Why do my dogs eat grass?

Richard · May 23, 2005

I guess I gotta side with the "they just like it" logic.

I mean, they get what I'm told is excellent food. Plenty is always there for them yet they still do it almost every time they go outside.

There has only been a couple times where they (typically Chloe) has thrown it back up. Usually well, this sounds kinda gross, but usually I see it as "connective" substance when it leaves the other end. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Dargo · May 23, 2005

Yuk! I read this thread being curious as to dogs eating grass. Now I'm grossed out over my coffee thinking about a dog eating poo. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Nasty! It sure doens't smell appetising to me. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif I once had a little dog who did that and I couldn't stand to have the dog lick me at any time after I observed that behavior. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Talk about needing a breath mint!

Fortunately my dog now only eats grass after a soda or beer has been poured out on that spot. I sort of figure I know why he does that. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif On the dung downers, is that something that is limited to small dogs? The only dog I had that I ever saw do that was a small dog; a Lhaso Apso. I thought that name must have meant "poop eater" in some language. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif (Yes, I've read about it supposedly being a breed from way back in Genghis Khan's day and they were natural survivors from the Tibet area; eating whatever to survive etc.) Gees, the logs dropped by my shepherd...well, I won't even go there! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Boone · May 23, 2005

If you can get the dog to eat the grass down to a nice consistent hieght, over the whole lawn, that would save you from having to mow. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

PBinWA · May 23, 2005

My dogs both seem to seek out long blades of grass. They seem a little selective in what they choose.

They also like to eat the deer poo during certain times of the year. I think it has something to do with what the deer are eating.

I've posted a URL about these books before and they are interesting read by an animal biologist (Raymond Coppinger):

Dogs: A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior & Evolution

Dogs: A New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior and Evolution

The part about the tribes in Africa that give puppies as gifts to new parents as a sort of special diaper genie is worth the price of the book. The whole section on Village Dogs that basically survive off the human waste will change the way you think about how dogs and human's interact.

We tend to humanize our four legged friends in our society and personally I wouldn't have it any other way.

Jagmandave · May 23, 2005

Very timely post for me too, our two small poodles do both these behaviors, grass eating and poop eating, although they rarely throw up (as far as I know) I think we're gonna try changing brands of food and see if it helps......
They also really like the nuts that fall from all the pin oak trees in the neighborhood, in the fall it's all we can do on a walk to keep their heads up off the sidewalk, they're like a couple of squirrels! (in more ways than one, too...)

Freds · May 23, 2005

( Dogs do not have enough reasoning power or cognative ability to develop their own cause & effect reasoning without training, )
I'm not sure what you mean by cause and effect, but I DO believe dogs have a reasoning power. If their stomach isn't feeling "right" to them, I would think they know that ingesting stuff, grass in this case, will adjust the way their stomach feels to them. Also, a dog that is stressed out or under duress will consume grass where they didn't before until that stress passes. I think they know it does something to them.

As for a reasoning power without being trained... I have seen video of a well trained dog (also trained in protection) show a reasoning power without being actually trained to reason.
Here's the scenario: a dog was left by her handler, the handler walked through a tunnel/alleyway of sorts and when she got to the other side was confronted by the "bad guy". As soon as the dog went to her aid a chainlink barricade was raised so it couldn't exit the way the handler had and therefore couldn't respond. The dog went back the way it came and went around the walls, meanwhile travelling away from close proximity and losing sight of its owner. Sure seems like some kind of reasoning was going on.

Now as for grass and poop eating.... some dogs do, some don't. I have three that like to graze once in a while, but never enough to throw up. On occassion, when one was being temperment tested and experiencing stress, she would immediately consume enough grass to make her throw up. I only allowed that much consumption once.
Only females I have had have eaten poop. I think it's a maternal thing, myself, but I have seen males doing it, too, and it may be because they were allowed more access to eat it when being raised as pups.

If your dog is eating enough to throw up, I would have it checked out. If it's only casually grazing, I would let it go.

Junkman · May 23, 2005

If this post grossed you out, wait till you visit the pet isle at your local grocery store and see the new line of canned cat foods. They come in Squirrel, Mouse, Chipmunk, & Snake flavors..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

DaNag · May 24, 2005

( If this post grossed you out...)

Bah - all taken in stride, we Weim owners (and those with other hunting breeds) have seen far sicker behaviour.

Rolling in dead animals is just...wonderful. Try taking a 30 minute ride home from the beach, in an enclosed cargo van, with your dog that just covered herself in dead seal. Poop eating will seem downright civilized after that experience... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

widmn · May 24, 2005

Have you ever eaten grass? I'll bet most of you have. I have and some of its darn good. I'll bet your dogs aren't eating just any grass but the tall green stuff that grows in hay fields, along the side of the road, etc. Try it. If its green and fresh, pull off a stem and chew at the base where it yellower and tender. Its sweet and tastes pretty darn good.