Grass Eating

It's likely she senses something she's missing that the grass "has" -- it doesn't have to be major to be important. You might want to try adding just a couple of drops of chlorophyll to her food (you can get liquid chlorophyll at most decent health stores -- even something like BarleyGreen is fine if you can't find plain chlorophyll). Dogs actually have an under=developed sense of 'taste' when compared with other species -- but they are extremely attracted to the smell of something and can often identify when they're missing something that "this thing" may have. There's no down side to trying just a drop or two of chlorophyl -- it's benign and won't hurt to add it.

I don't believe the eating grass because their stomach is upset thing. My dogs eat grass all the time. They puke it up most of the time because, from what I read, the tiny hairs on blades of grass irritate the esophagus which triggers the gag reflex.

Mydogs

I always heard they eat grass because their tummy is upset.  But I don't see that.  

 

  Occasionally, Jessie will want to go outside desperately and start eating grass as soon as she gets out. When she does this, she's usually licking her lips, which is a sign of nausea. She will also eat grass at other times but more for the enjoyment rather than because her stomach's upset. She especially seems to like new grass, probably because the blades are more tender.

Our dog does the same thing.  There are certain spots where we walk by tall grass.  She always wants to stop and graze.  Even if we try to keep her moving, she'll just swing her head over and grab a bite as we pass by!  She has thrown up grass only a couple times, and that was when there were LONG blades in there that she swallowed whole.

Earlier this spring, I was in a shop that was selling organic barley grass seed specifically to plant for dogs to eat.  I bought a packet of the seeds and planted them in a small pot that sits on our patio table (I used organic potting soil).  Soon there was a big clump of grass growing in it, so I put the pot on the ground and offered it to Ruby.  Lo and behold, she started munching on it right away.  She loves it.  We keep the pot on the table so she doesn't eat all of it.  I just offer it to her for a few seconds every couple days. 

I don't know what she likes about it.  I thought maybe it was sweet, since it was fresh, young grass.  But my husband chewed on a blade and said it was rather bitter.  Anyway, we feel better about letting her eat a few bites since we know there are no lawn chemicals on it, but that doesn't stop her from trying to eat it on our walks, too!

OK thanks guys, I am not going to worry about it.  She has never puked from it.  She is 6 months, so maybe she will out grow this.

jessies_mom

  Occasionally, Jessie will want to go outside desperately and start eating grass as soon as she gets out. When she does this, she's usually licking her lips, which is a sign of nausea. She will also eat grass at other times but more for the enjoyment rather than because her stomach's upset. She especially seems to like new grass, probably because the blades are more tender.

This is what my dogs do and it's obvious when they're eating it because they're nauseous and when they're just grazing.  I don't think it's a sign of a dietary shortage.  It's not something I'd worry about unless your grass has pesticides on it.

Max does the same thing.  He especially loves the longer grass and most of  the time he digests it OK.  I just figure it's like people who eat/drink something because they like it, knowing they won't feel too good  the next morning ... but they do it anyway.

Joyce

 Luke eats grass, and has never puked from it that I can remember or have seen. I usually don't let him keep going at it, but he'll get bits. He never eats grass that is just in a field or anything. We get little stray bits of grass in our garden, and those are what he likes. Our neighbors have grass in their front yards rather than a garden so we get little stray bits of grass here and there. Callie doesn't eat grass as much, but when she does, she generally does puke it up.

tacran

I thought maybe it was sweet, since it was fresh, young grass.  But my husband chewed on a blade and said it was rather bitter. 

And a LOT of bitter herbs are really good for the liver (like parsley and cilantro are). I honestly didn't mean anyone's dog was hugely deficient in any way ... but dogs tend to be drawn to what they need. It's not a bad thing for a dog to "partake" of grass.

But Jackie and Tracy have mentioned an extremely good point.

this year more than ever, I'm hearing a lot of people with dogs with IMHA incredibly sad because the IMHA onset was very very soon after their lawn was treated. Usually an accident (like typically only the front yard is treated rather than the back "where the dogs go";), and some people have been strongly of the opinion that their yard got overspray on it from their neighbor's treatment, or simply that the dog had gotten exposed to the chemicals while on a walk (and boy, eating grass from an unknown yard would qualify).

