Do you take your dog out for walks on a leash and wonder why he eats grass? Have you ever found even a fraction of this behavior somewhat peculiar because dogs are not herbivores? Surprisingly, this behavior is rather frequent. Today, we take a closer look at the motives that drive dogs to eat grass and the potential implications it has for their health and well being.
Grain Eating Behavior Has An Evolutionary Basis
Dogs today are domesticated but their ancestors, wild wolves used to occasionally consume grass as part of their diet, or as a side ingredient to the prey they hunted. This genetic behavior is observed among domesticated dogs today as well, and gives them a natural inclination cut to eating grass for a number of reasons.
The most common reason would be the notion that nibbling on grass can ease the discomfort a dog feels when it has an upset stomach. When irritation occurs, such as in the case of excessive or indigestible items, the fibers in the grass cause a vomit reflex. The outcome of this natural reflex is highly advantageous and helps restore the normal functioning of the dog’s body.
Does Eating Grass Mean Need For Nutrition?
It is possible that a dog’s daily food intake does not meet all of its needs with grams, vitamins and minerals being left out. Eating grass provides the needed nutrition in certain cases.
Fiber Boost : If a dog does not have enough fiber in its daily diet, it might resort to eating grass. Fiber is a key aid for digestion.
Vitamins and Minerals: Trace nutrients may be the reason as to why dogs have the instinct to chew on grass, although they do not consider it to be their primary source of food.
This behavior can be curtailed only if you put enough efforts in assuring that your dog is given high quality dog food or vitamin supplements. This should assure your dog’s appetite is met and there are adequate nutrients in their meal.
Boredom or Curiosity?
The mental stimulation aspect is rather crucial in assessing the reason why dogs consume grass. Dogs are inherently inquisitive animals and enjoy over-hypering themselves with their surroundings. In case they are bored, the feel, the smell, or even the taste of grass can initiate curiosity.
Playful Exploration: For the pure reason of being inquisitive, most puppies would start chewing grass when they are alone seated in a yard for long periods of time.
Boredom Relief: Consuming grass can serve as a source of entertainment for dogs on days when they lack the physical or mental stimulation they require.
Making toys available, scheduling interactive play, and exercising your canine companion on a regular basis can drastically reduce grass chewing as a past-time activity.
Stress and Emotional Factors
Dogs, much like humans, have specific activities they fall back to while trying to get rid of anxiety/ stress. Eating grass is your little fur ball’s way of appeasing anxiety caused by the boredom or even discomfort they may feel.
For example:
Separation anxiety is a common issue for many dogs, for example, when you leave your house alone for hours at a stretch, they may start grazing on the grass to cope with the anxiety.
Afraid sounds, for example thunderstorms or fireworks could cause a stressed dog to do this.
If you address the root cause of their stress and create a suitable environment, you can help them feel safe and minimize grass eating out of anxiety.
However, considering greater concern regarding grass-eating physiology and behavior at times is necessary.
With that said occasional nibbling of grass can be considered, but if their grazing is excessive or tinge an obsessiveness of them then there might be a cause to worry. There are red flags that these issues help ascertain:
Regular Vomiting: When your dog vomits often after it eats grass, visiting your vet will become imperative.
Lack of Nutritional Elements in Diet: Chronic eating grass may suggest that the diet is deficient in some aspects and needs adjusting.
Erratic behavior: Stress and boredom can sometimes lead a dog to eat excessive grass.
Grass eaten by the dog may contain pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals which may prove toxic to the dog: Any dog lover would be aghast at the possibility of letting their dog eat chemically treated grass.
Here are some measures that could be employed to ascertain your dog remains in a healthy state:
- Balanced Diet Set Be sure that your pet dog’s food is capable of meeting his or all of the nutritional needs. Pets that eat high quality dog food that have fiber and vitamins tend to have less desire to eat grass.
- Keep Them Mentally Stimulated Regular physical activities and some playtime with puzzle toys can engage your dog to keep his brain from getting too stressed out.
- Address Stress and Anxiety This may be the reason if you think there is stress: Make your dog feel comfortable and secure in the place. Take time to be with him, and look for natural calming aids or even a vet as appropriate.
- Monitor Their Grass Eating Habits Nibbling occasionally is okay. However, you should be attentive to excessive or habitual behavior. For instance, if you notice your dog is obsessed with grass, you should see a veterinarian.
- Ensure a Safe Environment Always make sure the grass your dog is allowed is free of chemicals, sharp objects or any other plants that might not be good for them. Real Life Example: Maxs Grass Habit Take Max, a male Labrador, who daily strided with his owner and decided to munch on the grass like he usually did. In the beginning, Priya who happens to be Maxs owner thought that it was nothing to worry about. After some time, she started to observe Max puking up more than usual after these grass snacking sessions. Worried, she went to the vet’s office where it became evident that Max’s nutritional plan lacked fiber. Max is now on a high fiber dog food as recommended by the vet which has lead to Max munching on grass much less than before and overall feeling healthier and happier as a dog.
Conclusion: Understanding the Natural Instincts within Your Dog
Dogs have the natural instinct of grazing and it is part of their natural behavioral tendencies. Although this won’t cause any harm, frequency and the context of the practice should be closely observed for the welfare of the dog.
If a dog has a proper diet, exercise, and is not stressed, there is no reason for them to be nibbling on grass on a regular basis. Should you be doubtful about such habits it is always best to consult a vet for professional guidance on how to deal with the chewing behavior.
Ultimately, embracing the little things about your dog is a core part of the beautiful relationship you have with them. Enjoy and here is to healthier times ahead with a lot of tail wagging.