Why do dogs eat grass? All of us have certainly wondered why dogs love eating grass. Dogs are carnivores, after all; we all expect them to jump up and down with joy when presented with a bowlful of dog food, not when seeing a lawn!
Don’t worry if every time you take your dog for a walk, he stops to happily chew some grass whenever you hit a lushly green spot. This is actually pretty normal.
But why do dogs eat grass?
1) TO FIX A NUTRITIONAL DEFICIT. Veterinarians and nutritionists say your dog’s food should include meat and dry food, as well as a certain percentage of fibre-rich substances. Grass has the fibre your dog needs, and he knows it.
2) TO IMPROVE DIGESTION. The fibre contained in grass helps dogs improve digestion, therefore keeping them healthy.
3) BECAUSE THEY’RE NOT FEELING WELL. Dogs will often throw up after eating grass, so they may eat it because they’re nauseated, have a tummy ache or a stomach issue. By eating grass, they often manage to eliminate toxic substances or whatever they ate that is causing them trouble.
4) BECAUSE THEY LIKE IT. Some dogs love eating grass because they like its taste and texture, so they use it like a snack (or to what would be the dog equivalent of a salad), while others just have fun eating it.
5) TO DRAW ATTENTION. When we see our dog eating grass, we instinctively feel like saying “enough!”, “don’t eat that” or something of the kind. For Fluffy, it can simply be a way to draw our attention.
There’s no reason to worry about it, however. Just make sure they don’t eat too much of it. A very important thing to keep in mind is the type of grass your dog should graze on – for instance, keep him away from planted fields, as they may be contaminated by pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers or poisons.
Does your dog eat grass often?
