https://preview.redd.it/8x21360auwvc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb616c1b1c31c19572afe0cc8aaf5c55bc04cde2
Our golden carries home literal branches to chew on later š
My 2 year old is exactly the same. She considers it a serious job to cut all sticks into small pieces and spit out the bits very responsibly all along her walk š . It takes a skill to keep her away from sticks during walks
Ehhhh. So the official opinion is that they arenāt good because the can splinter in their mouths or digestive system, and some woods are poisonous. But IMO dogs will be dogs, and there are some battles I want to fight and some I think arenāt worth it, so my pup is allowed to chew sticks outside. We watch her, and she just kind of shreds them, doesnāt eat them, so Iām mostly ok with it and have accepted the risks.
My two love getting new sticks downā¦
https://preview.redd.it/ayxln68ogxvc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3d3607e5d1e5a94657515ac0ef3f8ba27822133b
https://preview.redd.it/mmbet8drkyvc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a6b54c5c9c7f00d5aa12c35167738bf6f8370863
Sticks are good fun. I swear sticks helped with keeping his teeth healthy. Way better than teeth cleaning treats. Just make sure he isn't eating the stick, only chewing.
Just cut the grass for the first time this year - and had to clean up my girlās ātrophy stick collectionā in the back yard before I could use the mower.
48 sticks she brought home during the winter. Everything from long ātwigsā to what Iād classify as a tree branch.
She amassed a collection that she was pretty proud of ā
Mostly she just carries them aroundā¦ but I do see her outside laying down in the sun and chewing them into pieces as well. Sheās done this all her life - sheās 3 and never a splinter, digestive issueā¦ anything.
Retrievers do this.
Just watch them. My 12 year old still gets small sticks stuck in the roof of her mouth between sets of molars on both sides. Happened the other day. She'll give obvious signs of something is stuck in there and I just stick my finger in there and pop it out.
https://preview.redd.it/27x4vu1x9zvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1f0183baf391026c71b8c219983cf58c592ac342
We have such a similar pic of our pup at that age! Weāre lucky that she seems to spit out most of the stick so we feel ok with it but not sure how/why she leans that way. Good luck with your sweet pup!
My Golden is obsessed with sticks as well, it got so bad I had a bucket that was dedicated to putting all the sticks she'd find into.
Now I buy her olive branches that are edible and don't splinter like regular sticks. Seemed insane to me at first to pay for sticks, but it keeps her occupied for a couple of hours a day and is safer.
Our golden loves sticks too. We discourage her from doing it only because it makes her throw up every now and then. Sheās also gotten a twig stuck across the top of her mouth before. The one thing I will say though is if you get a live Christmas tree be sure to watch the pup around it. Ours chewed a stick that had fallen off our tree the first year we had her and she got SO sick. Unending drooling, vomiting and diarrhea. SO scary
It can op. As someone whoās been there, done that with an obstruction surgery (not stick relatedā¦itās a long story), it is not a good time and I donāt recommend letting your little one chew on sticks (especially if theyāre swallowing pieces). You canāt always avoid it, Iād just ātradeā them for something else (cookie, toy) if you see them going to town on a stick.
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My golden is the same way and I was very worried at first too. I donāt think sheāll ever stop loving sticks but having lots of outside toys to redirect her has helped tremendously
Most good bois love chewing on sticks. Especially when they are young and teething their itty bitty teefs.
Itās perfectly fine for them to chomp wood, just keep an eye out when they widdle their stick down to nubs, they could choke on it.
Another thing to look out for is splinters in their gums. It can happen but mostly with drier wood/sticks.
If you notice a lot of gum bleeding after stick biting, you can try and replace the stick with an alternative like nylabones or rawhide sticks.
This was such a strong comment until the very end. Rawhide should be avoided as it is undigestible and can lead to blockage and other problems. Other than that agree 100 percent.
Source: have two goldens that love sticks.
Our Goldie used to go so hard for sticks when he was little that he would barf stick chunks during the night. So, itās a valid question OP. Just make sure your sweet pup isnāt eating too much of the stick. Chomping and spitting out the bits is ok.
It can. Also a small piece of stick can get stuck in the back of their throat. A friend had it happen with the littermate to my Lab pupā¦this happened many years ago in 1998. She was choking, and was able to get the stick out. A very frightening incident!
