jimsherriek Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 My senior has started a new bad habit. When she lays in the grass, I thought she was licking her leg, but she was really hiding the small hole she was digging with her lower teeth. We have red clay under the grass, and she was scooping it up from under the grass. Any ideas what she is missing in her diet that she would eat clay dirt? She will be 11 in July. Worried Mom Quote Missing our pups at the Bridge--Amandas Kelsey 03-15-1996 to 05-02-2008; Melissa May 07-17-1998 to 11-23-2009; Emily's Maggie 10-05-1995 to 05-20-2010; Flying Kendra 01-13-2003 to 02-28-2011; Izzy (Smile Please) 06-27-2002 to 03-28-2012: Senator (EF Rob Statesman) 04-30-2000 to 12-30-2013: Secret (Seperate Secrets) 04-10-2003 to 08-03-2014: Tugboat (Thugboat) 06-07-2007 to 07-27-2015; Betsy (Bee Better Now) 12-04-2004 to 07-02-2017: Dottie ( Rooftop Spottie) 08-08-2004 to 05-11-2018:Abby (WW's Dear Abby) 11/2008-08/2020: Tiny (Piccadilly Girl) 08/2007-10/2020: Tiller (Kelsos Tillerson) 10/30/2018: Heart (Lions Heart) 03/08/2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KF_in_Georgia Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 (edited) Someone else might have better input, but sometimes dogs just eat stuff as long as they don't think it tastes awful. My Sam eats tissues--only used ones from the trash, though; he's totally uninterested in the clean ones fresh from the box. In Sam's case, I'm fairly certain there are no essential nutrients in used tissues. If you Google the topic, there are lots of articles. The consensus seems to be that it might be nutritional deficits--or just boredom. But the articles do say that you need to stop it to be sure your dog isn't picking up parasites from the dirt. Edited April 17, 2009 by KF_in_Georgia Quote Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come. Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016), darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hollys2hounds Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 All three of my dogs eat dirt from time to time. I think it just tastes good to them. They don't always do it. I actually even began my own thread about this a month or so ago. Since then, they only do it once in a while. Funny when they act like dogs though.... Personally, after much reading, and others imput, ...., I don't think they are missing minerals, I think they just like to do it. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greysmom Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 There's been several threads about this over in the Behavior section. It does seem as if mine are only eating particular dirt, or dirt from particular places in the yard, and it does seem to only happen in the Spring. But I don't think there are any clear indications as to why they do this. I try to stop it when I can, but they'll even mash their muzzles into the hole to get at a dirt clod! greysmom Quote Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora) siggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 If this is something new, I'd investigate a little Did you change dog foods over the past year? Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NevadasMom Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 I believe there is iron in red clay?? Quote Carol-Glendale, AZ Trolley (Figsiza Trollyn) Nevada 1992-2008...always in my heart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamngrey Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 cant help all mine have partaken every so often in dirt. Quote Cassie: Pikes Clara Bell Swoop: My Man Swoop BRIDGE ANGELS Psi:WD'S Aleford 3/17/00-4/25/10 Snowman: Gable Snowman 1/9/96-2/14/08 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimsherriek Posted April 18, 2009 Author Share Posted April 18, 2009 Burpdog, no change in diet. Melissa only does it since its spring and she can lay out in the grass. Digging a tiny hole with her lower teeth. We have only had Melissa for 7 months. But her food is the same as her foster home was feeding. She has not been able to try it for several days now. (Lots of rain and the yard is a lake.) Will see if she goes back when the yard is usable again. Quote Missing our pups at the Bridge--Amandas Kelsey 03-15-1996 to 05-02-2008; Melissa May 07-17-1998 to 11-23-2009; Emily's Maggie 10-05-1995 to 05-20-2010; Flying Kendra 01-13-2003 to 02-28-2011; Izzy (Smile Please) 06-27-2002 to 03-28-2012: Senator (EF Rob Statesman) 04-30-2000 to 12-30-2013: Secret (Seperate Secrets) 04-10-2003 to 08-03-2014: Tugboat (Thugboat) 06-07-2007 to 07-27-2015; Betsy (Bee Better Now) 12-04-2004 to 07-02-2017: Dottie ( Rooftop Spottie) 08-08-2004 to 05-11-2018:Abby (WW's Dear Abby) 11/2008-08/2020: Tiny (Piccadilly Girl) 08/2007-10/2020: Tiller (Kelsos Tillerson) 10/30/2018: Heart (Lions Heart) 03/08/2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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