At some stage or another in their dog’s life, many dog owners will find themselves asking “Why do dogs eat grass?”. Although most people generally consider dogs to be carnivores, they are in fact omnivores, in that they will eat both plants and animals. Dogs are also typically scavangers by nature, eating anything from steak, to the the contents of a garbage bin. So why do dogs eats grass then?

Grass Eating Behaviors

Although not all dogs eat grass, it is however a natural behavior. This can then be broken down into two main types of grass eating behavior. Dogs who eat grass:

Frequently – Dogs who eat grass frequently appear to love it. You could be forgiven for mistaking your dog for a cow as he grazes your lawn, or sits happily with a tuft of grass between his paws. These dogs seem to rarely get sick as a result of their grazing, and simply seem to enjoy the taste.

Occasionally – Dogs who eat grass occasionally often nibble a small bit of grass without chewing it very long, and tend to vomit it back up shortly afterwards. They tend to eat the grass in order to make themselves vomit. This may be because they have a tummy upset and they feel a natural urge to get rid of the problem.

The Theories

While there is no definitive answer, there are a few theories amongst experts as to why do dogs eat grass. The first, and most common theory is that dogs eat grass to cure their tummy troubles, and instinct tells them that by eating grass it will help to cure it. Since many dogs will scavenge on almost anything they can find, including rocks, twigs and paper this could prove to be a conclusive answer, however it is still merely speculation.

A second theory is that dogs eat grass for its nutritional benefits. Since the majority of dog’s meals contain meat, its thought that they may be attempting to add some extra nourishment to their diet by means of a “salad” on the side. By feeding your dog a high quality food, rich in nutrients, and not only meat based meals, they may not feel the need to continue to eat grass.

Another theory as to why do dogs eat grass points to the fact that modern day domesticated dogs are the descendants of wild dogs, wolves, and foxes. Since food is scarce in the wild, they would have eaten every part of their prey. And since much of their prey would have been plant eating animals, many believe that grass and plant life became a normal part of a dogs diet as a result.

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So why do dogs eat grass? The bottom line is that dog owners need not be too worried about their dog’s grass eating habit. After all, it could be worse… they could be eating poop! It is important however to ensure that the grass has not been freshly sprayed with herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers, which are toxic and harmful to dogs.

If you are worried your dog’s grass eating habits may be something more serious, or their vomiting becomes more frequent, it may be best to visit a vet, however is most cases it’s nothing to worry about. They have after all been eating grass for thousands of years!

Now that your dog’s grass eating worries should be a thing of the past, why not sign up below to receive our FREE dog training tips and claim your FREE “How To Become The Alpha Dog” dog training guide ($27 VALUE) too!

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