{"id":4343,"date":"2022-04-25T19:08:30","date_gmt":"2022-04-25T23:08:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/?p=4343"},"modified":"2022-04-25T19:14:13","modified_gmt":"2022-04-25T23:14:13","slug":"why-do-dogs-eat-grass","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/?p=4343","title":{"rendered":"Why Do Dogs Eat Grass"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By:\u00a0Chewy Editorial<\/a>Published:\u00a0April 26, 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a dog owner, you\u2019ve probably asked, \u201cWhy does my dog eat grass?\u201d at one point or another. Is it safe? Does this mean my dog is feeling sick? Should I be concerned? Why does he end up throwing up after chomping on the green blades? Should I call the vet?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of these are great questions. While there is no scientific, cookie-cutter explanation for dogs eating grass, there are many possible reasons. Just like humans have different personalities, needs and wants, so do animals. Let\u2019s explore the theories behind dogs eating grass and why grass eating may or may not be a sign of a sick pooch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are a couple of theories that try to answer the question, \u201cWhy do dogs eat grass?\u201d For starters, your dog is a descendent of wolves. His ancestors consumed grass by default while eating their prey. As wolf\u2019s prey would have fed on grass. When the prey is devoured, this often includes their belly\u2019s contents. So the common belief is that dogs have the instinct to include grass in their diet, not because they\u2019re nutrient deficient, but because it feels natural to mimic their ancestors\u2019 eating habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people think that dogs eating grass do so because they don\u2019t feel well. This is not always the case, but it has been said that when a dog is suffering from an upset stomach<\/a>, his instinct leads him to grass. Grass itself does not make your dog sick. The reason some (not all) dogs throw up after gnawing on grass is because the long blade, if not chewed down, tickles their throat, leading to this reflex. By throwing up, a dog can relieve himself of his upset stomach. If your dog has a sensitive stomach and chomps on grass often to alleviate discomfort, consider including a stomach-friendly treat into his diet like Nutro Ultra Oatmeal and Pumpkin Biscuits Healthy Digestion Blend Dog Treats<\/a>. With nutrient-packed natural fibers, these dog biscuits<\/a> help ensure that your pup will have an easier time digesting food. Getting enough fiber leads to proper digestion, which could help circumvent the cycle of your dog eating grass and vomiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another theory could be that your dog simply has a craving. If your pooch\u2019s diet only consists of kibble, eating grass may be his way of introducing some other nutrients into his diet. Grass may also be more palatable than what he is used to eating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although eating grass does not present a direct risk, it is imperative that you are mindful of what grass your dog is eating and where. Public parks often spray pesticides and chemicals on the grass. Keep your eye out for lawn signs that show evidence of recent pesticide sprayings when you\u2019re out and about with your pooch. Your dog can\u2019t read, so it is up to you to make sure he does not try to snack on potentially poisonous grass. If your backyard recently got sprayed, make sure you and your family are aware of when it\u2019s safe for your dog to go back outside to explore and nibble. If you are looking for a guaranteed safe option, consider growing your own patch of pet grass<\/a>, safe for your dog to chew! Bellrock Growers Pet Greens Self Grow Garden Pet Grass<\/a> allows you to grow your own USDA-certified organic wheat grass in just a week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, why do dogs eat grass? To revisit some of the questions above: Is it safe? Unless the grass has chemicals, yes. Does this mean my dog is sick? Not necessarily. Should I be concerned or call the vet? Only if symptoms of an upset stomach persist. Why does he end up throwing up after chomping on some green blades? Sounds like he may have a tickle in his throat!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By:\u00a0Chewy EditorialPublished:\u00a0April 26, 2017 If you\u2019re a dog owner, you\u2019ve probably asked, \u201cWhy does my dog eat grass?\u201d at one[…]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4344,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[101,1],"tags":[345,113,112,334,240,165,339,91,173,343,341,342,335,43,118,337,336,340,319,131,338,8,53,99,344,333],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4343"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4343"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4343\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4345,"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4343\/revisions\/4345"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4344"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4343"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4343"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smokymountaindoodles.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4343"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}