Why Do Dogs Eat Grass + Should You Let Your Dog Eat Grass? | Pupford

The age-old question of 'why do dogs eat grass?'. Here's the simple answer... we don't completely know why dogs eat grass, but... ⤵️

There are some theories and ideas as to why, which we will discuss in this article.

And of course, the next question is, should I let my dog eat grass or is it bad for them?

Again, short answer... it's probably not a huge deal. BUT, we will look at some potential problems from eating grass and discuss how to reduce it.

Next time your pup eats grass, you just might know why 😉

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WHY DO DOGS EAT GRASS?

As mentioned, we don't know exactly why puppies & dogs like to eat grass, but there are some ideas.

Here are some reasons your dog might be eating grass:

• Dogs like the taste
• Stomach pain/issues or trying to force vomiting
• DNA and old foraging behaviors
• Lack of fiber
• Puppy exploration

Let's look at each one below. 👇

DOGS OFTEN LIKE THE TASTE OF GRASS

If I had to pick one main reason I think dogs eat grass (opinion only), I would say it's because they like the taste of grass.

It's hard to ask our dogs what types of food they do and don't like to eat, but a strong indicator is them searching it out of their own free will!

Most dogs who like eating grass are doing it whenever they have the chance. That feels like a strong sign that dogs just like might the taste of grass.

And on that note, grass is readily accessible to most dogs. Sometimes even in their own backyard!

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STOMACH PAIN/ISSUES OR TRYING TO THROW UP

Many people believe that their dog eats more grass when they're feeling sick. And some pup parents have said that they believe their dog eats grass to make themself throw up when their stomach is upset.

A study was conducted to try and verify these explanations for dogs eating grass!

One group of dogs was fed a normal diet, while another was fed a diet with a supplement that temporarily induce loose, water stools to simulate a mold stomach disturbance.

The normal diet group with healthy stools ate more grass than the dogs experience loose, watery stools. So... it mostly debunks the idea that dogs eat more grass when their stomach hurts.

Additionally, in this study, only 2 incidents of vomiting were recorded out of 374 grass-eating events. So, it's not super likely our dogs eat grass to make themselves throw up.

Another study concluded that vomiting is usually coincidental to grass eating, and not causal.

Keep in mind, this study (like most) has its limitations and doesn't completely rule out these 2 reasons for our puppies eating grass!

DNA & OLD FORAGING BEHAVIORS

Surprising to many, the reason our dogs eat grass might have to do with their DNA and very old foraging/survival habits.

Many studies & surveys have been conducted that conclude roughly 80% or more of dogs eat grass, at least occasionally.

This high percentage of occurrence has led researchers to believe that plant eating, especially grass, likely serves some type of biological purpose. There are some hypotheses that believe plant eating helps with the purging of intestinal parasites.

Add to that the fact that plant eating has been observed in wolves and other wild canids. When it comes to survival, eating some plants has likely been a part of our dog's ancestral DNA, which leads them to do it even today!

LACK OF FIBER

Many pup parents believe their dogs eat grass due to a lack of fiber or other nutrients.

While this school of thought has some critics, one case, in particular, provides some validity. An 11-year-old Miniature Poodle had been eating plants, followed by vomiting, consistently for about 7 years.

The dog was then put on a high-fiber diet.

After the initial 3 days of the diet change, the dog had not eaten plants and vomited...

Even after 13 months, the dog had still not shown clinical signs (think, excessive) of grass eating.

So, there is some evidence to support the idea that dogs eat grass due to a lack of fiber or other nutrients.

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PUPPY EXPLORATION

While we don't know exactly why dogs eat grass, we can be sure of one reason why puppies eat grass...

They're exploring the world around them!

One study found a variety of results but their main conclusion was that younger dogs (aka puppies) are much more likely to eat grass than adult dogs. There was a strong correlation between lower age and the amount of grass eating that occurred.

As age went up, grass eating typically went down.

While many adult dogs also eat grass, the commonality for puppies is a sign that it can just be them exploring their new world.

Babies explore the world with their hands and mouth, puppies explore with their noses and mouths. They may try out grass just to see what it's all about, love the taste, and then continue to eat it!

The bottom line, we don't know exactly why dogs eat grass! This leads us to the next main question... should you let your dog eat grass? ⤵️

SHOULD I LET MY DOG EAT GRASS?

We often get asked by pup parents if they should let their dog or puppy eat grass. Generally speaking, it's best to not let your dog eat grass.

Here are 3 reasons to not let your dog eat grass:

1. It can cause upset stomachs and vomiting (sometimes)
2. Chemicals used to treat lawns/grass can be toxic
3. The habit of eating grass could lead your dog to eat other toxic plants

With all that being said, your dog eating grass is generally not a major problem but should be avoided or at least limited.

And for a bonus reason to not let your dog eat grass... If you haven't already, you'll likely one day experience having to pull a piece of poop-grass out of your dog's butt because they can't get it out. Enough said! 💩

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HOW TO STOP A DOG/PUPPY FROM EATING GRASS

As we've lined out in this article, grass eating can be quite common. And truthfully, it can be tough to stop!

Here are some ideas to stop (or at least reduce) your dog's grass eating:

• Work on behaviors like leave it & look at me (PS- you can learn these behaviors as part of the free 30 Day Perfect Pup class)
• Focus on training your dog to listen around distractions
• General impulse control training can help reduce your dog's desire to eat grass
• Reduce your dog's free roam and access to grass as much as possible
• If you believe it might be related to their health, try a gut health supplement
• Bring training treats on walks to redirect your dog when they start to eat grass

In most cases, it's not a huge deal for your dog to eat grass. But, you should try to limit it and stop it if possible!

WHY DO DOGS EAT GRASS RECAP

The vast majority of us pup parents have seen our dogs eat grass at least once. It's a strange behavior that we don't have a complete answer to why dogs do it!

As a recap, here are some of the main reasons/hypotheses why dogs eat grass:

• Dogs like the taste
• Stomach pain/issues or trying to force vomiting
• DNA and old foraging behaviors
• Lack of fiber
• Puppy exploration

It's important to remember that your dog's overall health (and behaviors) are heavily influenced by their gut health. If you're struggling with your dog constantly eating grass, be sure to try out our Gut Health + Immunity supplement here!

What has been your experience with your dog eating grass? Tell us in the comments!

🐶 Don't miss out, try the Gut Health + Immunity Supplement to improve your dog's stomach, poops, and more. See the special offer here! 🐶