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Why Do Dogs Eat Grass?
Nearly every dog eats grass sometimes, and some dogs eat it all the time. You would think that veterinarians would have a pretty good idea by now of why they do it. But they don’t, mainly because no one has figured out how to ask dogs two important questions: “Do you like the taste?” and “If it tastes so good, why do you throw it up?”
If only dog’s could talk! But if you are like many dog owners who live in a grassy area you would swear sometimes that your dog is an Angus. Dogs just lay out in the yard and graze just like a cow. Dogs explore their worlds with their noses and mouths. And there’s the grass, attractive, sweet-smelling, with an appealing texture; and it’s ever-so-accessible on the ground. Why not eat it?
Dogs May Have A Craving For Greens
Dogs are remarkably flexible in their tastes. They’ll polish off a bowl of dried dog food, then walk over to see if there’s anything good in the trash. If they’re still hungry, they’ll wander upstairs to see what’s in the cat’s box. Basically, they’ll eat, or at least sample, whatever they find in front of them.
There’s a good reason for their liberal tastes. Unlike cats, who evolved solely as hunters, dogs survived by scavenging. When they couldn’t catch live prey, which was a lot of the time, they’d eat the ancient equivalent of roadkill. They didn’t care too much if had been lying in the sun for a week or was half-buried under old leaves. It was food, and they weren’t going to pass it up. When meat wasn’t on the table, they’d root around for tender leafy stalks, or roots, or an old polished bone. They simply weren’t fussy, and dogs today haven’t gotten any fussier. They’re predisposed to like just about everything.
In addition, there’s some evidence that dogs get cravings for certain foods. It’s possible that dogs occasionally get a hankering for greens, just as people sometimes go to bed dreaming about mashed potatoes and meat loaf. It’s not as strange as it may sound. Grass was part of their ancestors’ regular diets.
Dogs are omnivores, which means they eat meat as well as plants. They don’t need grassy nutrients any more because most commercial dog foods are nutritionally complete. But dogs aren’t nutritionists. They don’t know or care that they’ve already gotten their vitamin or mineral quotients from a bowl of kibble. Their instincts tell them that grass is good, so they eat it. Besides, there’s a world of difference between satisfying the minimal nutritional requirements and having a great meal. And for many dogs, a mouthful of grass clearly tastes great. It’s like a salad – they eat some, then want more.
Even dogs who usually don’t eat grass will head straight for the nearest patch when they’re feeling sick. They’ll gobble a few mouthfuls, retch, and then throw up, or at least try to. Veterinarians still aren’t sure if dogs eat grass because their stomachs are upset or if their stomachs get upset after they eat grass. However, many vets suspect it’s the former, because dogs who are energetic and perky seem to be able to eat grass without getting sick afterward. It seems likely that there’s something in grass that does stimulate the urge to vomit.
The stomach has all kinds of neuro-receptors that respond to what dogs ingest. They react to acidity, chemical content, and textures. The texture of the grass has something like a tickle effect on the stomach, which may induce vomiting.
This tummy tickle may explain why healthy dogs can eat grass without getting sick. They take a mouthful, chew it thoroughly and swallow, then reach down for some more. Dogs who are sick, however, appear almost desperate for the grass. They don’t chew it carefully or savor the taste. They gobble it. Without the chewing, those prickly little stalks hit their stomachs all at once.
This may be what stimulates the urge to throw it all back up – along with whatever was irritating their stomachs in the first place. They can’t stick their fingers down their throats or ask for syrup of ipecac like people can, so eating grass is something that works. And once dogs find something that works, they tend to stick with it.
Watch Out What Grass Your Dog Is Eating
Unless your dog is in the habit of regurgitating grass on the dining room floor, there’s no reason to worry about it. Dogs have been eating grass for thousands or tens of thousands of years, and there’s no evidence at all that it’s bad for them. That isn’t the case, however, when grass has been treated with insecticides, herbicides, or other chemicals. Most products say on the label whether they’re dangerous for pets. In any event, you should certainly keep dogs away from grass soon after chemicals have been applied. Most products break down fairly quickly, but they can be quite dangerous if your dog eats them while they’re fresh.
Serve Sparky Some Broccoli
It’s just a theory at this point, but some veterinarians believe that dogs eat grass because they’re not getting enough fiber in their diets. You may want to buy a higher-fiber food – pet foods for “seniors” generally have the most. These foods can be expensive, however, so you may want to look for other ways to supplement your dog’s diet.
