Why does your dog like to eat grass?  This question has perplexed owners and veterinarians alike for years. One would think that an animal that is descended from the wolves would eat meat and only meat.  But that impression is incorrect. Domesticated dogs eat a fair amount of plant matter in their diet.

Common reasons why your dog is eating grass

Dogs are opportunistic scavengers, a trait that is left over from their ancestors. Thousands of years ago, dogs had to eat whatever was available to them. Their diet consisted, in large part, of fresh killed herbivores. Their prey actually contained a fair amount of vegetation in their digestive tracts. So by default, dogs that hunted for their food had a diet with grass and grains, as well as the meat.

They would also eat animals that had been dead for varying periods of time. If you have had a dog for any length of time, you know there is no smell bad enough, or any animal that has been dead long enough to make your dog shy away. So dogs that eat these tasty little leftovers can become ill.  Eating large amounts of grass can make a dog vomit and get rid of the spoiled food. It is “doggy pharmacology” at its best.

Should you worry about canine urge to eat grass?

Hence, dogs that eat grass for a sick stomach are really just emptying their stomachs, to make themselves feel better. As long as this is just an occasional practice, it does no harm to the overall digestive health of your pet, and can actually make your dog healthier. If your dog eats grass and vomits on a regular basis, or is losing weight from the practice, it is problematic. This type of grass eating behavior signals a problem that needs to be handled by a veterinarian. In general though, eating grass and then vomiting, in moderation,  is just normal dog behavior.

Why the grass makes a dog vomit is not really understood.  In fact, there is not even agreement that the grass makes the dog vomit. There is a school of thought that the dog was sick and was going to vomit anyway, and eating the grass was just incidental. Then there are those that think the grass is an irritant. So when your dog gobbles up large quantities of grass, vomiting is induced. One might consider the large digestive structures of the horse, buffalo, or cow. It takes some work to deal with the digestion of grasses.

What about those dogs that just nibble a bit of grass from time to time? Some dogs just seem to like the taste of the grass. My dogs love to nibble on a bit of fresh grass from time to time. It is not unusual, on a nice day, to see them sitting in the sun having a little snack on the nice green grass. They especially love the grass that is just a bit taller that all the other grass in the yard. In fact, my Labrador loves some vegetables. We have to put a fence around the garden to keep him out of the zucchini and tomatoes!

What you should be aware of…

While dogs eating grass is a normal dog behavior and not a cause for alarm, chemicals that are added to the gr

ass can be.  Some lawns are heavily fertilized, and also have fungicides applied to them.  While this makes for a pretty lawn, it is a horrible and dangerous addition to your dog’s diet.  You must keep your dog off a freshly treated lawn for several hours. Some lawn care companies will put up signs that warn if the lawn has been freshly treated. If you have your lawn treated, it might be time to consider a more dog friendly alternative. If you must treat your lawn, please follow the recommendations given to you about the amount of time to keep your pet off the grass.

Missing nutritional components

One last thought about why dogs eat grass: to add a missing biological, such as fiber. Most quality commercially prepared dog foods have plenty of fiber in them and provide a balanced diet.  Quality dog food not withstanding, grass is a source of supplemental fiber. Consider the practice of humans taking too much Vitamin C. Though we can only absorb so much a day, we continue to take 2 and 3 times the daily recommended dosage. In the final analysis, our dogs might be doing the very same thing.

If you just can’t tolerate your eating grass, try keeping the lawn mowed short. Dogs seem to prefer the taller blades in the yard. It will also help to keep other dogs off your lawn, as the smells of the other animals may attract your dog to sniff and then lick or eat the grass.

To summarize, while veterinarians are not sure why dogs eat grass, most will tell you that when done in moderation, it is a perfectly normal behavior. Some dogs just like the taste, some may be trying to add a little roughage, and some may be using it as an antidote for spoiled food. So let your dog enjoy grass that has not been treated, and know that it is just a normal part of being a dog. Besides, it is a better choice than some things your dog could be eating!

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