The Great Dog Mystery
of Eating Grass

Some days I just feel like eating grass. I must have descended from cows somewhere along the way!

Yes, at times I eat it with gusto whenever I encounter it. This habit of mine doesn’t bother my owner at all since it seems to have no ill-effects on me whatsoever. Although, he is a bit impatient with me while I enthusiastically tear out the mandatory five to seven mouthfuls of grass, chew thoroughly and swallow.

"Don't hold me back, it's grazing time!"

Unless your guy’s digestion is suffering unwanted upheavals from his grass-eating habit, it’s not really a problem. Dogs have been eating grass since the dawn of time (or at least, of the species) with few ill-effects, aside from the odd bout of vomiting - and really, this is one of those things that seems to bother owners a lot more than their dogs; most dogs will simply re-ingest the barf and go about their day unfazed (I know it sounds gross, but we can't help it!).

Eating Grass - What's the Attraction?

One of said theories pertains to the fact that dogs are not, actually, carnivores. They’re omnivores, which literally means, “eat anything” (I'll vouch for that!).

This theory postulates that the modern-day dog (that's me and your fella) eats grass in a deliberate attempt to supplement his diet with nutrients that are missing from his daily meals. The main crux, thrust, and gist of this argument centers around the idea that dogs, as omnivorous animals, are eating too much meat and need to balance this out with some greenery on the side, much as you humans might crave a nice tart salad to go with your steak.

If you ask me, this eating grass explanation is a bit goofy. First of all, most fellas eat kibble, which contains the full spectrum of fully-absorbable nutrients that dogs require (or at least, high quality kibble does; I can’t vouch for the quality of supermarket-brand dog food).

If you’re feeding your guy on meat alone, whether canned or fresh, there may be some substance to this theory – dogs need a wide range of vitamins and minerals for optimum health, most of which are not contained within fresh meat only.

It’s true that canned meat has some added nutrients; the main problem with canned food is that it’s too soft and jelly-like to maintain healthy teeth and bowels.

Dogs fed primarily on canned food are far more prone to developing dental disease at a relatively early age - not to mention an increased incidence of constipation and flatulence, from the lack of fiber and roughage (now, eating grass doesn't sound so bad, does it?).

As far as dog food goes, unless your dog’s on a specific, prescribed diet, kibble should constitute the main part of his diet – you can add a few spoonfuls of canned meat for variety and temptation, if you like.

Barfing Time?

It’s true that eating grass does sometimes make dogs vomit – those tickly stems can irritate the stomach lining, and there have been a few occasions when I’ve seen my fellow dogs (ok, I have too) vomit up a chunk of something that’s proved to be indigestible - and along with the offending article, there’s also been a clump of grass in the vomit too.

However, and I’m sorry to pour cold water over this one too, this eating grass theory is pure conjecture and somewhat nonsensical conjecture at that.

We dogs are perfectly capable of vomiting all by ourselves, eating grass or otherwise! We all have enjoyed a nice big mouthful of mixed lawn greens, without any regurgitation side effects, to lend any credence to that theory.

But, Will Eating Grass Hurt a Dog?

Really, eating grass is nothing to worry about – it’s a life-long habit with many dogs, and if your guy does decide that it’s no longer in his best interest, he’ll simply stop eating it all by himself.

That said, be sure to keep an eye on your fella around recently treated lawns, or anywhere where nasties like pesticides, snail bait, and rat poison could be around, since most garden chemicals are highly toxic to dogs. Ideally, you’d be keeping an eye on him anyway if he’s around those substances, but grass-eaters are at higher risk than most since they’re more likely to ingest plant matter that herbicides and other toxic chemicals have been sprayed onto.

In addition to this, it’s also best if your guy is kept away from those clumps of dried-out grass that lie around on the lawn after it’s been freshly mowed. It shouldn’t be a problem if the grass is mowed by a push-mower; but if it’s been through a gas-operated machine, the grass will be tainted with petrol fumes and grease, which, at best, will taste horrible and, at worst, can make him pretty sick. Fortunately, for your peace of mind and your dog’s peace of digestive tract, all but the most food-obsessed dogs will usually spurn this smelly fare in favor of clean, fresh grass.

But, I Just Want Him to Stop!

There are a couple of things you can try doing to reduce his desire to supplement his diet via the lawn – but, because this is one area of dogdom that nobody really knows that much about (scientists are frankly mystified by the appetite of the average dog for eating grass), the success rate is more hit-and-miss than guaranteed:

• Try varying his diet slightly. Unlike humans, dogs do not need a widely varied diet to keep them “interested” in food; they’re creatures of routine, and diet is no exception to this rule.

  However, since one of the theories that attempts to explain why dogs eat grass is centered around a lack of nutritional variety, you can try introducing various tasty vegetables into his food - most dogs enjoy tomatoes, carrots (either steamed or raw) and chopped apples.

  Be sure to stay well away from grapes, raisins, and onions, since these are toxic to dogs.

• Supervise him whenever he’s around grass. This may not be a particularly user-friendly option, especially for off-lead walks; you’ll have to keep a real eagle-eye on your canine walking buddy to make sure he’s not making a dash for the greenery.

Realistically, there’s not really a lot you can do about your dog’s habit of eating grass - aside from denying him access to grass which wouldn’t be fair to your dog and would make your daily dog-walking expeditions more of an exercise in frustration than a relaxing stroll!

The Eating Grass Bottom Line

Furthermore, rather than focusing on the difficulty of restraining your dog's desire for eating grass, just take it easy and consider the entertainment value! You get to watch him ripping up and chewing generous mouthfuls of turf with an expression of absolute bliss on his face!

For more information on dog psychology and general canine behavioral traits, with a particular focus on problematic behaviors, take a look at SitStayFetch. It’s a complete, detailed manual for the intelligent and responsible owner, and covers everything from obedience training through to preventing and handling a huge variety of common problem behaviors. Well worth checking out!

Back to Dog Training Made Easy!

Back to Home Page