Why Do Dogs Eat Grass? Some dogs eat dirt, some dogs eat carpet, and a few dogs even eat poop, but almost every dog owner has seen their dog eat grass and wonder: Why does my dog eat grass? While there is not scientifically proven reason, here are the top two theories:
Dogs eat grass for the nutrients
Dogs are not carnivores, they’re omnivores– they eat a little of everything. But they’re not like your garden-variety omnivores, either. For thousands and thousands of years, these opportunistic canine scavengers have eaten almost anything that fullfills their basic dietary requirements.
The ancestors of the modern dog frequently ate their prey entirely, including the stomach contents of plant-eating animals. The dogs we own today are the result of evolution and domestication and simply don’t hunt for food. Instead, they use plants as an alternative food source. Grass is usually the most commonly available, but wild canines have been known to eat fruits, berries and other vegetables as well. But it’s still a mystery as to why our dogs usually throw up after eating grass.
Dogs eat grass for medicinal reasons
Sometimes it seems that a dog will seek out and use grass as a natural remedy for an upset stomach and it seems that eating grass may do the trick. When a dog eats grass, the grass blade tickles the throat and stomach lining. This sensation, may cause the dog to vomit, especially if the grass is gulped down rather than chewed.
Dogs don’t graze on large amounts of grass like a cow. Instead, they may nibble on grass, chew on it for a while, and not throw up. There may be something in grass that is soothing to a canine’s upset stomach. It can also be that they need to add a little roughage to their diet. In fact, grass contains essential nutrients that a dog might crave, especially if it’s on a commercial diet.
It’s OK for your dog to eat grass
Regardless of the reason, there doesn’t seem to be any danger whatsoever in letting your dog eat grass. If your dog is gnawing away on grass and houseplants, then you may want to start addomg natural herbs or cooked vegetables into his diet. Although dogs aren’t finicky about food like cats, they don’t seem to be fond of raw veggies either so cooking these is probably a good idea.
Too much of a good thing
Watch out for a sudden increase in grass eating because it might be a sign of a more serious underlying illness that your dog is trying to self treat, and that requires immediate veterinary assistance Eating large amounts of outdoor grass and landscaping, could lead to accidental ingestion of pesticides, herbicides, or chemicals that have been used to treat your (or your neighbor’s) yard– and that could be a problem. So although the behavior is still a mystery, it doesn’t seem to be harmful to the dog as long as it’s monitored and kept in check.
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