Dog Myths: Eating Grass

by Anne-Marie Mayes

I am asked frequently as to why dogs eat grass or I overhear clients discussing it.  Some of the more common things people believe are that their dog is not feeling well and is eating grass to get themselves to vomit, or that they are lacking some nutrients in their everyday diet, but it isn't always that simple. Unfortunately there are not currently any scientific studies that support the reasons as to why dogs eat grass.

Some reasons (aside from digestive issues) that dogs eat grass are that they may be bored and lack appropriate toys or other ways of entertaining themselves in your yard. If your dog is in a new area or anxious about their environment, they may to start to eat grass to preoccupy themselves (in comparison to people chewing their nails).

A few health reasons that dogs eat grass is to increase roughage in their diet which may help to digest food and relieve constipation. Some dogs may lack chlorophyll in their diet so dogs will seek out grass to eat which helps the immune system and the digestive tract.  When there is moisture on the grass your dog may eat it to consume the moisture if they are thirsty.

Ultimately dogs are scavengers which is a natural instinct when outside (I mentioned dirt eating in my last article on digging).

Some of us do not discourage our dogs grass eating but I am going to recommend that you pay a little more attention to how much grass they are really eating as it can cause a blockage and slow down, if not stop, your dog's digestive system which leads to surgery. There can be different intestinal parasites (roundworm, or hookworm) that live in the grass.  If your dog is eating the grass on a walk it may be treated in pesticides which can cause a toxic reaction including vomiting or diarrhea.  As your dog gets older and continues to eat grass it can cause chronic issues with digestion as the body is working harder to break down the roughage – which may not have any value at all.

So, how can you get your dog to stop or reduce the amount of grass that your dog is eating? Simply give them something else to do in the yard. More outdoor toys (let your dog pick them out), prepare interactive toys for outside Kong Wobbler or stuffed Kong or Toppl – the idea is if they are chewing these toys they are not eating the grass.  Provide more supervision or move your dog into any area in the yard that there is not as much grass.  On walks teach your dog a leave it cue for the grass eating and reward when they stop or spit it out.

My thoughts when it comes to my dogs is a little is fine but too much may cause dietary issues. Use your own judgment rather than listening to a friend who says it is no big deal. Make sure that you are providing adequate exercise and mental stimulation for your dog and feed a well balanced dog food.  If your dog is eating other objects like socks, Kleenex, or rocks discuss this with your veterinarian.  With the all the information that I mentioned your dog just may enjoy eating grass.  But it never hurts to learn something new!