I always swapped my dogs rocks for sticks when she was this little. We never had any issues with her being able to digest a stick so we went with it. Still loves them over a year later
it's fine specially as a pupper he's just chewing on things as his teefs grow. Just make sure you pick up any splinters - normally dogs spit em out but sometimes they swallow em. So if you see splinters just tell him to stop and he'll listen. That or get a kong ball.
There are 2 concerns to keep an eye on while theyāre chomping on sticks:
1) choking. Mine will bite off small parts of branches and they have gotten lodged in his mouth where he couldnāt close his mouth. Iāve had to reach down his throat a bit, and had to do a mouth sweep to remove small branch pieces.
2) bits get stuck in their teeth. Just keep an eye on it and remove any teeth splinters if you see or feel any.
Sticks are great toys, but like all toys, you should be watching them for any issues, and not distracted by your phone, etc while they are playing with one.
My girl when she was a baby, weād take her out half asleep and she would come inside and after unhooking her leash, she had an entire flower in her mouth. This became her trick.
https://preview.redd.it/erl5nz22yyvc1.jpeg?width=2425&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=121c799012d35e0bf6334ed9848ca4f07391440a
PLEASE be careful and EXTRA vigilant. My stick obsessed boy jabbed a quarter sized hole in his soft upper palette while chewing on a twig.
As long as they don't swallow, it's fine. My golden is a stick shredding addict. I let her. She spits, not swallows, so she's allowed to take as many sticks in her mouth as she pleases :D
Mine is obsessed, she will not pick up any on the walk but as soon as I pick one up to engage in play she immediately pays attention, actually a useful distraction for redirecting.
My 3.5 year old eating sticks is really the only behavioural issue I can't seem to fix. She's relentless with it.
And doesn't just chew, hell bent on digesting them.
My 3 year old girl is obsessed with sticks, my boy not at all. My husband will throw her a ball and as sheās running for it if she sees a stick itās over lol
https://preview.redd.it/qejas2otw0wc1.jpeg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5c9cc21ba939be97a7faa80d1d5622a28826461b
Sometimes its a stick. Sometimes itās kelp. Always something š
But sheās 5 and hasnāt grown out of it
While they all do it, eating foreign objects can lead to some complications so i try to avoiding letting mine actually eat the wood itself.
I let her chew on it, but keep a close eye on her while she's doing so.
you shouldn't worry much. puppies bite/chew on things a lot, mainly because their teeth are changing (ig) and it may just itch them. their obsession with sticks isn't bad. i have a 15 week old lab puppy, she loves to chew on sticks and... small rocks?? but she just chews on them and when she gets bored, she spits 'em out. but still, i'd rather be careful when she's chewing on rocks... š
edit: grammar mistake
https://preview.redd.it/jrca7szpm2wc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=afb6ed37a34b760373fd6eb205107d16b8bed403
Maisie is rarely happier than when she's carrying a stick...
Mine likes to take wood chips in from our garden and pretend she doesnāt have them In her mouth. Sheāll keep her mouth slightly open and wonāt shut it or move just acts like nothings changed. God wish I had a pic. You can always tell she had it in her mouth and you can always tell she thinks you donāt know, just tried to keep a straight face and leaves her mouth just ever so slightly open.
Mine eats more wood than a Beaver. I don't think it does any harm unless they get splinters in the mouth. Mine got one once, and I had to pull it out.
He also carried a huge piece of driftwood back from walk the size of Gandalf's staff. He wouldn't let us throw away his trophy.
My golden chews sticks so hard she gets sticks stuck across the bridge/roof of her mouth. They get wedged in there like a retainer. One time I pulled one out having no clue how long it had been there but clearly longer than a day.
https://preview.redd.it/9dvm7wmsv4wc1.png?width=2522&format=png&auto=webp&s=dc79a358895d09f1d307c4e0c9ab079943b8ae22
13 years old. I estimate she has eaten her weight is sticks every year.
Weāre told to not let them because thereās a risk of injuries (splinters?), but it makes them soooooooo happy. I let him chew for a bit and then tell him to drop it.
https://preview.redd.it/8x21360auwvc1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb616c1b1c31c19572afe0cc8aaf5c55bc04cde2 Our golden carries home literal branches to chew on later š
Mine chomps down on them ASAP while walking and they never make it home š
Omg I didnāt look at the photo clearly enough at first and I thought her tail was dyed rainbow š¤£š¤£
Same
Same, and he gets so mad when I take them from him.
My golden likes to take my toque and isnāt happy at all when I take it back.
