Why Does My Dog Eat Grass?

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Are you ever looked through your window to the garden and see you dog eating grass and you just begin to wonder, why does my dog eat grass? How many times have you seen your dog eating some grass, plants or leaves in the garden? The reason why dogs eat grass may have several explanations.

First you should know that 8 out of 10 dogs do eat grass and is it is normal. Although this behavior may scare some dog owners, but we must make it clear here grass eating is natural in dogs. Many Ethologists have agreed that dogs eat grasses when they have an stomach upset. The behavior of ingesting plants by dogs is more related to an evolutionary habit inherited from its ancestor, the wolf. There are two theories which experts believe are the reasons why dogs eat grass. The first one is, the dog has an upset stomach and eat the grass to induce vomiting. The second theory is that, when a dog eats grass, it is seeking for additional nutrients that may be lacking in its usual diet, or possibly that the grass tastes similar to the taste they get from raw meat of herbivores.

The following could be possible reasons why your dog eats grass:

 Boredom

 Taste for flavor and smell of vegetation

 Way to “purge” by eating herbs that provokes vomiting

 Possible mineral deficiency (in this case also tend to eat dirt)

 “Pica” an eating disorder that involves eating unusual things like stones, plastics etc.

Possible benefits of dog eating grasses

 Supply of minerals

 Fiber intake Dangers associated with dog eating grasses

 Possible poisoning by pesticides and fertilizers

 Gastritis (irritation and inflammation of the stomach) caused by grass and acid secretion caused by it.

 Possible spread of parasites with accidental ingestion. For example, ticks, fleas and Liver fluke.

If your pet eats grass away from home, it is exposed to contagious diseases such as leptospirosis which is spread by urine of other animals with the disease like squirrels, rats, dogs and cats. It is almost impossible to make sure that your dog does not eat grass. Therefore, you must take the following precautions to reduce the potential risk associated with eating grasses.

 Vaccinating and deworming your dog

 If you place some kind of fertilizer or pesticides in your garden, do not let your dog come in contact with the treated plants to prevent poisoning

 Eating a diet with the nutritional values your dog needs, will prevent it from eating grass as a result of mineral deficiency

 Keep your dog lively with games and toys to avoid boredom

 If dog is suffering from pica, you must take your pet to the vet Doctor to solve the problem.

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Why Does My Dog Eat Grass?