Is It OK For Dogs To Eat Grass?
Two of my dogs eat grass every chance they get, but unless your dog is getting sick from this, there's really nothing to worry about.
For as long as dogs have been around, they've enjoyed snacking on the green stuff, and usually with very few ill-effects.
Truthfully, nobody seems to really know why dogs eat grass. There are a variety of theories as to why animals that are widely regarded as carnivores would willingly consume moderate quantities of vegetation.
One of these theories pertains to the fact that dogs are not, actually, carnivores. They're omnivores, which literally means, "eat anything". (That description fits our miniature Dachshund to a tee:)
This theory hypothesizes that the modern-day dog eats grass in an attempt to supplement his diet with nutrients that are missing from his daily meals. And while at first glance that does seem like a logical explanation, when you consider how varied canine nutrition can be these days - commercial dog foods VS homemade diets VS the B.A.R.F. way of life (Bones And Raw Food) - yet there isn't any one group of dogs entirely exempt from grass-eating, you have to wonder.
Another popular theory is that dogs use grass as a sort of natural emetic, and while it's true that grass can sometimes irritate the throat or stomach lining and make dogs vomit - we've all seen Rover vomit up something indigestible along with several tufts of grass - there are just as many dogs out there who graze like cows, seemingly for the pure enjoyment of it, and go happily about their day afterwards without any side effects at all.
So while the one possible downside of eating grass is that your pooch might irritate his throat or stomach lining - an issue that will only bother him for as long as it takes to couch the problem away, or throw it back up - there is really no need to worry that any real harm will come of it.
Really, grass-eating is nothing to worry about - it's a life-long habit with many dogs, and if yours does decide that it's no longer in his best interests, he'll simply stop eating it all by himself.
You should, however, keep an eye on him around recently treated lawns, or anywhere pesticides, snail bait, or rat poison might be found, since most garden chemicals are highly toxic to dogs. Ideally, you would be keeping an eye on him anyway if he's around these 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 to keep your furry friends away from those clumps of dried-out grass that lie around on the lawn after it's been mowed. If the grass has been cut by a push-mower, then it shouldn't be a problem; but if it's been through a gas-operated machine, the grass will be tainted with gasoline 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.)
If your dog's grass eating is really bothering you, presumably this is out of concern for your lawn rather than your dog since there's ample evidence that they suffer no adverse effects from the consumption of grassy snacks. There are a couple of things you can try doing to reduce his desire to supplement his diet with eatables from the backyard - but, because this is one area that nobody really knows that much about (scientists are frankly mystified by the appetite of the average dog for verdure), 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. 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 steadfastly watchful eye on your canine walking buddy to make sure he's not making a dash for the greenery.
Realistically, there's not very much you can do about your dog's grass-eating habit (aside from completely denying him access to any 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 general consensus from the experts seems to be that grass-eating, although somewhat of an enigmatic occurrence to us humans, is just 'one of those things' as far as your dog is concerned. It won't do him any harm, and you can be sure that if he's eating it, he's enjoying it - so there's really not a lot to be said for depriving him of that simple pleasure.
For as long as dogs have been around, they've enjoyed snacking on the green stuff, and usually with very few ill-effects.
Truthfully, nobody seems to really know why dogs eat grass. There are a variety of theories as to why animals that are widely regarded as carnivores would willingly consume moderate quantities of vegetation.
One of these theories pertains to the fact that dogs are not, actually, carnivores. They're omnivores, which literally means, "eat anything". (That description fits our miniature Dachshund to a tee:)
This theory hypothesizes that the modern-day dog eats grass in an attempt to supplement his diet with nutrients that are missing from his daily meals. And while at first glance that does seem like a logical explanation, when you consider how varied canine nutrition can be these days - commercial dog foods VS homemade diets VS the B.A.R.F. way of life (Bones And Raw Food) - yet there isn't any one group of dogs entirely exempt from grass-eating, you have to wonder.
Another popular theory is that dogs use grass as a sort of natural emetic, and while it's true that grass can sometimes irritate the throat or stomach lining and make dogs vomit - we've all seen Rover vomit up something indigestible along with several tufts of grass - there are just as many dogs out there who graze like cows, seemingly for the pure enjoyment of it, and go happily about their day afterwards without any side effects at all.
So while the one possible downside of eating grass is that your pooch might irritate his throat or stomach lining - an issue that will only bother him for as long as it takes to couch the problem away, or throw it back up - there is really no need to worry that any real harm will come of it.
Really, grass-eating is nothing to worry about - it's a life-long habit with many dogs, and if yours does decide that it's no longer in his best interests, he'll simply stop eating it all by himself.
You should, however, keep an eye on him around recently treated lawns, or anywhere pesticides, snail bait, or rat poison might be found, since most garden chemicals are highly toxic to dogs. Ideally, you would be keeping an eye on him anyway if he's around these 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 to keep your furry friends away from those clumps of dried-out grass that lie around on the lawn after it's been mowed. If the grass has been cut by a push-mower, then it shouldn't be a problem; but if it's been through a gas-operated machine, the grass will be tainted with gasoline 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.)
If your dog's grass eating is really bothering you, presumably this is out of concern for your lawn rather than your dog since there's ample evidence that they suffer no adverse effects from the consumption of grassy snacks. There are a couple of things you can try doing to reduce his desire to supplement his diet with eatables from the backyard - but, because this is one area that nobody really knows that much about (scientists are frankly mystified by the appetite of the average dog for verdure), 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. 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 steadfastly watchful eye on your canine walking buddy to make sure he's not making a dash for the greenery.
Realistically, there's not very much you can do about your dog's grass-eating habit (aside from completely denying him access to any 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 general consensus from the experts seems to be that grass-eating, although somewhat of an enigmatic occurrence to us humans, is just 'one of those things' as far as your dog is concerned. It won't do him any harm, and you can be sure that if he's eating it, he's enjoying it - so there's really not a lot to be said for depriving him of that simple pleasure.
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