So just be cautious -- and honestly Tracy's idea of actually planting some FOR Ruby is an awesome idea!!

To be perfectly honest with you as many times as I've laid out in a hayfield up home and sucked on some Timothy, or played around making a whistle with a big blade of grass I can fully understand the attraction.

HOWEVER -- I live in Florida now and **yuckamunga** I can NOT think of anything on this planet less appetizing than the hard, sharp, blades of grass in St. Augustine sod. (Charlie is still not thrilled to walk on it over a year after coming here LOL)

I have an heirloom recipe for an old-timey drawing salve and one of the ingredients is tall, new grass. I haven't even bothered to make it down here because the grass that grows here is a whole different thing.

*smile* and trust me -- grass-fed Angus beef? They are NOT chewing on St. Augustine sod! They'd probably starve to death!!

Sorry -- I'm joking, but I've lived in Florida since 1983 and I haven't walked barefoot thru the grass SINCE. My dogs since I've lived down here have never demonstrated more than a passing interest in eating grass -- and I can understand why.

our dog has a great diet...eats varying grass types everyday; we refer to her as "having a salad" after her dinner. no ill effects that we can see.

I actually grow cat grass for Gibby, and I will tell you why. Over the years since getting Gibby ( its been 5 years now ) he has had this issue that I never figured out what it was...he starts swallowing really hard, gulping perhaps a good word.... when he does this he runs to eat something. It was my house plants at first until I came home one day and he had eaten a whole shamrock plant and had diarrhea all over my white house. I do mean all over. I found the next day that the shamrock plant is toxic as are MOST house plants. Here Gibby had been munching on leaves since I got him... When I picked them all up I was told that dogs that do this NEED to eat something and often these are the dogs that eat socks, stuffing from pillows,,,,etc..and block. Sure don't want that. So remembering that you can buy pots of grass for cats........I grow my own. When Gibby gets one of these spells he runs for that grass...I feel comfort in knowing if he has to eat something when I am not around, he has it. When I am there...I still try to divert his attention by giving him lettuce or even ginger snap cookie that I buy for him, mainly because when he eat that grass he pulls it out by the roots with dirt all over the place. That said...when he is NOT having these issues, he also loves the tall grass on our walks.... no matter how much I try to get him past certain areas..he pulls me there and grabs a mouthful if he can. He has thrown up from grass once in his life that I can remember. Bubblegum also used to love to graze and never got sick. Ollie on the other hand also used to love to eat grass...and Mike would take him home and call me and yell at me because Ollie barfed green all over his white carpet. The biggest thing you have to watch for is what is on that grass...if someone just put weed killer or pesticides or fertilizer on it.

 LOL Bugsy is totally a goat - there are clearly certain grasses the he loves!! Since we had a cool, wet spring he was thrilled as it was always green and juicy. Interestingly I noticed through observation and talking to other local dog owners and everyone was having their dog eating the same grasses. I find it hysterical as B will obviously sniff it and go find it. He will also sometimes consider crab grass but he'll sniff it and pass.

He has also as Janice described gone through the OMG I need grass now times and then he is less discriminate.

He has never puked from eating grass but he does do this hysterical throat clearing noise - like a cat with a hairball  - when it tickles his throat.

He has also pooped very grassy turds LOL

kpwlee

 he does do this hysterical throat clearing noise - like a cat with a hairball  - when it tickles his throat.

He has also pooped very grassy turds

We've witnessed both of these! 

Edited to add --- one time DH had to pull a very long piece of grass from a certain end when it hadn't fully left Ruby's body, so to speak. 

tacran

one time DH had to pull a very long piece of grass from a certain end when it hadn't fully left Ruby's body, so to speak.

 

We call those danglers.That's a pretty common "emergency" around here.  Gabby had that happen this past weekend for the first time and all she wanted was to run in the house with the dangler still there. Um, no.  I managed to find a piece of plastic in the little trash can I keep on the back porch and freed her from the horror.  She was then even more horrified that I had done that to her and avoided me for a few hours while keeping her rear safely covered by her tail.  Twister used to be horrified when it happened to him too but he seemed grateful for the help.  Rex and Belle don't seem to get as upset when it happens to them.  Yep, I've got a small herd of goats over here except they don't process the grass as efficiently. :)