How many times have you taken your dog on a walk or let them run around outside and then you see them eating grass? It’s quite a sight to see. Then next thing you might be doing, is asking yours, why do dogs eat grass in the first place? It’s not like it tastes good, or does it? There are a few different reasons why your dog might be eating grass. Feel free to choose from the following and see which relates the most with your dog.
Hungry or just enjoys the taste of grass
- Induce vomiting
Personally, my dog just loves to eat grass, and has never thrown up as a result of it. She simply loves to eat grass and big weeds. When ever she is running around in the backyard, it’s one of her top priorities.
One the other hand, one of the biggest theories behind dogs eating grass, is that they are trying to make themselves throw up. Assuming they are already sick, or ate something that is making them sick and they are trying to force it back out. This is more of an assumption, that how often it actually applies to dogs that are eating grass.
Depending on your dogs appetite and stomach, your dog may be eating grass for either reason. If your dog continually eats grass, and does not throw up, it’s safe to assume they simply enjoying eating grass.
MedicineNet actually went into some great detail on the grass eating concept, and summed it up very nicely with the following.
Pica is the technical term for the disorder characterized by eating things that aren’t food. Sometimes pica indicates that your dog has some type of nutritional deficiency, though it is often simply a sign of boredom, especially when practiced by puppies and younger dogs.
The article goes on to tell you that there is no need to worry about your beloved pet if they continually munch around on grass. Instead of freaking out and trying to get them to stop eating, see if they will play some fetch and get interested in something else.
If you were to have any concerns about your dog eating grass or plants around the house, make sure they are not eating grass that has any chemicals or pesticides on them. Also, there are some house hold and outside plants that may be poisonous to pets, so if you dog is grabbing whatever greens it can get it’s mouth on, try to keep it limited to fresh green grass only.
Why Do Dogs Eat Grass? Video
A good indicator of why your dog is eating grass may be their sense of urgency. Whenever my dogs asked to go out and immediately went for the nearest sprigs of tall grass in the yard, I knew they needed to throw up. Something they ate didn’t go down right or was upsetting their tummy. It’s the human equivalent of running to the john and sticking your finger down your throat.
If on the other hand, my dog was just strolling around the yard and stopped to munch on a patch of freshly sprouted unspoiled lawn, or to bite the top off a tall weed, I assumed he just had the munchies, or that the weed was taunting him like a fly or a bee buzzing around his head would.
Whatever the reason for eating grass, or doing whatever else they do, a dog’s instinct, intelligence, and personality never ceases to amaze or delight me.