Why Your Dog is Eating Grass, and What To Do About It

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Eating grass is a common behavior for dogs. Many dog owners wonder why their dog will go out of its way to eat grass, only to vomit shortly after. Is this what the dog was aiming for? Or does it not know any better?

Veterinarians get this question from dog owners all the time, which means that many dogs eat grass. But why do they do it?

Eating non-food items like grass is actually a condition known as pica, and is sometimes said to be related to nutritional deficiencies—meaning that your dog may be more likely to exhibit this strange behavior if its diet is lacking in key nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

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But what about if your dog is already on a well-balanced diet? These dogs can still exhibit this behavior so what could be the cause?

Do Dogs Need To Eat Grass?

First, let’s go over a common assumption. Many people believe that dogs need to eat grass in order to alleviate an upset stomach. Sometimes dogs will eat grass very quickly and then vomit shortly after.

This makes it appear as though the grass-eating behavior was done on purpose, as a way to induce vomiting. But that’s what makes this situation a chicken vs. egg dilemma.

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Is the dog eating the grass in order to vomit? Or is it eating the grass which then causes it to vomit unintentionally?

It is unclear exactly which one is most common but the fact is that sometimes it can be both.

It really depends on the situation, as some dogs will eat grass to induce vomiting and relieve their upset stomach, while others are just curious or even hungry and will then get sick unintentionally.

However, it’s important to note that dogs actually do need some amount of roughage in their diets in order to keep their digestion running smoothly.

Eating grass actually provides dogs with a good amount of fiber, which aids in the dog’s ability to digest food and pass their stool.

Now, this doesn’t mean that they should eat too much of it, since as we mentioned before it can cause an upset stomach.

You should always opt to provide everything they need through their diet first and foremost. Making sure you feed your dog a high-quality dog food will ensure they are getting all of their nutritional needs met.

Be aware that if your dog is showing signs of abdominal discomfort, he may be suffering from a medical condition such as inflammatory bowel disease, gastric reflux, or pancreatitis.

It’s always smart to make an appointment to see your veterinarian if you suspect your dog is in some form of discomfort. The sooner the dog is seen, the better the outcome.

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Dogs Eating Grass Due To Stress

Some dogs may use grass-eating as a coping mechanism to deal with loneliness and stress. When dogs are left alone they tend to get bored and look for things to get into.

If they are left outside, there are only a few options with which to keep themselves entertained—one of those is eating grass.

Munching on the grass in your yard is one of the ways that dogs like to pass the time until you come back home. Dogs crave interaction with their owners and will also eat grass as a way to get your attention—especially if they know it will provoke a response from you. This is a tactic they use when they feel neglected.

On the other hand, if a dog is anxious, it may resort to eating grass as a way to help calm its nerves—just like some people will bite their nails.

Whether a dog is bored, lonely, or anxious, what has been found is that the grass eating behavior increases as quality time with the owner decreases.

So what can you do about this? If your dog is regularly anxious, you may want to consider trying a certified CBD oil to help them relax during times when you’re away.

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As noted, many dogs get nervous when their owners are gone and will resort to doing things like eating grass. They may also get into things around the house in order to calm or distract themselves from the feelings of anxiety.

CBD oil can be good for helping relieve your dog’s anxiety so that it doesn’t feel the need to munch on grass when you’re away.

You can also try leaving a new toy with your dog so that it has something new and interesting to play with while you’re gone.

For even more mental stimulation, you can leave your dog with a puzzle toy that contains food. Something like this will keep your dog entertained while providing a snack so it doesn’t get hungry.

If you have a more active dog, be sure to take them on walks with you frequently so that they’re getting enough exercise. Keep in mind that dogs crave socialization too. Taking them to a dog park where they can play with other dogs or leaving them at a doggie daycare facility may be a good option—especially if you plan to be gone for quite a while.

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Is Eating Grass A Dog’s Natural Instinct?

A dog’s ancestral diet did not contain prepackaged kibble. So it’s safe to say that their diets were very different than they are today. Back then, dogs in the wild were able to have a balanced diet by eating what they hunted.

Their diets included meat, internal organs, bones, and the stomach contents of whatever their prey had eaten for dinner.

Eating an entire animal provided wild dogs with everything they needed in their diet, including fiber. Oftentimes the prey that they’d eat would have grass and other fibers in their stomach. So when the dog would consume the contents, he’d be getting his nutritional needs met in that way.

Therefore, even if the wild dog did not eat grass directly, he’d still be consuming it from the prey. Now, this is not to say that some wild dogs didn’t eat grass directly because many of them did.

Examined stools have shown that anywhere from 11-47% of wolves eat grass. Dogs are not truly carnivores (strictly meat eaters) and neither are they omnivores (both meat and plant eaters).

They will consume anything in the wild that helps meet their basic nutritional requirements.

How to Stop Grass Eating In Dogs

As we mentioned before, there are many reasons why dogs would choose to chow on grass. The best way to reverse this behavior is to provide an alternative or a solution to each of those reasons.

If you find that your dog’s diet is lacking in vital nutrients, switch to better dog food that meets all of its needs.

Be sure to speak with your veterinarian about your concerns about his lack of nutrition and they’ll be able to let you know what your dog is lacking.

If your feel like your dog is lonely, try making more time to go on walks together or simply play with it more.

You can also try making sure your dog gets a chance to play with other dogs at the park or in a doggie daycare if you are regularly gone from your home for extended periods of time. Loneliness as we mentioned, can cause your dog to eat grass more often.

If you feel like your dog is eating grass out of anxiousness, make an appointment with the vet to be sure that the anxiety isn’t due to an underlying health condition, and then consider using CBD oil.

This may help reduce your dog’s anxiety levels and in turn, reduce the likelihood of him eating grass out of nervousness.