Wouldn’t it be strange to look at your dog eating grass even after he is done with his meal of the day? Well, if you think that green grass is healthy and nutritious for your pet, it’s not the reason anyway, rather, some herbs or grasses, unknowingly, might prove fatal for them.
Some pet lovers might see it in a funny way but other individuals might show serious concerns towards such an inclined behavior of dogs. Well, a puppy eating grass or a dog throwing up bushes is something not to worry about as studies report that such a change is encountered, mostly when your dog might be suffering from some mild digestion disturbances.
Without further ado, let’s take a rundown at the major causes why do dogs show different behaviors in eating different edible and non-edible things which would help you figure out things clearly, without making different perceptions.
Reasons ‘Why Dogs Eat Grass?’
Is he hungry?
Is he sick?
Is he bored?
All these questions might strike your mind when you first see your pet eating or throwing up grass. On research into such acts, science came out with a technical term namely Pica which is a disorder seen among dog species which eat things which is not food. It is often seen as a sign of boredom practiced by pups and young dogs.
Pica is something frequent and is not harmful to pets as it doesn’t cause severe problems to animals. If you would ask a vet, he would acknowledge it as normal dog behavior.
[A survey speaks, 49 dog owners registered their query regarding the same and on scrutinizing it further, it was found that 79% of dogs who had access to some kind of plants and grass had eaten these some time or the other.]
*Prefer Reading: Serious causes of Pica in Dogs
Grazing is another accountable reason where you might have seen your pup or a grown-up furry fab happily munching on the grass. This is something likely to be seen when your pet shows an anxious behavior and might be under the parameter of boredom.
Earlier it was believed, in order to make up for a nutritional deficiency, they tend to eat bushes or plants, and then start throwing it up after a while; nevertheless, such a behavioral transition was also seen among those who had a well-balanced diet.
Thus, it was concluded that this common attitude is not a serious concern until it harms pets, and dog owners might not fret looking at the same as their dog might even like the taste of the plant/grass that it intakes.
The next differential cause is the Instinctive Behavior of dogs which attracts them towards fancy fibers and grass. Instinctive behavior can be related to your dog’s actions to induce vomiting after the consumption of non-edible things.
[A published report says, a miniature poodle was seen eating grass and then vomiting it every day which continued for a minimum of seven years. On putting the pet on a high-fiber diet, the dog parent reported a reverse behavior where the dog’s activity of grazing grass was completely on halt.]
If they are feeling ill, they probably are suffering from some minor digestion issues or an upset stomach which further leads them to get relief on their own by throwing up of grass or even eating it.
If you’ll notice, your four-legged pet would tend to swallow (instead of eating) long bushes without properly chewing them as it is believed that unchewed pieces tickle inside their throats and stimulates them to vomit.
[Teething Puppies tend to showcase such an abnormal behavior that must be monitored closely by the puppy parents as ingesting undesirable grass or sticks may lead to internal blockage or congestion.]
These are the major causes that withstand a common transition of dogs’ behavior of eating grass. However, you never know the grass type which may/may not prove deadly for your speechless furry companion. Thus, in order to stay away from the posing risk, pet parents must adopt some preventive ways to keep their dogs away from such changing behavioral patterns.
Let’s get familiar with some of the key solutions:
How to ‘Stop Dogs from Eating Grass’?
If you analyze that your dog isn’t much into performing some physical exertion or any activity and this causes him to get bored and ultimately eat grass, then engage your family’s fur member into some exercises or fun tasks.
I would recommend the dogs’ parents to play with them on a regular basis which would not only divert their mind from eating/throwing plants but would also help them to be active and free from anxiety. Simply, keep your pet occupied!
If you suspect that along with this unusual pattern your dog faces some other problems too just because of an unhealthy diet, then switch to a better and nutritional dog food which is rich in fibers and essential nutrients. This would certainly work, giving you the desired results.
As feeding habits can affect your dog’s behavior, it becomes mandatory to transition your pet’s food gradually over time which will help them to avoid eating herbs and grass and stay far off from the toxic pesticides and herbicides spread on the lawns and gardens.
Furthermore, if the process of eating green grass and then vomiting occurs once or twice, it should not bother much; however, if it repeats numberless times, then it calls for you to take action and see a vet soon.
A pet’s compulsive ingests should never be ignored as they might indicate the occurrence of some serious concerns which should be given utmost priority which relates to your pet’s health. Contact your nearest veterinarian for professional recommendations.
The Last Say
A pet’s craving for something is different, on the contrary, the abnormal behavior that continues for long and repeats might be a case to look into closely. Many times some strange behavioral patterns might not bother you as well as your furry companion until it harms anyone, but owners must not neglect any mild or major changes that they witness in their pets.
Grass eating is something that even a vet considers to be casual and non-fatal. I hope the reasons mentioned above give you clear insights regarding why a dog likes to eat grass as per the different scenarios.
If you have something intriguing to share on the same, feel free to add comments in the comments section and let our readers know more regarding such changes seen in dogs.
