It’s pretty common to see your dog munching on grass while out for a walk or playing in the park. Ever wonder why dogs do that?
There are different ideas about why dogs eat grass. Some people think it might be because they’re trying to make themselves throw up if they’ve eaten something bad. Others believe it could mean their stomach is upset or they have some issue with their intestines.
Some people think dogs eat grass because they need some nutrients or fiber that grass provides. They believe it might help with digestion or if the dog is constipated.
But what’s the real reason behind dogs eating grass?
Instinctive Behavior
Some scientists think that dogs’ natural behavior of eating grass comes from their wolf ancestors. Studies on wolves show that a small part of their stomach contents, about 2-10%, may have plants in it. Wild dogs, like wolves, foxes, and coyotes, have been seen eating grass, too.
Supplementing a Missing Nutrient
In a case study, an 11-year-old Miniature Poodle had a habit of eating plants and grass for 7 years and then throwing up. The issue stopped when the dog started eating a diet with more fiber. This showed that the dog was eating grass to make up for something missing in its diet. When given enough fiber, the grass-eating stopped.
But can dogs digest grass? Dogs mostly eat meat, but studies show they can digest some carbs because of their history with humans. Carbs are in things like fruit, grains, veggies, and milk.
So, can dogs digest grass? Not really. Grass mostly passes through their body without being digested.
Normal Dog Behavior
In a study from 2007, researchers discovered that how much grass a dog eats is affected by how hungry they are and the time of day. Dogs ate less grass after a meal and more before one. They also ate less grass as the day went on. The researchers thought that eating grass was just something normal dogs do and not a sign of sickness.
Soothing an Upset Stomach
In a study, one group of dogs was fed a diet with fructooligosaccharide (FOS), while another group had a regular diet. FOS comes from sugar beets and passes through the small intestines undigested, fermenting in the large intestine.
Large amounts of FOS can cause watery stool. The dogs on the regular diet ate more grass compared to the FOS group, which had diarrhea. This suggests that dogs with upset stomachs were less likely to eat grass.
But in this study, the diarrhea was from the large intestine, so it doesn’t tell us about grass-eating behavior in dogs with stomach or small intestine issues.
Curiosity
Dogs, especially young ones, like to explore using their mouths. They might experiment with eating grass, similar to how some kids eat dirt. Some dogs might even develop a taste for grass over time.
Attention From Pet Parents
Some dogs might figure out that when they eat grass, their owners give them more attention. You might talk to your dog more or offer treats to distract them from eating grass.
At times, owners might pull their dogs away from grass patches. This might make the dog want to eat grass even more because it’s something they’re not allowed to do.
