Why does my dog eat grass?

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By Jackie Drakeford

Monday, 28 September 2009

My dog eats grass constantly when he is out. Why does he do it and how can I stop him?

Gun dog training expert
JACKIE DRAKEFORD KCAI (B) (WLSA)
Dogs that eat grass - and often herbivore dung as well - are self-medicating. Rather than stopping him, you should allow him to graze.

Dogs need a small amount of vegetable matter in their diets, so you may well find that if you supply this in the form of fresh green vegetables, either lightly cooked or liquidised and mixed in with his food, he may not feel the need to graze when he is out.

Fruit and vegetables are good for chewing up while he is in his kennel.

However, beware.

Greedy dogs may get into trouble trying to swallow apples whole, so if yours is like this, cut the apples up and supervise the feeding until you know he is safe.

If you feed stone fruit, always remove the stones first.

Sometimes grass eating means there is some discomfort in the gut, either resulting in the vomiting of bile or the greenery passing through and bringing mucus with it.

Therefore keep your worming regime up to date, and consider feeding twice daily instead of once.

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Comments

Sarah Grant

Mon, 11th Apr 2011 18:46:50

My 15 month working cocker Murphy began limping about 2 months ago on his front left leg. The vet thinks it may be a form of elbow dysplasia. His x rays were clear but he is going for a CT scan this Thursday. If he has got F.C.P he will have an arthroscopy to have the fragments removed from his elbow. His x rays show no sign of arthritis yet but he is likely to develop this when he is older. I am worries sick about him at the moment, he has gone from running about in fields chasing rabbits, to limping along on his lead. It seems soo unfair to see such a fit, active dog have this condition. Hopefully he will make a good recovery and in a few months time be back to his old self. I know there is always a chance he will remain lame. Has anybody else heard or know of another working strain cocker with this condition? If so, what was the outcome?? Thanks.

Tomo

Wed, 4th Aug 2010 08:41:31

Dogs eating grass is a normal thing my dog eats long grass in our field the grass helps thier digestion to balance their diet

derek

Fri, 6th Nov 2009 17:32:34

Question my dog,when he can rolls in fox or badger deris/droppings for ever in the rives and then often smells badly !! Do you know any good herbal natural shampoo or other ways to eliminate the smell