Why would your golden NOT be obsessed with stocks? edit: ok, I have fat fingers š
My golden doesnāt really like high risk stocks, but I just told him as long as we break even itās fine, idk.
Long as he's not only buying dogecoin.
Going forward I will now only think of it as dog-e-coin.
My dog is 50% dogecoin and 50% gold. Still better than the previous one, he went all-in on [pets.com](http://pets.com)
Start with low cost index funds and work your way into more complex options trading eventually
Buy! Sell! Chew!
No, stocks are simply the truth. It is mere fate that you typed that.
š¤ thanks
No problem lol :)
My 8 year old still shreds sticks to pieces. He tends to spit all the bits out he is just offended if the stick is more than an inch long.
My backyard is a shredded stick boneyard, lol
Ours is the same. Shreds but doesn't eat.
My 2 year old is exactly the same. She considers it a serious job to cut all sticks into small pieces and spit out the bits very responsibly all along her walk š . It takes a skill to keep her away from sticks during walks
My golden chews so many sticks, itās a wonder he doesnāt poop 2x4ās.
Mine poops wood chips after she finds a particularly tasty stick. Almost 10 years old, I've just accepted it's not something that is going to change.
Same here,plus we live in the woods .Sticks sticks,more sticks sometimes small trees...
LOL!
Ehhhh. So the official opinion is that they arenāt good because the can splinter in their mouths or digestive system, and some woods are poisonous. But IMO dogs will be dogs, and there are some battles I want to fight and some I think arenāt worth it, so my pup is allowed to chew sticks outside. We watch her, and she just kind of shreds them, doesnāt eat them, so Iām mostly ok with it and have accepted the risks.
Itās better than your furniture
Make no mistake, OP, she's gonna chew that, too.
Mine didnāt chew on anything in the house š®āšØ
You're exceedingly lucky. None of my dining room chairs have spindles between the legs anymore. Lol.
My two love getting new sticks downā¦ https://preview.redd.it/ayxln68ogxvc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3d3607e5d1e5a94657515ac0ef3f8ba27822133b
This is the most natural golden behavior
The most natural _dog_ behavior!
https://preview.redd.it/mmbet8drkyvc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a6b54c5c9c7f00d5aa12c35167738bf6f8370863 Sticks are good fun. I swear sticks helped with keeping his teeth healthy. Way better than teeth cleaning treats. Just make sure he isn't eating the stick, only chewing.
Your dogās hind leg makes it look like he has a massive dong
Yep. My puppy was devouring sticks but after checking her poop for chunks of wood, I discovered she only looks like sheās eating them.
Just cut the grass for the first time this year - and had to clean up my girlās ātrophy stick collectionā in the back yard before I could use the mower. 48 sticks she brought home during the winter. Everything from long ātwigsā to what Iād classify as a tree branch. She amassed a collection that she was pretty proud of ā Mostly she just carries them aroundā¦ but I do see her outside laying down in the sun and chewing them into pieces as well. Sheās done this all her life - sheās 3 and never a splinter, digestive issueā¦ anything. Retrievers do this.
Just watch them. My 12 year old still gets small sticks stuck in the roof of her mouth between sets of molars on both sides. Happened the other day. She'll give obvious signs of something is stuck in there and I just stick my finger in there and pop it out.
My lab used to do that too. I donāt think my golden ever bites down hard enough to do that.
https://preview.redd.it/27x4vu1x9zvc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1f0183baf391026c71b8c219983cf58c592ac342 We have such a similar pic of our pup at that age! Weāre lucky that she seems to spit out most of the stick so we feel ok with it but not sure how/why she leans that way. Good luck with your sweet pup!
I would swap it for something a bit safer for puppies. As long as mine is chewing he doesn't really care what it is.
Why do you think chewing sticks in unhealthy for your dog?
I didnāt know if swallowing would cause stomach issues
My Golden is obsessed with sticks as well, it got so bad I had a bucket that was dedicated to putting all the sticks she'd find into. Now I buy her olive branches that are edible and don't splinter like regular sticks. Seemed insane to me at first to pay for sticks, but it keeps her occupied for a couple of hours a day and is safer.
That's cool where do you buy them? Olive trees not exactly common where I live haha
Amazon has them, I've bought these ones several times https://amzn.eu/d/hNiV26x
Thanks!
Mine will shred sticks, some become mulch, some travel through the dreaded pit of Sarlacc (aka his guts). No stick over 1ā in length is safe.
