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Chewing, licking and biting is a soothing and relaxing behaviour for dogs, so it’s no surprise they turn to this when they’re feeling worked up. Pica in response to anxiety or stress is another behavioural reason for this peculiar habit. Giving your dog your interest is exactly what they were looking for, it’s a type of positive reinforcement. Even though this type of attention isn’t nice, like cuddles or praise, it’s still attention at the end of the day. Your dog will know you’ll be angry or worried when they’ve eaten something strange, and as a result you’ll rush to their aid or give them a good telling off. They might be lacking exercise, mental stimulation or even just company. Seeking out your attention because they are simply bored and looking for something to do is a very common reason why dogs display this strange behaviour. It might sound strange that your dog would decide to go and eat your socks to get your attention, but it’s true, and it works. Usually, the reasons can be distinguished into either behavioural or medical reasons. What causes pica in dogs?Ī multitude of things can trigger pica in your pooch. However, pica can be more than just irritating, it can actually cause your pup some danger so it needs to be addressed. This is why dogs with this habit can be partial to consuming your socks and towels. To add to the frustration of pica, many dogs seem to prefer something that’s got their owners scent on. The habit can be considered a compulsive behaviour and it can be a really big annoyance in your life. Pica is not just about chewing and biting on the non-food objects, it’s about actually swallowing and ingesting them. Even their own or other animal’s faeces can tickle your dog’s tastebuds (many pooches seem to absolutely love the stuff!), although, this revolting habit is referred to as coprophagia rather than pica. Grass, sticks, rocks, sand, toys, socks, towels, absolutely anything can be fair game for your dog to devour. Pica refers to the peculiar habit of ingesting non-food items over and over again. However, many will draw the line at non-food objects. Many dogs aren’t picky when it comes to food and will eat just about anything. Eating strange, non-food items is a behaviour called pica.īut why do they do this? We’re going to explain what pica is, all the possible reasons for pica and ways to help your dog kick the habit.
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Dogs eat some weird, and often very disgusting things that will make us humans turn our noses up in disgust.
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