Monday, September 9, 2013

Why do dogs eat grass

You may be concerned to see your dog eating grass. The reason they do it is mostly because it’s natural to them. Sometimes it happens because of something that is making them sick. Usually it’s because a dog may be bored and is looking for something to chew on.

Most experts agree that eating grass isn’t harmful, but certain herbicides and pesticides used on lawns can be quite toxic if your dog eats it from the from the grass or plants. Fertilizers were one of the top 10 causes of pet poisoning in 2008.

Also, a few house and garden plants are toxic, which could lead to problems if your dog eats on them along with the lawn. Make sure the plants where your dog is eating grass aren’t dangerous. If instead you want your dog stop eating grass entirely, here are a few things you need to know.

The first assumption that is made for why dogs eat grass is that they eat it to force themselves to vomit if they have an upset stomach. It may even be signs of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), gastrointestinal parasite infestation, metabolic disease, but it mostly to reduce nausea in the dog.



What it could also be is trait that has been passed down through generations of wolves and domestic dogs. There is not one answer to why they started to eat grass in the first place. It may be something leftover from the evolutionary makeup or it could just be that your dog is lacking something in there diet.

You can try adding fresh greens and vegetables or fruits to their diet. Spinach, kale, broccoli, parsley, and pineapple have all will work well. Vegetables are more digestible when steamed and pureed or finely chopped before being incorporated into a dog's meal.

Dogs that eat a diet based in whole foods instead of store bought, non whole-food based dry or canned foods, usually don’t have this grass eating behavior. This high fiber diet can really help. This may be because dogs need to eat this way not just because of parasites but to have healthy a gut.

If your dog is bored than all you need is to be sure that your dog is getting enough exercise and is playing with fun activities. Try tossing a Frisbee or playing another  game with your dog, or buy a chew toy to keep him occupied. With all of that, whatever reason your dog is eating grass for, they should stop.

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