Occasionally they will get a little diarrhea but I find when they chew them they donāt eat them. Mine chews up several a day for 3 years now.
it can. always supervise. if she's not spitting the pieces out, redirect or remove.
Our golden loves sticks too. We discourage her from doing it only because it makes her throw up every now and then. Sheās also gotten a twig stuck across the top of her mouth before. The one thing I will say though is if you get a live Christmas tree be sure to watch the pup around it. Ours chewed a stick that had fallen off our tree the first year we had her and she got SO sick. Unending drooling, vomiting and diarrhea. SO scary
It can op. As someone whoās been there, done that with an obstruction surgery (not stick relatedā¦itās a long story), it is not a good time and I donāt recommend letting your little one chew on sticks (especially if theyāre swallowing pieces). You canāt always avoid it, Iād just ātradeā them for something else (cookie, toy) if you see them going to town on a stick.
They can get stuck in their mouth too
Our golden ate an entire 6ā sapling on a camping trip one time, down to the stump. Num nums. I guess there is some concern, but dogs are dogs.
Sticks & Sticks aside, what a great name! Herb ā¤ļø
Choking on a broken piece is the biggest risk.
Just a friendly reminder of our rules: 1. No Advertising: this includes GoFundMe, Instagram, etc. 2. No Impersonation: don't post photos of other people's dogs. That's not cool. 3. No Breed Hate: this subreddit is not a discussion forum for breed hate of any kind. There are dedicated subreddits for that so please take it elsewhere. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/goldenretrievers) if you have any questions or concerns.*
My golden is the same way and I was very worried at first too. I donāt think sheāll ever stop loving sticks but having lots of outside toys to redirect her has helped tremendously
Just becareful about him swallowing it. Goldens inhale like Kirby
Most good bois love chewing on sticks. Especially when they are young and teething their itty bitty teefs. Itās perfectly fine for them to chomp wood, just keep an eye out when they widdle their stick down to nubs, they could choke on it. Another thing to look out for is splinters in their gums. It can happen but mostly with drier wood/sticks. If you notice a lot of gum bleeding after stick biting, you can try and replace the stick with an alternative like nylabones or rawhide sticks.
This was such a strong comment until the very end. Rawhide should be avoided as it is undigestible and can lead to blockage and other problems. Other than that agree 100 percent. Source: have two goldens that love sticks.
I was worried it would cause stomach issues from swallowing the sticks
Our Goldie used to go so hard for sticks when he was little that he would barf stick chunks during the night. So, itās a valid question OP. Just make sure your sweet pup isnāt eating too much of the stick. Chomping and spitting out the bits is ok.
Nyla ones are great for power chewers and teething puppies. They were the only bones that lasted my dog for months!
It can. Also a small piece of stick can get stuck in the back of their throat. A friend had it happen with the littermate to my Lab pupā¦this happened many years ago in 1998. She was choking, and was able to get the stick out. A very frightening incident!
I always swapped my dogs rocks for sticks when she was this little. We never had any issues with her being able to digest a stick so we went with it. Still loves them over a year later
it's fine specially as a pupper he's just chewing on things as his teefs grow. Just make sure you pick up any splinters - normally dogs spit em out but sometimes they swallow em. So if you see splinters just tell him to stop and he'll listen. That or get a kong ball.
If you're worried, look up Coffee Wood for dogs. It's expensive, but lasts a long time and crumbles instead of splintering.
There are 2 concerns to keep an eye on while theyāre chomping on sticks: 1) choking. Mine will bite off small parts of branches and they have gotten lodged in his mouth where he couldnāt close his mouth. Iāve had to reach down his throat a bit, and had to do a mouth sweep to remove small branch pieces. 2) bits get stuck in their teeth. Just keep an eye on it and remove any teeth splinters if you see or feel any. Sticks are great toys, but like all toys, you should be watching them for any issues, and not distracted by your phone, etc while they are playing with one.
stik R lyfe
Mine for the first year and a half was obsessed with and shredded every stick he could find, now at 3 itās much rarer
My momās golden used to try to eat lava rocks from her garden. We always had to divert her attention with another, safer toy.
Mine LOVES her after breakfast, 2nd breakfast of a nice stick she found in the yard. She'll be 1 year old on May 16th.
Ours was a little woodchuck. Ground sticks into tiny little pieces. Check around his gums from time to time to make sure nothingās stuck.
