# Kojo has Pica



## LUVmyHava (Apr 16, 2019)

It is not boredom because I am almost always home and he's usually asleep in my lap, in exercise pen near me or playing near/with me. The moment I take him outside, he looks for small twigs/branches from trees to eat. He eats leaves, mud, bugs, wood mulch and grass. I never leave him outside alone because I worry about what he will eat. He also tries to eat his poop immediately after defacating (poop always solid) . Walking on leash, he is constantly searching and grabbing pine cones, pine needles, twigs and and chasing leaves blowing in wind. Very hard to distract him from this to do his business.

He has never eaten or destroyed his bed in crate or exercise pen, stuffed toys or any of my furniture. He loves running laps in backyard and frequently doesn't want to come indoors even when 30 degrees and I am cold. 

Indoors he hunts for anything paper to tear up and really likes to destroy plastic water bottles. He is constantly raiding my recycle bin for plastic bottles and paper/cardboard to destroy while I am feet away from him. He doesn't eat the plastic or paper though. He knows "no" and will stop but as soon as I look away he is back. He will drop it when I tell him. But refuses to drop anything when we are outdoors. 

He has tons of chew toys which he enjoys including nylabones, furry animals with squeakers without stuffing, kong, ropes, bully sticks. I play with him frequently. He brings toy to me to play with him. I haven't found any dog treats he will eat (not even peanut butter but will eat warm hot dog or pieces of chicken).

I rarely leave the house but when I do he is always in exercise pen in living room. Does not demonstrate separation anxiety, greets me happily when I return but not exuberant.


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

Sounds like a typical Havanese puppy!


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## LUVmyHava (Apr 16, 2019)

He is 10 months old. Should he be having this "puppy" behavior?


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

Well, I got Willow about 5 years ago when she was 9 months and she did most of what you mentioned. She still does some of it at times.  She doesn't really eat some of the things (except poop). She would more like pick things up and mouth them or chew on them. I would take away sticks, rocks, pinecones and anything else I didn't want her ingesting. She loves paper and will grab the TP off the roller whenever possible. She seems to like to eat the TP. Other paper she just shreds. She eats grass occasionally. I had a corgi that loved grass but it was only a certain type of grass she would seek. You don't want the dog to swallow anything that could cause a bowel obstruction of make them sick. Even sticks can splinter. I don't think I've ever heard of a dog eating mud however. Bugs are popular. Plastic water bottles make a great, cheap toy. You can put one in an old sock and tie off the end. They love to play with that. I think much of what you mentioned is pretty common especially for young dogs.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

I recommend consulting with a professional to get a better idea on this.


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## LUVmyHava (Apr 16, 2019)

I don't give Kojo plastic bottle in a sock. He would ingest the sock. So I let him have plastic drinking bottle without label and cap. I'm a "helicopter mom" when Kojo is outside.


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## kodiakken (Oct 25, 2018)

Danny will eat the lid or the plastic rings that hold the caps on the bottle before they are opened. He doesn't get water bottles at all and we really watch around the yard incase someone throws one out.
That is about the only thing that we really worry about, he has never shredded or torn his toys or anything else in the house.
He does have quite a time with a news paper but you have to play with him and he will shred it. Place it on the floor and he just looks at it. Danny is 8 years old still has lots of puppy out bursts.


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

LUVmyHava said:


> I don't give Kojo plastic bottle in a sock. He would ingest the sock. So I let him have plastic drinking bottle without label and cap. I'm a "helicopter mom" when Kojo is outside.


Wow, that does not seem normal. I agree with Dave T that maybe it's time to talk to a vet or maybe a very experienced dog trainer or behaviorist. I'm surprised you can give a plastic water bottle without him tearing it apart. Willow can eventually break apart a water bottle. Please keep us updated if you do decide to seek professional help.


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

Jackie from Concrete said:


> Sounds like a typical Havanese puppy!


Yelp! Sounds like my girl. She's almost two years old and still has her nose to the ground and picks up almost anything that catches her attention. As a very young puppy she use to like to pick up and carry around poop-cycles (frozen poop). She even tried a couple tasty bits of poop. Fortunately, she's no longer interested in tasting poop, but loves to give dog or other animal poop a Sniff. >


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## nwhavmom (Feb 2, 2019)

My 11 month old pup is very similar on walks. He loved chasing the moving leaves in the fall and they are easy for him to tear up. He picks up a stick every 30 yards, carrying it with him like the grand prize. Everything you described sounds very much like my pup as well. I read that it is common for puppies to smell their poop because they are learning how to discern their own scent. Searching for easy items in the home to shred is pretty common even when they have lots of toys and things to chew.

Read more at: https://wagwalking.com/behavior/why-do-dogs-smell-their-poop


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## Mikki (May 6, 2018)

kodiakken said:


> *Danny will eat the lid or the plastic rings that hold the caps on the bottle before they are opened. He doesn't get water bottles at all and we really watch around the yard incase someone throws one out.*
> That is about the only thing that we really worry about, he has never shredded or torn his toys or anything else in the house.
> He does have quite a time with a news paper but you have to play with him and he will shred it. Place it on the floor and he just looks at it. Danny is 8 years old still has lots of puppy out bursts.


Plastic water bottles with macaroni noodles inside that make nose are GREAT!!! toys for young puppies. We had lots of fun playing with plastic water bottles. Unfortunately, when the puppy gets older, and has more Chew Power - they are more interested in chewing off the top and the ring of the bottle than the bottle.:frown2:


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

I like the idea of macaroni inside! I'll have to try that. Willow always likes more noise. Now she will be able to rattle the bottle in addition to squeezing it!


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