Why Does My Dog Eat Grass?

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It is no secret that puppies do a lot of weird things – they steal your slippers ,sniff on their bottoms way too often and bury food for rainy days even when well fed. One more weird thing they do is eat grass. 

Now, don’t call the vet just yet as grass-eating is not (always) an indicator of a problem. At the same time, grass-eating is not the kind of habit to let slide unnoticed. If you are a worried owner whose dog has been grazing grass a bit too often – read on as we aim to unravel this uncanny mystery.  

Psychological reasons: all about the mood

Dogs have quite the intuitive psyche that, for one reason or another, urges them to eat more grass – so let’s discuss the main causes at hand.   

Bored, anxious or upset

Dogs may act strange when they are bored, anxious, or stressed, just like we all do. In such a scenario, many dogs will find comfort in grazing. But the fun part is, that they will only exhibit this behavior when no one else is around them. Talk about sneaky and petty. Many experts relate this secretive habit to the puppies experiencing some kind of sadness. Another mood-related reason why dogs may be chewing up the lawn is to capture the attention of their ‘parents’ – ergo, you. What’s more, a dog may even purposely get in there and disobey, just to keep you interested for longer.

Dog instincts 

Now, it’s not all crankiness and sadness in Dogville – there might be some inborn psychological reasons that push them towards this provocative behavior, too.

Namely, the good ole’ dog originates from the family of wild dogs, and as genetic predators, their nature is to be hunters. Most carnivores tend to eat their prey in its entirety, guts included – yuck, we know. However, those guts usually contain grass the animals have consumed prior to being…well, exhausted of their existence. The point is that grass is something puppies have been consuming for centuries back and are quite used to it. Interestingly, canines that chew grass instinctively don’t vomit after that.
So, if you see your dog eating grass and you notice that they don’t throw up right after – you are in the clear – it’s just your dog trying to pay homage to its ancestors.

Tasty grass

Among the various psychological reasons why canines chew on grass – and go wild for it, too – is the taste they get in turn. Yes, you’ve heard it right. Dogs love the taste of grass. Aside from taste, puppies may also consume their greenery only seasonally or only at specific locations – depending on the offer at hand. So yes, puppies are believed to adore the texture, smell, and taste of freshly grown grass. Yum!

Physical reasons for dogs eating grass

Far from the psychological, there are the physical reasons why Mr. Dog might grass away day in and day out.

Upset stomach

Dogs, too, suffer from bellyaches, and when they do – they turn to grass for help. The grass is a natural toxin cleanser for dogs, and they trust it quite confidently in sorting out their stomach issues.

It can’t be said for certain if the canine is vomiting as a reaction to eating the grass or because they already had an upset stomach – but thought eating the grass would help. There isn’t any evidence that will solve this mystery anytime soon, but it’s safe to say, dogs have only seen the benefits of grazing, and no side effects at all.

A dietary reaction

There is also a vast chance that puppies resort to eating grass since they feel like they need to include more fiber and nutrients in their meals. If your good Boy or girl tends to eat grass right after a meal, this may be an indicator they are not digesting the food properly. In which case, it’s best to leave them to their devices, and let them grass away! As a pro tip, you can also add more fiber to your dog’s meals.  

What should you do if your dog keeps eating grass?

In case your canine often eats grass, even if it makes them vomit, keep your worries at bay for there might not be an issue to resolve in the first place.

But, if your dog keeps grazing and throwing up, it is best you take them to a little veterinary checkup and double-check any possible and underlying issues. Also, it is recommended that you don’t let your dog chew grass that has been sprayed with chemicals or pesticides in the past few days – as some of the poison may still be active and put your dog’s life at risk. (Woof-Woof!!! Did somebody bark – Dog Insurance??)

All in all, grass grazing and puppies may just be a completely regular thing.

And who knows, you might learn that your pup eating grass has to do with them perceiving themselves as a horse or a cow – and who are you to tell them otherwise?