HELP! How to get puppy from picking up stuff off the ground

Yep...pups will do that.  Teach her the "leave it " command.  This are the instructions I was given to teach it:

Begin by findng a forbidden object - something you will never allow your puppy to have.  Sit down in front of her and place the object in front of her.  As soon as she attempts to sniff the item, tell her "Leave it" and gently push her nose to the side.  Repeat this until the pup ignores the item.  Then place the item next to her and repeat the command; behind her and repeat the command.  Your puppy should ignore the item by the end of the lesson.  Give her praise each time your puppy walks away from the forbidden item upon your command.  The command should be given each time your puppy sniffs or grabs a forbidden item. 

Do this exercise for 5 minutes or so daily.  I'll bet she'll have it down in about a week.

Never chase the puppy once she grabs a forbidden item.  She will thnk you are playing with her and run around with it asking you to continue the game.  If she does that, trade her for an acceptable toy.  I learned the hard way on this one. 

There are other ways to teach it...and I'm sure you'll get advice from more folks on the board.

Good luck!

Ha ha ha ha!  Oh I forget what its like having a puppy!

I do yard patrol's and grab the bigger branches rocks and twigs. My "puppy" is about 60somethinglbs tho and has a long muzzle to protect her eyes from poky things. You are correct I think to worry and you've gotten some great input...I'd only add that you walk around and even be weird and get down on your knees in your yard to see if you can find some of the likely things she will grab and remove them.

Also check the plantings in your yard to ensure they are not toxic to the puppy.

 Here's another way to teach "leave it".  Put puppy on a 6' leash.  Toss a biscuit out in front of her so that she knows it's there, but can't reach it.  Simply hold the leash at your waist (she will probably struggle to get at the biscuit, but you don't move, don't say her name, and don't tug her away).  Just repeat "leave it" until she turns to look at you (this can take a short while or a long while, just keep repeating "leave it";).  As soon as she turns her head, you "cheerlead" - "yeeessss, good leave it - take it" and pop a piece of roast beef in her mouth.  What she has just learned is that "leave it" means the human has something better for me than that silly bone. 

 This exercise is the beginning of being able to up the ante, too.  Dog leaves biscuit, gets roast beef.  Dog leaves roast beef, gets tripe.  See what I mean?
 

I taught "leave it" the way Spiritdogs described and got my dog to drop a baby squirrel by yelling "leave it"! across the field!

Another thing I do is give my dogs an appropriate toy to carry in their mouths when we're out so they don't pick up unwanted "stuff". Most pictures of my dogs, they have something in their mouth. LOL