Why Does My Dog Eat Grass?

You may have seen your adorable canine companion prancing in the grass and begin grazing. You’re probably wondering, “Is that normal”? Well, your dog is no cow, but they may have the same fixation with grass grazing. Here’s a bit more about why your pooch may be munching on grass during your daily walks:

Is It Just My Dog?

The short answer is no, your dog is not alone on its grass admiration. Dogs eating grass occasionally is nothing new, it’s even been observed in wild dogs. Many owners notice that their dog grazes, even from puppy age, so there must be some reasons why.

Why?

Dogs are intrinsic, as we know from wild dogs, to be curious. So eating grass is most likely does not indicate that your dog has an illness or a serious reason they’re doing it. But, there could be a few reasons why your dog chooses to eat grass:

• They may simply just be hungry for a snack and eat the closest thing to them.
• Dogs are natural scavengers due to their ancestry, including the curiosity to explore grazing grass!
• Dogs may be seeking some nutritional value out of their food so they naturally gravitate towards grass.
• Your dog could be just plain bored. Just like humans, dogs eat out of boredom!
• Although this is extremely unlikely for most dogs, eating grass can be a way to calm stomach problems or distress.

Is Grass Bad?

Grass isn’t necessarily bad for dogs, but obviously, if your pooch’s diet only consists of grass, then this is not good. But if their grass-eating behaviors only happen on occasion, then there shouldn’t really be an issue with them consuming it. But be aware that chemically treated grass is a strict no on consumption as this can cause health problems for your dog during ingestion.

It’s reported that less than 25% of pups vomit after eating grass, but this doesn’t particularly mean there’s an issue. It could simply mean that their dog was feeling a bit sick before and the grass helped them relieve it or they ate some chemically treated grass. Overall, if you notice your dog frequently getting sick after they eat grass, take them to the vet as there may be a bigger issue.