Why Does My Dog Eat Grass?

There are a number of reasons why dogs eat grass:

- Dogs eat grass to fill a void in their nutrition, usually when they’re lacking fibre. Roughage helps stimulate the intestinal tract and is a vital part of their diet. On the chance that your dog’s behaviour is caused by a nutritional deficiency, switching to a better dog food, especially a high-fibre variety, could help alleviate the problem.

- To induce vomiting if they feel unwell, or to relieve themselves of an upset stomach.

- By eating grass on a regular basis, they can prevent a build-up of worms by purging their system of these parasites.

- Dogs that are thirsty can be quite resourceful. If there is no water available for your dog to quench his thirst, the dog may eat grass. Healthy grass that is watered regularly has some moisture content and there may even be dew or droplets of water accumulated on the grass.

- Because your dog enjoys it. Your dog may be eating grass simply because he enjoys the taste or texture.

- It can become a learnt behaviour. Your dog may have done it once or twice as a distraction from boredom, you may have told him off for doing it, or even laughed while he was busy chomping on his salad, and because any attention given to a dog (negative or positive) is seen as attention, the behaviour would’ve been reinforced inadvertently.

- NEW THEORY: The concept of allergy immunotherapy celebrated its 100-year anniversary about 8 years ago, based on the first scientific publication, in The Lancet, by the British doctor Leonard Noon in 1911 where Noon described observations by subcutaneous inoculation of a pollen extract into a few patients. The theory is that some dogs that are allergic to grass or grass pollen may flood their system with this allergen, in an attempt to systematically desensitise their immune system to the allergen, which could gradually induce immunological tolerance. If this theory is proven correct, how brilliant are dogs?

Eating grass isn’t necessarily a problem unless it’s happening ALL the time. Sometimes it could become a behavioural issue if it’s EXCESSIVE - if your dog is locked up in the backyard alone all day, they may be eating grass to help pass the time, in which case, it might be a distraction from loneliness and boredom. Some dogs will also chase a bit of long grass if they’re kept in an area where the grass is usually short. To keep your dog entertained for long periods, make sure you provide him with plenty of appropriate toys, and feed the majority of his food from virtually indestructible puzzle feeders when he's alone, such as Kong and Busy Buddy toys. Help your dog burn energy by playing games in the garden, such as fetch, and taking him for daily brisk walks.

Rest assured, eating grass usually isn’t usually harmful to your dog’s health. However, make sure you keep your pet away from grass that has been treated with pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals. Additionally, a number of common house and garden plants are toxic, which could lead to problems if your dog munches on them along with the lawn. Never let them eat mowed grass clippings - these can start to grow mould if left for too long and this mould can cause respiratory infections and, in some cases, gastrointestinal or neurological issues. If your pet inhales these clippings and has a history of respiratory disease, such as bronchitis or asthma, his symptoms may be exacerbated.