Why do they eat mud?

Shadow does it, too. Near as I can figure, he wants to eat roots. He will dig and then grab onto a grass root and pull it free and eat it. He also eats some grass and leaves. And pecans. He will crack the shell and lick out the meat of the nut. Yet, people tell dogs are not omnivores.

My lab used to eat grass.  He stopped eating grass completely when I started adding Ark Naturals Granular Greens to his food. 

Unfortunately, that stuff gets expensive so I switched with fresh/frozen greens (cooked) like green beans, brocolli, and etc.  He occassionally still eat grass.... Only that granular greens seem to stop him from eating grass (and leaves and twigs....).  I wonder if the wheat grass in granular greens is what his body is craving for.

You can try Parsley, or thyme, if your dog is craving grass (fresh herbs).  Alfalfa sprouts might work too.  Just chop them fine and sprinkle over their food.

Mine tastes it AND rolls in it (along with other things in there). Our snow is melting and it makes it much more appealing.

My son has been tracking in mud on his work boots the last few days with the warmer temps we have had here. My pups have been licking at them and eating chunks of mud off of them. Yuk!!! They have never done this before either. I dont have any clue as to why they do it???

ron2

Near as I can figure, he wants to eat roots. He will dig and then grab onto a grass root and pull it free and eat it.

Just wanted to mention how handsome your dog is.  What kind is it.  One of our dogs looks similar except she's more feathery

Beejou

I'd really like to have grass (lol) but more importantly I don't want them lacking anything in their diet. Any ideas how much I should feed them?

Based on evidence from L. David Mech, chief among other researchers, including one who tracked coyotes in the Adirondacks by their scat, candis are omnivores, sometimes eating fruit and some other plant matter and there has been some debate, though the science seems to suggest that canids can absorb something from plants. And, aside from that, the plants stimulate the GI tract to help eliminate. So having grains or vegetables in the dog food does have uses. Sometimes as a source of nutrients but also as a stimulus for the GI tract. It's just something they do. So, there's a beautiful sense of irony to see Shadow, with his carnassials and premolars and limited lateral mastication picking and chewing and swallowing leaves and grass roots. Evolution is not perfection, like creationism is. Evolution is about living long enough to procreate.

momoftwo

Just wanted to mention how handsome your dog is.  What kind is it.  One of our dogs looks similar except she's more feathery

Thank you =) We can't be sure of what he is because I adopted him from the animal shelter but as far as we can tell (and our vet agrees) he's German Shepherd and Australian Cattle Dog. A different vet suggested he might be GSD/ACD/ and flat coat retriever. Whatever he is, he's a great dog!