Most dogs don’t care for raw vegetables, but you can run some broccoli or green beans through the blender, adding chicken or beef broth for flavor. Or add a sprinkling of bran to their food.
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Excellent article. It took a load off my back.
We were so worried because our Rott loves grass and he’s so healthy. He’s only six months old but he’s already pretty big. He still acts as a little baby and he makes us laugh all the time.
He snores loudly when he’s deep asleep.
Thank you so much for the great article.
I understood brocolli was actually bad for dogs?
This was great, I’ve got a 2 month old border collie/lab cross who would eat the whole yard if I let her and I was concerned. But now I see there’s no need. It doesn’t seem to bother her stomach at this point, so here’s hoping that continues!
I agree- great article and totally brought me some relief. Our 4 yr old Giant Schnauzer suddenly took a ravenous interest in grass this morning. He’d never done it before. Then, he did, as your article suggested, promptly throw it all up. I was very concerned that something might be missing from his diet and almost called the vet, but then found your site first. I do think he must have had an upset stomach. He’s been fine the rest of the day. Thanks again.
I too was worried about my dogs, both of them, extremely different,(one is a min pin, the other a german shepherd mix), started chewing on the grass in the back yard. I’ve heard it was because they were sick and not feeling well, maybe stomach irritation, but they act fine, and never throw it back up. So anyway, very interesting, Thanks!
This article was a great relief to me. My Lab/Pit mix is always eating grass when we go for a walk.
omg i think that is good but my dog is 1 yr old and he is huge lol
Great to know! Last night sitting in a quiet room, my Akita Marley, was there with me. I could literally hear her stomach making all kinds of noises..loud noises, and she was passing gas…eek! I took her outside to do her business and she went staight to eating grass(kind of wildly)It was weird to me, never seen her do that. After we came in the house she did what you said she would….she vomited 3 times and this morning she seems to be fine. Kim Montanes
have 3 dogs–the Silky and the Pug never eat grass. The 10 year oldPapillon eats it all the time. I’ve never seen her throw it up.
Thanks for a great article!!!.It was witty as well as extremely informative and helpful to my state of mind on grass. GREAT!
My dogs eat grass all the time. I think they are cows instead of dogs. They do throw up and get diarrhea from eating to much grass. It must bother their stomach
great to read,thank you.i have a german sheperd 10 months old and i was stunt becouse every time i let my dog go outside she happens to eat some grass,just a little bit then she goes on her playfull ways.thanks again.
my 3 year old pitbull has been grazin like a bull since he was 1 this article has put my worries to rest thanks a lot……
Thank you very gooooood!
good article my female akita (big girl) started eating grape leaves & tomato plant leaves this morning. thank goodness for this site as it put my mind at rest. she did proceed to vomit she has also been suffering from constipation so this confirms that dogs need fibre too. I shall be buying some bran to sprinkle on her food.great article thanks
My golden retriever loves to eat grass! I was worried because I thought she was sick but this article has put my worry to rest. She is extremely hyper and very energetic, she is only 2 though.
I have a papillion mix and he recently started eating grass, then later throws up. He also has started eating the tiny screening gravel stones in our driveway. He really was sick and threw up several times.
Why would he eat tiny screening gravel? I have him on Royal Canin for weight control, and I add about 1 1/2 teaspoon of canned food to it, otherwise he will not eat his dry dog food.
Do you have any sugggestions what dry dogfood I could give my papillion mix, 6 years old, that he would eat and still lose some weight. He is 21 pounds and too heavy for his size.
Thankyou for answering above questions.
I am worried about my dog eating the dry leaves of our cypress tree. He does it all the time! I knew that grass is ok but what about the cyrpress’ leaves? thank you very much for your reply
my dog yellow lab she eats carrots and peas and all kinds of greens she is huge and spunky we give her veggies all the time and she is as smart as a whip break out the dip and she’s in like flynn
I have two cur dogs that will eat a certain kind of grass. They don’t eat Bahia or St. Augustine. Whatever it is, they seek out just this one variety. And, it doesn’t make them sick. I used to be concerned about it. But after several years, now I just let them graze during our evening walks.
Still … I wonder if I could get the feds to issue me a grant to study why dogs eat grass. After all, they funded one on why kids fall off tricycles.
My dog will eat grass and lick our floor and then puke it up why