" and then give her a toy to chew, and praise her.

My question is, when we take her out in the yard to "do her thing," she puts her nose into everything, small rocks, leaves, grass. I know that is a natural puppy thing to do. But what we want her to do is not pick up the small bite-size pieces (small rocks, mini-pieces of sticks, etc), because she may swallow them. What is the best training method to discourage her from doing this?

When I see her put her nose into something, I walk over, say "open" and then pry her mouth open and take whatever it is out. Should I give her a chew toy immediately after I do this? Will this method teach her that it is wrong? Any input on this would be great. Thanks.

[GeorgieGirl]

Welcome and congrats on the puppy! It sounds like you are on the right track to me, but I have a couple of suggestions: instead of "no" I'd use "leave it" and "out". No is a very common word that dogs hear...as in "No, don't do that, No...drop it,...no, down... no stop eating the couch....etc." The really smart ones, and I include labs in that comment, tend to tune it out.
I also use "drop" onstead of open because ultimately you want her not only to open her mouth but also to"drop" the object in question. It's quicker to use/say.
I personally use "OUT" when I don't want my dogs anywhere near the object in question. Like,... oh say a skunk. I use "leave it" when they want to go back or obsess over an object. Leave it is a command that helps me with the more obsessive of the pack. To be honest, it's been a few years since I was in the nity grity puppy training days, an even then I had Aussies so I didn't have nearly the task that a lab pup can be. I wish I had more lab pup advice for you but Im sure someone here will be along to help you out. You picked a great breed to have and I wish you and your wife the best of luck! Please post some pics if the little dear we'd love to see her!
Cheers!

[laddiecat]

If she swallows many rocks, from experiece, I would say to take her to the vet, our dog died from the rocks bulding up in his system, and killed him. The vet can do sugery, and get rocks out.

[DachshundDuo]

Hi there, and welcome to Petlovers!

I use the phrase "Drop it" if my dogs have something in their mouths that they are not supposed to have. They are so conditioned to it that when I say it, they open their mouths and whatever they have falls right out and they walk away from it.

Good luck with your new puppy!

[laddiecat]

I use "leave it!", in a firm, but gentle voice, and if they don't drop it on their own, you pry their mouth openand it falls!

[theresa92841]

You also might consider when you take her out to the yard to potty, that you leave her on the leash. That will aslo keep her from being distracted while you are potty training her, since she won't be free to go exploring. And at the same time, you are keeping her from picking up any of the rocks, etc. Then you will also have more options with the leave it command in that you will have control of the leash to enforce the command.