My Dog is Eating Grass is He Sick?

From time to time even the most normal of dogs will show signs of puzzling behavior. While some of these seemingly weird behaviors make you laugh other behaviors make you wonder if perhaps your beloved pet is ill or if you are doing something wrong in your care for your pet. You love your dog so worry is a natural extension of that love and there are times when our dog's behavior indicates we definitely have cause for worry.

New dog owners are often puzzled and concerned when they see their beloved pet eat grass for the first time. This concern grows if the dog continues to indulge in this behavior on an increasingly regular basis. To make matters worse if you have spoken to other dog owners about your dog's behavior no doubt you have gotten confusing answers. There are many people, long time dog owners as well as people who never owned dogs who believe that dogs (and cats) eat grass when they are feeling ill. While some will tell you that eating grass settles in the dog’s stomach, others tell you they eat the grass in order to regurgitate something in their stomach that is making them sick.

Still other people will tell you that your dog is eating grass because there is something missing in the diet you are feeding him. All these differing opinions are enough to worry any dog owner and send them rushing to their vet in mild panic, needing to know who is right and what they can do to help their dog.

The truth is none of those theories as to why your dog eats grass are true. The real truth is that no one knows for sure exactly why your dog is eating grass, but it is perfectly normal behavior and studies have shown that dogs eat grass even when they are fed a well balanced diet and when they are both healthy and ill. Studies also show that younger dogs and puppies are likely to eat more grass than older dogs. However, some dogs will eat grass throughout their life every time they are outdoors. While the behavior may seem strange to you it is obviously not at all strange to your dog that just happens to enjoy it.

You shouldn’t be concerned if you dog vomits after eating grass, as this seems to be quite normal for some dogs as well. If your dog seems playful and just fine after regurgitating the grass then chances are he is just fine and there is no cause for alarm or worry.

So, if your dog happens to be a grass eater, then the next time you go hiking with man's best friend why not pick a field with lush green grass and let your dog snack to his heart’s content. It won't hurt him so you may as well allow him to enjoy himself and indulge in this seemingly odd but benign behavior.