By Gaby Dufresne-Cyr, CBT
Have you ever noticed dogs love to eat grass? This observation is often followed by the question why do dogs eat grass anyway. Today I'll address the various reasons why our canine companions might need to forage, but more importantly, is boredom a significant cause.
Dogs love to eat grass. Some eat more than others. The most commonly consumed grasses are perennial wheat and oat. The large lacerated edges of the leaf might help our canine companions sooth a stomach ache or intestinal disruption. However, less than 25% of dogs will vomit after eating grass; consequently, other reasons might explain this behaviour. Veterinarians suggest dogs might eat grass to cleanse themselves of parasites, or to complement their diet with additional fiber.
Although grass is natural, gramineae which have been treated with insecticides and herbicides should be avoided. If your grass is green, so to speak, dogs can eat all they want. Normally, there's no direct medical consequences to eating grass. If you find your dog has extreme diarrhea or vomits profusely after eating grass, you should call your veterinarian.
One reason mentioned in the literature attracts my attention, boredom. Behaviourally speaking, I've never seen or met a dog who eats grass out of boredom. I have, however, worked with dogs who dig holes and destroy flower beds. In my home, our canine companions eat so much grass they're nicknamed bull grazer and hedge dog.
If dogs eat grass out of boredom, one might suspect other underlying behaviour issues such as high anxiety or stress. If your dog eats large quantities of grass, you might want to pay attention to his daily amount of exercise and mental stimulation. Brain Games can reduce boredom and increase tiredness, two criteria that directly influence behaviour.
In summary, dogs eat grass. If your pet is well adjusted, plays, learns, doesn't display generalised stress or anxiety, pica is a normal behaviour. If you are not yet convinced, many animals have a tendency to consume foods which are not normally found in their diet. The following video (left) demonstrates a typical herbivore animal who now and them does eat other animals. Bird eating deers are not as uncommon as you think.
There is no black or white in animal behaviour, only shades of grey. Boredom is highly unlikely the reason why dogs eat grass, so if your dog love to eat grass, don't worry about it, my suggestion is if he eats it, he needs it.
References:
- PetMed website. Retrieved June, 2015 from http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/why-do-dogs-eat-grass
Have you ever noticed dogs love to eat grass? This observation is often followed by the question why do dogs eat grass anyway. Today I'll address the various reasons why our canine companions might need to forage, but more importantly, is boredom a significant cause.
Dogs love to eat grass. Some eat more than others. The most commonly consumed grasses are perennial wheat and oat. The large lacerated edges of the leaf might help our canine companions sooth a stomach ache or intestinal disruption. However, less than 25% of dogs will vomit after eating grass; consequently, other reasons might explain this behaviour. Veterinarians suggest dogs might eat grass to cleanse themselves of parasites, or to complement their diet with additional fiber.
Although grass is natural, gramineae which have been treated with insecticides and herbicides should be avoided. If your grass is green, so to speak, dogs can eat all they want. Normally, there's no direct medical consequences to eating grass. If you find your dog has extreme diarrhea or vomits profusely after eating grass, you should call your veterinarian.
One reason mentioned in the literature attracts my attention, boredom. Behaviourally speaking, I've never seen or met a dog who eats grass out of boredom. I have, however, worked with dogs who dig holes and destroy flower beds. In my home, our canine companions eat so much grass they're nicknamed bull grazer and hedge dog.
If dogs eat grass out of boredom, one might suspect other underlying behaviour issues such as high anxiety or stress. If your dog eats large quantities of grass, you might want to pay attention to his daily amount of exercise and mental stimulation. Brain Games can reduce boredom and increase tiredness, two criteria that directly influence behaviour.
In summary, dogs eat grass. If your pet is well adjusted, plays, learns, doesn't display generalised stress or anxiety, pica is a normal behaviour. If you are not yet convinced, many animals have a tendency to consume foods which are not normally found in their diet. The following video (left) demonstrates a typical herbivore animal who now and them does eat other animals. Bird eating deers are not as uncommon as you think.
There is no black or white in animal behaviour, only shades of grey. Boredom is highly unlikely the reason why dogs eat grass, so if your dog love to eat grass, don't worry about it, my suggestion is if he eats it, he needs it.
References:
- PetMed website. Retrieved June, 2015 from http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/why-do-dogs-eat-grass