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Why is my dog eating grass?

dog on te grass

While walking in the park with your dog, you suddenly notice that he starts eating grass. I think that every dog guardian knows these situations well. However, do you know why your four-legged friend decides to eat some grass? First, it doesn’t mean he’s hungry.

A dog eating grass may want to induce gag reflexes. Thus, he looks for a solution to stomach pain or digestive problems. The dog’s body does not produce the enzymes to digest the grass he eats. That’s why it’s not a good idea for your dog to eat grass.

What will you learn from this article?

  • Dogs lack the digestive enzymes that enable them to digest the grass they eat entirely.
  • The reason for eating grass may be that the dog wants to vomit.
  • A dog eating grass could be a sign that he has an obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The dog is eating grass

Do you ever notice your dog eating grass when outside? I think I know the answer to that question. Most dogs have at least one approach to eating grass. Some pets do this more often than others.

You’re probably wondering why your dog eats grass at all. Such behaviour in a canine does not result from your pet being hungry or because he is an absolute glutton.

A dog eats grass for specific reasons that have nothing to do with satisfying his hunger. You must realize this.

I have heard of cases of dog handlers who, wanting to dissuade their pet from the idea of ​​eating grass, tried to bribe him with various treats.

The effect of this was the opposite of what they expected. The dog thought it was a reward for trying to eat the grass. You don’t want to create such an association with your pet. It would then be challenging to unlearn the dog from eating grass.

Why does a dog eat grass?

As I mentioned, a dog’s grass-eating behaviour is motivated by specific reasons. Your dog does this for a reason. Are you suspicious about what could be causing your dog’s behaviour? I admit that I tried to deduce why this was happening before I knew the honest answer to this question.

Please write to me in the comment about your assumptions about it so far. I’m interested in your theory is close to the truth.

– vitamin deficiencies in the dog

Eating grass by a dog can be caused by vitamin deficiencies in his body. The dog instinctively wants to provide them by eating green grass.

Your pet wants to replenish nutrients it is not getting from his daily diet. Therefore, if you have doubts about whether your dog’s diet contains everything he needs, I refer you to the article you will find HERE. In it, I explain step by step what a healthy and nutritious diet for your dog should contain.

– the dog wants to clean the stomach

Your dog may eat grass during walks when he has stomach intestinal problems. You are probably wondering what healing effect the grass has in this situation. I’ll tell you the answer to this question, none.

Your dog’s behaviour does not mean he cares about providing grass to his body because it will positively affect his health. On the contrary, your dog’s stomach lacks the digestive enzymes to digest grass properly.

So why is your pet eating grass? Its structure and texture tickle the dog’s palate while eating, thus irritating the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. What is the effect? That causes the dog to vomit.

You’ve noticed that he starts vomiting soon after your pooch eats grass. That is a deliberate act of the dog. Your pet suffering from indigestion or food poisoning wants to help get rid of this unpleasant feeling in the stomach.

In this way, the dog tries to clean his stomach. However, you cannot deny that this is not a good way. Therefore, if your dog has stomach problems, try to relieve him by giving him the proper medications.

a small dog on the grey leash

– the opposite effect of eating grass by a dog

Eating grass in such a situation will not always bring your dog relief, and sometimes even the opposite effect. Not every dog ​​eating grass will automatically have a gag reflex. That is why it is so important not to allow the dog to try to heal itself using this method.

When your canine suffers from stomach problems, and the grass is eaten instead of being regurgitated, it will remain in the pet’s body, which can further worsen the health of the quadruped.

As I mentioned earlier, your dog does not have the digestive enzymes to digest grass fully. Therefore, in such a situation, it will be an additional burden for the dog’s body, which is already trying to deal with digestive problems.

How to stop your dog from eating grass

If your canine suffers from digestive problems, try to take care of him before the pain becomes so annoying that he decides to find his way to get rid of this feeling.

If you haven’t dealt with stomach problems in your dog so far, ask your vet for help. The quicker you react, the less likely your dog will come up with the idea to get rid of indigestion by eating grass.

It is beneficial to teach your dog the leave command. Getting your dog off the grass can be difficult without training this skill. You probably know the situation when your dog finds something that he wants to eat. It’s tough to get him to spit out a thing.

My pet could not release the held thing from his mouth before he mastered the correct reaction to the command to leave.

Get the dog’s attention

If you notice that he intends to eat grass during a walk with your canine, try to distract him. Get him interested in something completely different, so he stops thinking about what he is about to do.

In my dog’s case, it works best to get his attention with a toy. We have a few that we only use to play outside. A drag bullet made of a strong rope from the Bowl&Bone Republic is among them.

My dog ​​does not need to be encouraged to play together for a long time. In his case, this is the most effective method to distract him from eating grass. Think about what toy your pet might be most interested in now. Every dog ​​has his preferences when it comes to toys.

Ask a dog behaviourist for help

If your dog always tends to find something to eat during walks together, the help of a dog behaviourist may be necessary. Your dog’s grass-eating may be due to his obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Dogs suffering from this disorder tend to try to eat inedible things. That may be the case with grass, among other things. In such cases, the help of a specialist will be necessary. The problem concerns the mental sphere of the dog, and, unfortunately, you may not be able to deal with it on your own.

Dog eating grass

The problem of eating grass a dog is widespread. Many dogs decide to eat grass during walks or in the garden. If it only happens occasionally, you don’t need to panic. However, if your dog does this almost non-stop, it’s a sign that something is wrong.

Does your dog eat grass? If so, in what situations does it most often occur?

If you have any questions or want me to discuss a topic in the next post, share it in the comments section.

Author: Klaudia, great dog lover

The dog by my side teaches me to enjoy every moment and to perceive each subsequent day as a chance for a new, wonderful adventure. While looking for my soul mate, I found it in a dog's wise eyes.

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