Grass Eating

[Guest bubbagum]

Is something missing from their diet when they eat grass?

[Guest jmckeone]

Both of mine eat grass as well.....would love to know why.

[Guest bubbagum]

Sometimes they throw it up, but most of the time it stays down. I wondered if it helped them with indigestion... But I'm pretty consistent with their diet. I'm looking forward to more responses. Maybe someone has the answer. )

[retread]

Because they like it. As good a reason as any.

[JohnF]

After many years of watching I'd say it's for indigestion when they feel like throwing up from Heartburn or the stomach holding back food because it or the tract lower down is sore; it could then turn into OCD.

My last dog in Kidney failure would eat from very specific woodland clumps of grass so perhaps there were healing ingredients in that grass - she could have made herself vomit from any old grass. I think it would make an excellent post-grad study topic... maybe it helps regularize the crucial balance of Calcium and Phosphorus.

 

One of the most comprehensive explanations I have seen is here

http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/articles/vet-s-take-why-dogs-eat-grass/297

[FountainLady]

Every dog I have ever owned has eaten grass - just as a snack (not to throw up). My husband calls it "having some salad"

 

My greyhounds also enjoy most vegetables - Cukes, green beans, carrots, tomatoes. Lettuce doesn't have enough flavor unless you put dressing on it.

 

From what I have read on the subject over the years, grass isn't fully digestible to a dog - so if a dog eats too much of it, it can make them throw up. I had always heard when I was younger that they ate grass to settle their stomach & make themselves throw up .... I have not found that to be the case.

 

They eat it because it is tasty!

[Guest bubbagum]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I agree that they seem to like it and that it is not digestible, since it comes out whole one way or the other... I should be supplimenting their kibble with veggies, too.

[sobesmom]

I don't think any food supplement will stop grass-eating. Some dogs do it - some don't. Some throw it up - some poop it out. I've had 3 dogs in the house at a time, and only 1 ate grass. Then the occasional foster came along that did, but most didn't. They all ate the same food. My Diana is a habitual grass-eater - but ONLY the tall, tender grass in the corners of the lawn before I weed-whack in spring. Never the lawn. Never grass on a walk. Never anytime but early spring. I think she likes the taste of it. Or gets a kick out of seeing my face when she hocks it up on the livingroom floor in front of company. I'm certain it's NOT dietary - either a taste preference or a way to play with my mind.

 

As often as she grazes in the spring - she only throws it up once or twice per year - hear spring break, I guess.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

Mine eats grass because she likes to. She's never once vomited in the two years I've had her, but she's out grazing at least once a week. Not right now, though, because everything is dry and nasty.

 

When she's busy grazing, I'll tell her "Stop grazing. You're a dog, not a cow." I don't stop her, though.

[Jerilyn]

Lila seems to just enjoy eating grass. She puked from it once when I first got her and she ate quite a bit of it before I noticed what she was doing. I discourage her from eating it because it makes her hack and cough when she tries to swallow it and also presents some…..issues…..when coming out the back end.

[Guest asaccamora]

Our girl pretty much eats grass for one reason. Throwing it back up! She doesn't touch the stuff otherwise.

[Guest mainegrey]

My dog loves grazing!! This summer I 've planted a bunch of sunflowers. My goofball has eaten every single sunflower leaf that was within his reach. He just stands there like a giraffe and eats the leaves. I wonder what's so special in those leaves that he loves them so much

[Guest FlosMomma]

I have two grass grazers, too. They seem to enjoy it and later poop it out.

 

[Guest FreeholdHound]

Glad I saw this thread... Harry loves crab grass. Never throws it up - just seems to luv the stuff

 

 

 

 

[Guest greytkidsmom]

We have a house full of grazers.

Dr. Couto spoke at Mountain Hounds a few years ago and an audience member asked him about grass eating.

To paraphrase his response: "If you can figure out why dogs eat grass, you will win the Nobel prize."

[Feisty49]

Grass is a veggie of sorts. Our dogs like green beans, spinach, corn, broccoli, peas, etc. I consider eating grass an extension of that.

[Brandiandwe]

My two eat grass when they don't feel good. It's a very reliable indicator that something is wrong and I can look forward to a mess later.

[Guest kess]

all my dogs have eaten grass from time to time, same with my cats

[Greydawg]

Nature's Pepto-Bismol perhaps?

 

Mine are grazers when their tummies get upset (evidenced by loud "tummy-growls" before we go outside for a walk).

They are very careful to pick out very specific kind of weed. Thankfully, they will shun "lawn grass," which contains all kinds of pesticides and herbicides. Instead, they seek out specific varieties of weeds. I love to watch them analyze the grass to make sure it is the kind they are looking for, before they eat it.

 

Their loud tummy growls subside after they eat it. They rarely throw up after, and the times they have, they have eaten another type of weed - which may have been their intention to feel better. (?)

 

 

[Guest kess]

Nature's Pepto-Bismol perhaps?

 

Thankfully, they will shun "lawn grass," which contains all kinds of pesticides and herbicides. Instead, they seek out specific varieties of weeds.

 

 

 

 

 

I don't mind them eating the lawn at home as we never put fertilisers on it, we aren't very good gardeners at my place lol

[Guest poofmagk]

Zafira likes long/tall grass and Oliver likes one specific type of bush (leaves/branches and all). Neither has ever thrown up.

[OwnedBySummer]

Summer likes grazing on her salad, too. I don't have the "right" grass in the backyard as all our grass is mowed and trimmed lawn -- no long stuff. And she never goes in the flower beds so that's not grazed on, either. But every time we go to a baseball diamond for a run, she first cruises around the sides looking for the perfect species of grass. It never makes her puke and it comes out the other end. Often with my assistance.

 

Oddly enough, my non-greys before her would most definitely eat grass in order to vomit. They didn't eat it often and they WOULD puke.

Edited September 10, 2012 by OwnedBySummer

[Guest gomiesmom]

My guys graze too, when the grass gets slightly high - ( come on fall) I think they just like it. No one seems to be having an issues that causes them to eat it , it jus seems to peak their interest and the graze.

Afterwaards - One pukes it up on the carpet, after bypassing three rooms of hardwood. My little girl mostly poops it out. You know you love your hound when there is no more poop to push the half- out the grass blade ALL the way out, and you have to pull out the poo -covered grass from her bum.Jeez

[Guest RMarie]

When my guy was in foster care, I was told he liked to eat grass. Since he's been at his forever home with us, though, we haven't noticed much grass eating. Except, last weekend he decided he wanted to eat the dead clumps of cut grass leftover from the lawnmower.

[Guest jenniferk]

My boy grazes on grass every single day, first thing in the morning when there's dew on the big, fat grasses. He never pukes it up. I think he just likes it!