Hi, can anyone help me with my 3yr old lab/collie cross. She is always eating grass not just the odd piece but mouthful, she starts running while playing then her head goes down she grabs a mouthful then starts running again. we have shouted at her, run to her un emptied her mouth while saying no, made her come back to us, distracted her but nothing seems to work un she always does it so by the time we catch her she eaten it. This is every day we have even cut our walks short cause all she done is run un eat the grass.

please help this is getting really annoying

millie1

[chevy & karen]

Originally Posted by millie1

Hi, can anyone help me with my 3yr old lab/collie cross. She is always eating grass not just the odd piece but mouthful, she starts running while playing then her head goes down she grabs a mouthful then starts running again. we have shouted at her, run to her un emptied her mouth while saying no, made her come back to us, distracted her but nothing seems to work un she always does it so by the time we catch her she eaten it. This is every day we have even cut our walks short cause all she done is run un eat the grass.

please help this is getting really annoying

millie1

Sometime's they eat it because their stomach is upset, some just like the taste of it or maybe they need the fiber in it.

[Yogi]

unless you have treated the grass with fertilizer etc, do not worry about it. This is common behavior. Generally it is done to help relieve a blockage or as noted, sooth a little upset stomach. It causes no harm. Mine have been doing it for years. The most that happens is it causes them to regurgitate which clears the upset stomach if that is the problem. Other times they will pass it, this is sign they had some blockage. Like for humans, needing salads ie: fiber. Do not discourage the behavior as it has its reasons.

[DoggieVogue]

My dog does the same thing when he is playing and he is fine. Like everyone else said, unless the grass has chemicals on it, your dog knows what he is doing.

[german sheep]

hi millie,

the first possibility is to change the food, because a dog only eats grass this extremely, when it has a deficit of minerals or vitamins.
It activates the stomache acid because of the bittern it contains.

The second possibility is to give dried paunch as pulver under the food or to make a Harzer Käse (special kind of cheese) cure for about a week. I don't know if you get it over there. Try to google it.

LG
gs

[Smartdogs]

If your dog is eating grass she probably has a stomach problem. Grass isn't going to harm them if they do eat it because it's their instinct to eat something that's going to help them. If you put several types of liquid minerals/vitamins infront of them, they know which ones they need and will drink them! They are so smart!!! Unless he's eating a ton of grass, it's probably okay. You maybe should have her on some neutraceuticals to keep them healthy. Giving the dog liquid vitamins and minerals every day may help.
What kind of dog food she's eating could be contributing to this "eating grass" thing too. Try to get a holistic or organic food. Not the ones generally from the vet...some are okay, but you want to be sure there's no bad oils in them such as high fructose corn syrup...etc. Olive, and sunflower, safflower, and coconut...these are okay. Well, I wish you luck with your dog and I hope she's not sick. If this has been going on for just a few days, she's probably okay otherwise visit the vet for checkup or advise.

A lot of dogs eat grass and other greens just because they like them. There's nothing wrong with their stomachs, they aren't deficient in anything. They just like it.

My dogs think the yard is their own, personal salad bar. They eat a variety of different grasses, especially the seed heads. They eat lamb's quarter and ragweed. They eat clover. They love dandelion flowers, roses, lilac flowers, violets and nasturtiums. I give them leaf lettuce, raw spinach, and cooked turnip greens in their meals, but they still graze in the lawn like a couple of cows.

There is one or two health concerns you should be aware of, though. Grass can contain worm eggs and larvae. If your dog is taking a monthly heartworm preventative, this isn't a huge concern, though. Check with your vet to learn how to keep these parasites under control.

Originally Posted by Smartdogs

I Try to get a holistic or organic food. Not the ones generally from the vet...some are okay, but you want to be sure there's no bad oils in them such as high fructose corn syrup...etc. Olive, and sunflower, safflower, and coconut...these are okay.

Holistic means pertaining to holism. Holism is the ideology based on "The whole is greater than the sum of it's parts." There's no such thing as an holistic food, although foods are part of the holistic approach to good health.

High fructose corn syrup is not a bad oil. It's not an oil at all. It's sugar. But it doesn't belong in dog food, either. It's mostly used as a flavor enhancer, but there are better flavor enhancers that most dogs actually prefer.

Glad to know this, my puppy eats grass, dandelions, & sage.

[CorkyMax]

Silicon is found in your dog's bones, hair, nails, and teeth. It helps heal wounds and protects against skin disorders. If your dog has something foreign in her system, such as worms, an infection from an abscess, or a bacterial infection, silicon will work to eliminate the foreign object from her system. Silicon is a type of sand that is found in dirt and the stem of certain grasses and plants. When your dog eats dirt, grass, or plants, she may be adding silicon to her system to help her eliminate a foreign object. Try to steer her away from grass. Dogs do not digest grass well, and the sharp edges on the blades of grass irritate the throat and intestines. Be sure she has access to pesticide-free dirt and plants; if eating these substances continues for any lenghth of time, bring your dog to your vet. ENd of quote. Mine eat grass too--I even plant it inside during the winter----WHEAT GRASS that is!! My Corky helps himself and it seems to be when he wants to throw something up ( and when he gets like this--he is looking for just anything he can find--on the floor--not just the wheat grass so I really do think he is doing this to throw up! I also treat this wheat grass as a greens addition to their raw food diet---mix in 'pulverized' with their regular meal at times.

Well, you have quite a lot of information here, unfortunately not all the posts agree about your solution.
My dogs also like greens, and will happily crunch on a stick of celery or a cabbage stalk.
I wouldn't worry about it either, if as some of the other posters have said, there are no chemicals on the grass, which you can't really be certain of if it is a public place where you are walking her, and that is the problem.
I feel that if she is doing it as much as you say when you are out walking with her then that is slightly strange behaviour, the vast majority of dogs will be way more interested in all the new smells and the fun of the walk than in eating grass!
Perhaps there is a deficiency in her diet, and you should consider changing to a different dogfood, or see your vet and get his advice on the matter.

Hi, have changed her diet to wainwrights which is a more wholesome dog food no chemicals additives and suitable for sensitive dogs (which she isnt) but it is good stuff, and still she does it.

[CorkyMax]

They’re grazing on grass: is it bad for them?

If your dog or cat grazes on grass that has not been sprayed with pesticides, herbicides, or other poisons, consider it food (as long as she doesn’t throw up on your carpet!). Foods like grasses contain cellulose, which may not be completely digested (and you may see the grass unchanged in the dog’s feces), but they are of great value in helping to maintain the bacterial balance in the intestines, helping the “good” occupants of the gut to survive. Fresh grass also provides chlorophyll, vitamin C, and hundreds of other antioxidants and enzymes. Do not let your dog or cat eat grass that has been exposed to chemicals. If the grass is in the woods, it is probably “clean”. If the grass is part of a farm or suburban “perfect lawn,” try to prevent your dog from eating it (or walking on it).