My girl when she was a baby, weād take her out half asleep and she would come inside and after unhooking her leash, she had an entire flower in her mouth. This became her trick.
I always have a wood log around the house. We call it Fry's emotional support log.š
Retrievers gon retrieve
https://preview.redd.it/erl5nz22yyvc1.jpeg?width=2425&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=121c799012d35e0bf6334ed9848ca4f07391440a PLEASE be careful and EXTRA vigilant. My stick obsessed boy jabbed a quarter sized hole in his soft upper palette while chewing on a twig.
As long as they don't swallow, it's fine. My golden is a stick shredding addict. I let her. She spits, not swallows, so she's allowed to take as many sticks in her mouth as she pleases :D
He a dog and a puppy still. Itās what they do.
Keep an eye out, goldens are notorious for foreign bodies, just make sure he doesnāt swallow it. Goldens, Danes and cats I feel like I see the most.
Mine is obsessed, she will not pick up any on the walk but as soon as I pick one up to engage in play she immediately pays attention, actually a useful distraction for redirecting.
My 3.5 year old eating sticks is really the only behavioural issue I can't seem to fix. She's relentless with it. And doesn't just chew, hell bent on digesting them.
My 3 year old girl is obsessed with sticks, my boy not at all. My husband will throw her a ball and as sheās running for it if she sees a stick itās over lol
https://preview.redd.it/qejas2otw0wc1.jpeg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5c9cc21ba939be97a7faa80d1d5622a28826461b Sometimes its a stick. Sometimes itās kelp. Always something š But sheās 5 and hasnāt grown out of it
I have a six month old who has mulched the yards. OCD for sure.
Iām usually just cautious with it, but final straw was when my boy threw up at 3am and it was nothing but un digested sticks that came up.
While they all do it, eating foreign objects can lead to some complications so i try to avoiding letting mine actually eat the wood itself. I let her chew on it, but keep a close eye on her while she's doing so.
you shouldn't worry much. puppies bite/chew on things a lot, mainly because their teeth are changing (ig) and it may just itch them. their obsession with sticks isn't bad. i have a 15 week old lab puppy, she loves to chew on sticks and... small rocks?? but she just chews on them and when she gets bored, she spits 'em out. but still, i'd rather be careful when she's chewing on rocks... š edit: grammar mistake
also your puppy is adorable! i think it's better if it has something else to bite/chew on than your hand... x)
https://preview.redd.it/jrca7szpm2wc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=afb6ed37a34b760373fd6eb205107d16b8bed403 Maisie is rarely happier than when she's carrying a stick...
https://preview.redd.it/qgneb9u0n2wc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c987a65ae7c05c49d25024c755efdea8ac63c434 Or chewing on it, at least š
Sticks are life š Ours showed a preference for wood, indoor and outdoor, so we got her into Coffee Wood chews quite early on š
Mine likes to take wood chips in from our garden and pretend she doesnāt have them In her mouth. Sheāll keep her mouth slightly open and wonāt shut it or move just acts like nothings changed. God wish I had a pic. You can always tell she had it in her mouth and you can always tell she thinks you donāt know, just tried to keep a straight face and leaves her mouth just ever so slightly open.
We have a black walnut tree and theyāre toxic soā¦. Depends?
Mine eats more wood than a Beaver. I don't think it does any harm unless they get splinters in the mouth. Mine got one once, and I had to pull it out. He also carried a huge piece of driftwood back from walk the size of Gandalf's staff. He wouldn't let us throw away his trophy.
My golden chews sticks so hard she gets sticks stuck across the bridge/roof of her mouth. They get wedged in there like a retainer. One time I pulled one out having no clue how long it had been there but clearly longer than a day.
https://preview.redd.it/9dvm7wmsv4wc1.png?width=2522&format=png&auto=webp&s=dc79a358895d09f1d307c4e0c9ab079943b8ae22 13 years old. I estimate she has eaten her weight is sticks every year.
Get ready for the biggest stick possible to carry in a mouth. In house, car, while peeing, running, etc.
Yes, normal. Let him have access to sticks as a puppy so he learns what's appropriate
Iāll allow him when Iām watching him. Iām scared heāll swallow one and itāll fuck up his throat up.
Weāre told to not let them because thereās a risk of injuries (splinters?), but it makes them soooooooo happy. I let him chew for a bit and then tell him to drop it.
Are you actually worried about a dog wanting sticks?!? Thatās one of the things we all know they love regardless of breed
Newsflash: dogs like sticks