Puppy grabbing stones

[cazza]

Ash (10 weeks on Sunday) has decided stones are good to pick up take inside and then put down and play with 

I have tried to get her to play with a toy outside instead but nope the stone is more interesting (This is a new toy that I have just for out side)

So I have now taken to every time we go out for toilet taking the clicker with me and when she starts to head to where she is picking the stones up with I am calling her back to me - this is currently working

Apart from fencing off the area - which actually wont work, if anyone has any other ideas for this I would be grateful

[LucyJ]

Its amazing how many new ways they can find to worry you, isn't it?

I'd stick with what you are doing, my old cocker Daisy went through a phase of picking up the red elastic bands postmen used to drop then would swallow them when I tried to get them off her.  It was entirely my fault as a new dog owner as I would panic and try to get them out of her mouth, which made it a great game for her.

With Pepper I use the ignore and distract technique you are doing instead and it seems to have worked ok

[bizzylizzy]

I also think what you‘re doing is the best way forward, stones, sticks etc are all novelties and phases which pass eventually anyway but I‘ve also learned in retrospect that the more you take things off them, the more likely they seem to start guarding things later. I would also start to teach her to drop or give you things on command but train that during a training session, not when the situation has already presented itself and she‘s already gripping on to something dangerous. In the meantime, until she understands it and gives things up reliably, use distraction. I  didn‘t do it like that but wish I had! 

[cazza]

Thanks both, sometimes just need reassurance that I am doing the best thing 

I have worked on sit, down and go to bed so far with the clicker. The only trouble I am having with those is that Ash now when I sit down on the kitchen settee she runs and sits in her crate waiting for a click 

Have had her out on lead in the garden and need to get the clicker on that today, as all she is interested in is getting to the end of the lead - trying to stand still when she is jumping and twisting to get the lead off her isn’t what I wanted but hey ho she is only 10 weeks tomorrow

Toilet training is going great, open the door tell her to go and off she runs and goes or pretends and then runs back for a treat  only accidents inside is if she has been playing and someone doesn’t notice the signs    (which is pretty rare now)

For treats I am only using her kibble currently - she should be on 4 meals a day of 35g but she is on 4 meals of 30g the other 20g are used as treats for training throughout the day  yes I will use other treats later on if required but hoping to leave them until the teenage months

Thanks again both