Staffie will not surrender stones

Hi I`m new to the forum, I joined because recently I took on a 10ish yr old Staff basically to save him from the chop, So far there have been no real issues apart from that he has a bad habit of picking up large rocks and after chewing on them for a while wrecking my garden trying to bury them.Im not bothered about the garden but I am worried about his teeth, they are already blunted and chipped,I have tried everything I can think of to get the rocks off him,Distraction,trying to swap him for 1 of his toys or food Ignoring him, shouting, You name it I`ve tried it, I would really like some help on this 1 so if anyone has any ideas I would be eternally grateful.

Hi and welcome to the forum, amazing on the rescue!! I really haven't a clue what to suggest, have you tried a distraction tactic of making a really noise to make him jump when he is doing it so he drops it. Clutching at straws really. x

Hi & welcome, hope you like the forum.

Wow, a pup would be easy to teach, but a grown dog is more of a problem - he's got into the habit.

You need to teach him a really strong "leave" command. Firstly indoors with toys to start with & then progress to food items. Always swap the thing you have told him to leave with something else of equal value to him. So swap a toy with a toy, or a food item with another food item.

Once he will leave a piece of food immediately you can start to get him to leave the rocks, but you will need to be really quick - as soon as you see him go towards a stone you must tell him firmly to 'leave'. Don't wait till he's already got it, and be ready with a treat or a toy for when he does leave it.

It might take a bit of time, but staffs are really intelligent & he will catch on.

If its a problem and you think its causing him discomfort can you not move the rocks so he cant get them.
If you think its a comfort thing and no harm is done then can you not leave him be with his rocks (maca paca)

Taz absolutly loves his rocks, licking, sucking, biting, I have never taken anything out of his mouth i find it makes them want it more and they tend to dart forward for it or jump up for it, I'v always taught him the leave command and he will drop it at my feet or in my hand. I do play rocks with him but its not at all as long and as obsessed as he would like. So i control the rock play in a way. Once the leave command is learnt swap a rock for another rock, play with him even with the rock this way you are not taking the whole comfort thing away from him but you are controling it, and i think he will give it up on the leave command alot more when he knows your only going to throw it for him etc.

Any treats he really loves? I use boiled and diced (small) liver as training treats and the dogs usually do anything for it (making the smell of the procedure worth it), but steak, fries, strawberries.. ANYTHING he really loves? If so that might be a good thing to use trying to swap the stone for a super yummy treat. I suppose covering all your rocks in foul tasting stuff is a bit tricky... (I have had great experience using stick deodorant, those sprays they sell never worked for Terror Puppy Pug LOL)