Top 5 Reasons Why Dogs Eat Grass
Many canine owners have already spectated their dog eating grass.
You most probably are one of them and may even be concerned and wonder why your pooch evinces this kind of behavior recently.
There might come up questions like: Why does my dog eat grass? Is grazing a bad thing? And if yes, how do I prevent him from doing it?
This post will investigate the reasons for the grazing of dogs, determine whether it's a good or bad thing and show approaches to stop your canine from doing so, if necessary.
Dogs eating grass is nothing earth-shattering
Dogs that graze are considered quite normal by most vets and even wild dogs are doing it.
Roughly 80% of dogs, who have access to grass and other plants have eaten plants at some time.
The amount of grass they ingest also depends on the dog breed, of course.
The common occurrence that dogs throw up after grazing might lead to the conclusion that the grass itself makes dogs sick.
But, in most cases, your sweetheart is simply being tickled by the thin blades of grass inside their throat.
Also, there are many people that claim that dogs eat grass to relieve themselves from feeling sick by throwing up (due to the tickling) right after.
However, evidence suggests that most canines don't feel ill beforehand.
In fact, less than 10% of dogs seemed to have been unwell before eating grass, according to their owners.
Why is my dog eating grass?
1. Nutritional Deficiency
If your dog is getting too low amounts of fiber through his diet, it might lead to him starting to graze.
In a published study, a miniature poodle ate grass and vomited every day for 7 years.
Three days after he was put on a high-fiber diet, he entirely stopped eating grass.
Switching to a better high-fiber variety of dog food could make this kind of behavior redundant for your dog.
2. Boredom
Especially among puppies and younger dogs, boredom may be the culprit for them eating grass.
In such cases, it might be beneficial to make the dog generally exercise more by engaging him in fun activities like tossing a frisbee or playing other enjoyable games.
It may also be of help to get your pooch some chew toys he could chew on.
3. Improve digestion
As we all know, fiber helps us to digest our food properly.
The same goes for our playful furry companions.
This can also lead to intestinal worms being extruded from the dog's body due to the fibrous mass increasing contractions in the intestines.
4. Mimic of Ancestral Behavior
Your dog is a descendant of wolves, whose prey usually has a lot of grass in their belly.
It may plainly feel natural for your canine to imitate the ancestors by including grass in his diet.
After all, this behavior is buried deeply in your dog's genes.
5. Your dog simply likes grass
Last but not least, it's also possible that your dog simply enjoys the taste and feeling he experiences from eating grass, of course.
But this craving can also be a result of an unbalanced diet and an attempt of your dog to try to "fix" this insufficiency.
Keep an eye out for toxins and specific plants
Although most experts agree that eating grass is harmless for your dog, you should keep in mind that pesticides and herbicides sprayed onto plants may cause major health problems for your canine.
This is very common in public parks, so be on the lookout for lawn signs which are general evidence for recent spraying.
In addition to this, there is quite an amount of common house and garden plants that are toxic and which can also lead to dangerous situations if your dog chomps and ingests them.
To see if the plants around your area are toxic or not, check the list of toxic and non-toxic plants by the Animal Poison Control Center of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
If you don't want to take any risk and be completely sure that the grass your dog eats is healthy, consider growing your own patch of pet grass.
Conclusion
Is eating grass safe? Yes, it is if there are no chemicals sprayed onto it.
It also does not have to mean that your dog is sick, he may simply enjoy the grass or have a nutrient deficiency of fiber.
If your dog throws up after eating grass, it's most probably due to the thin blades of grass he didn't properly chewed up that tickle him inside his throat.
But if the symptoms of an upset stomach continue to show, you should definitely visit a veterinarian with your dog.
Have you already experienced your dog chewing on grass?
What is your opinion on this popular topic?
I hope this article was helpful and I am looking forward to reading from you in the comment section below.