Dog eating grass?

[Frenchieboy]

Just recently our dog has started eating loads of grass on his morning walk, and I mean loads, not just the occasional blade of grass! We adopted him from a dogs home about a month ago and know very little about his past "history". When he first came to us for fostering back in February he had a few behaviorial issues which we have been able to resolve and now he is a wonderful little chao to have around us. He is being fed twice a day on (Edit)"Bakers Complete" and twice a week he gets a raw egg mixed in with it. He always wolfs his food down like there is no tomorrow but we believe that this is from his days in the dogs home where he had to eat all he wanted before any of the other dogs got it - He was savagely attacked by one of the other dogs in the dogs home and still bears the scars from it. His motions are "normal" - Reasonably solid but not dry and he appears to be a fit, healthy and happy dog weighing about 20 kilos! He is neither gaining or losing weight.

I know that dogs will "occasionally" eat grass if they have an upset stomach (Or similar) but the puzzling thing is that he has only started doing this recently and only when he goes for his early morning walk and he shows no signs of any stomack upset. Could this be telling me that there is some sort of vitamin or mineral deficiency in his diet, and if so what would any of you "in the know" suggest please?

Edited June 24, 2011 by Frenchieboy

[GRamsay]

No one really knows for sure why dogs eat grass,.......But the dogs know why

[mpk]

Maybe he is a vegetarian ?

[PAULT]

My dog eats more grass than the local cows doesnt seem to do him no harm.

[rtaylor]

My lab will eat it on a walk and my mates jack russel will eat loads of the stuff. Doesn't seem to do them any harm, the ****s go a bit stringy is all. I wouldn't worry about it too much mate. You could always give the vet a quick ring and get some free advice off them.

[fergie]

Your dog is a descendent of the mighty wolf, a noble hunter and confirmed carnivore. You feed him meals of the best possible quality, so why does he insist on eating grass? While no-one is entirely sure why dogs eat grass, pet intuitionalists are fairly certain it's just normal canine behaviour and certainly nothing to worry about. Grazing There are two main types of canine grass eating. The first is simple grazing where your dog happily munches on grass and suffers no ill effects. Some vets suggest dogs eat grass to make up for a nutritional deficiency but even dogs that eat well balanced diets will eat grass. It's possible that they simply like the taste. It's like salad to them. So even if you're feeding your dog well, he might still fancy some greens! Instinctive behaviour The other type of grass eating is when a dog eats some grass and throws it up. This is thought to be a deliberate instinctive attempt to induce vomiting after they've swallowed something that makes them feel ill. Dogs that eat to make themselves vomit usually swallow grass as quickly as possible, barely even chewing it. It is believed that the long, unchewed pieces of grass tickle their throats to bring on the vomiting reaction. If your dog eats grass then vomits and seems fine, he's probably taken care of whatever was bothering him. If he keeps retching and is unable to throw up or keeps eating grass and carries on vomiting, you should take him to see the vet. Safe to eat? With all grass-eating behaviour, keep a careful eye on the sort of grass your dog is consuming. Don't let him eat anything that has been treated with pesticides or fertilisers. Most lawn-care products will indicate whether or not they're safe for pets.

[ziplex]

I always thought they drew moisture from grass............all of our dogs have eaten it, be it on a walk or a chew of the stuff out back, in fact i've never owned a dog who hasn't!

[sporting shot]

maybe your not feeding him enough seriously dogs eats grass to help clear their stomachs by making themselves sick

[Frenchieboy]

Thanks for the replies, including the humerous ones!

Something has occured to me which I should have added even though I don't know if it had any relevance.

My dog was attacked by a Bull terrier the other day. The attack only lasted a second or two as a good kick in the head with a steel toe capped boot soon was the Bull Terier off. There was no blood or visible damage and the dog only managed to "hit" my dog once in the side with its teeth before I managed to see it off. Before anyone says anything about me giving the Bull Terrier a bl00dy good kick they should know that my god was on a lead and under complete control while the other dog was running free - Under those circumstances I will do whatever I can to protect myself and my dog regardless of what others might think or say!

It does seem that the eating of grass has progressed since then.

[davecooper1]

I would boot any dog, iff they attacked my dog would probley boot the owner aswell

[fortune]

My dogs have always eaten a certain amount of grass at odd times and as far as I know have not suffered any ill effects and have never thrown up after eating it. The grass has gone through the gut because a day or two later the grass can be seen in the rear end residue!!

Lately I have stopped the spaniel eating it because I read somewhere that there was a possibility of a parasitic problem from slugs that had deposited on the grass. Can’t remember what it was but I’m not taking any chances with the hound when it gets fed a good balanced diet. It gets all the leftover veg from our dinners as well so it shouldn’t be on a deficit veg wise.

[highseas]

my patterdale eates loads of the bloody stuff she will eat so much that she wont eat her dinner even if it is roe liver (tonight thanks to my new rem 700)

[fat_jay]

Spike (border/patterdale x ) loves grass, from spring to autumn he will nip the tops of the fresh grass on walks, i think they just like the taste

[darren m]

apart from other reasons , they like it , i was told it tastes sweet especially with morning dew .. who knows

[ziplex]

I'd tend to agree with those who say their dogs like the taste, (I thought they ate it when thirsty too), mine never throw after eating it which they do all the time. Only late last week I took the little Springer shooting and she was happily sat in the hide chewing away for quite a time on various bits of grass without any ill effects....once I gave her some water she didn't bother with it again.

Edited June 26, 2011 by ziplex

[marmitemania]

This thread has answered a though that has been bugging me a while, My golden Lab Lola eats grass whilst out walking, not any quantity but she does almost every day, I though we just had a weird dog, now I know. Talking of defending your dog I very very rarely walk where there is other dogs as I walk her on deserted bridals and footpaths miles away from anywhere, but if Im walking where I think there may be other dogs I always take a hefty stick and would not hesitate to use it.

[-Mongrel-]

Both my Ridgeback and Lab eat grass when the mood takes (most days ATM), nothing to worry about. As for defending the dog, yep, I would use whatever means at my disposal (within reason) to get an attacking dog off mine.

 

My Ridgie seems to antagonise Bull terriers (read Staffs in the main), he's been attacked four times now in what I can only see as unprovoked attacks. He doesn't have similar problems with any other breed so I don't hink it's him, anyway I digress, I generally grab a handful of Staff Bull terrier scruff and lift, there have been occasions when fists and boots have had to fly too...I'm learning to REALLY dislike Staffs Bull Terriers as time wears on. Why would you want to keep a dog that's such a pain in the **** socially?

Edited June 26, 2011 by -Mongrel-

[Hunter_zero]

I read somewhere that there was a possibility of a parasitic problem from slugs that had deposited on the grass.

 

 

Heart worm - always worm with Milbemax

 

John

[-Mongrel-]

...or 'Advocate' flea/tick treatment. That also deals with heart worm.

[Matt c]

I would boot any dog, iff they attacked my dog would probley boot the owner aswell

 

 

me too , make no mistake , some random staff terrier or whatever came to attack my dog id ring its neck and the owner . i dont pay good money for a good gun dog for some punk and his mutt to come and wreck !

 

and bye the way my ESS always eats grass hes only 10 weeks and he always chewing it ,hes never sick and plays well so im not concerned.

[Imperfection]

Dogs are omnivores like ourselves and need to eat vegetation.