Eating Dirt

[Guest MyCody]

We have had Emmy Lou, our nine year old brood mama for four months and she is doing something we've never seen with our other four, digging. We have a turn out area that is four inches deep with sand we get from our local nursery. Emmy digs and digs until she hits the dirt, then prodeeds to eat it. Has anyone else seen this and could it be something lacking in her diet? We feed Pro Plan Select and some Pro Plan canned with each meal. I don't give any supplements as I figured these would be enough.

 

Any suggestions would be helpful.

 

 

Terry

[Guest jettcricket]

My Jett used to eat dirt. According to my vet it has nothing to do with their diet...they just like it! Same as eating poop.

[Guest Energy11]

EVERYDAY here! If it rains, and boy, we've had a lot lately, mine will dig under the straw and leaf combination we have in the front pen, lie down and start eating the dirt! Curfew loves the stuff! They are on Canidae and Chicken Soup foods, and get a Pet Tab Plus daily, not to mention all their veggies and fruits, so I doubt it is a deficiency of some type.

 

I asked my vet, and she said some dogs like it, just like they like grass! Curfew also thinks the green grasshoppers we have here are a HUGE delicacy!

 

I try to stop them from eating it, and of course, when they drink, ... ughy water!

 

Good Luck!

Edited October 28, 2009 by Energy11

[Trudy]

Dirt, like poop, is yummy to dogs.

I have one poop eater

and 2 dirt eaters (1 is also the poop eater)

1 bark eater (as in, put front feet up on the tree and pull bark off it because he's eaten all the bark he can reach from the ground - yep, the poop eater)

and 3 wood eaters

 

[Batmom]

Oh yeah, DIRT, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

 

The only sighthound we've had who didn't do it was our late whippet. He ate acorns instead. Kennel muzzle with a stool cup if she overindulges -- that's the only thing that works to stop it here.

[Fiona3]

Someone (forgot who) once wrote in a thread about eating dirt - "They do it because they can!" We have two dirt eaters here. I am constantly trying to chase them away from their favorite dirt spots. As soon as I turn around, Tasha & Fiona are back at it again. They look so satisfied when they grab a mouth full.

[IndyandHollyluv]

Sorry, I have no suggestions as I have two seriously dedicated dirt eaters and excavators. I have conceded defeat.

 

Dense clay soil in the back yard - must taste cool and yummy, I guess. My hounds are well-fed, get plenty of exercise and mental stimulation, and don't do bad things in the house - for which I am grateful.

 

I figure if digging a hole floats their boat and provides an opportunity to blow off a little steam, it's fine with me!

Edited October 28, 2009 by IndyandHollyluv

[Guest MyCody]

Thanks everyone, I feel better knowing others do it. Leah came from Keystone with a new muzzle AND a poop guard, yeah, she has stopped that, but has joined Emmy in the excavation/mud pie indulgence.

[IndyandHollyluv]

Oh, forgot to mention, my puppers are now 10-1/2 and almost 12 and their enthusiasm for landscaping has not waned with age. In fact, I think they enjoy digging even more than they did a few years ago. It's kinda like they are having a second puppyhood!

[Guest Smiley]

Two dirt eaters in our house too . . .

[Guest Energy11]

This afternoon, Curfew was lying in the dirt/mud, and chowing down! I had to get him up with a treat! Dirt ... YUMMY!

[brandimom]

EVERYDAY here! If it rains, and boy, we've had a lot lately, mine will dig under the straw and leaf combination we have in the front pen, lie down and start eating the dirt! Curfew loves the stuff! They are on Canidae and Chicken Soup foods, and get a Pet Tab Plus daily, not to mention all their veggies and fruits, so I doubt it is a deficiency of some type.

 

I asked my vet, and she said some dogs like it, just like they like grass! Curfew also thinks the green grasshoppers we have here are a HUGE delicacy!

 

I try to stop them from eating it, and of course, when they drink, ... ughy water!

 

Good Luck!

 

Brandi does the same thing, dig under the leaves and eat the dirt. Drives me nuts!

 

[Guest MyBoys]

Since we are talking about dirt and poop eaters, do you think that is the same reason they eat bunny poop, just because it is good. I have to be outside when my senior guy is out so I can stop him from scoping out every bunny poo in the yard, I happen to be a bit of a clean freak and this really grosses me out.

[rycezmom]

Three out of my four LOVE dirt. Their favorite flavor of dirt is under the avacado tree.

[GreytNut]

Mine like dirt, too. Raven in particular has a taste for it. She will happily murder my potted plants for their potting soil. I have come home to find a plant massacre in the living room... and one very satisfied, grubby dog.

[fourofem]

Stel and House are big dirt eaters, especially this time for year for some reason. They scratch at the grass, pull up the roots and then chow down. Lizzie and Hitch aren't interested at all.

[greysmom]

Yep. Spring and Fall dirt appears to be the delicacy here. Only in certain spots in the yard. Though their dirt eating spots are different from their hole digging spots. One of my dirt eaters is also a poo eater, but the other is not at all, so there's no correlation there for us.

 

greysmom