Why do dogs eat grass?

Most dog owners have noticed that their four-legged friend occasionally eats grass in a park or yard. Fortunately, experts believe there is no reason to worry, and several theories explain this strange phenomenon.

Dogs are omnivores

Unlike cats, dogs are not total carnivores. Their diet was diverse for more than 10 thousand years of evolution. In the absence of meat, the dog’s menu consisted of fruits, berries, and other plants as alternative energy sources. It is simple. If there is a lack of vegetables and plant fibers in their daily diet, dogs will eat grass because it is easily accessible.

A dog with stomach issues will eat grass because it helps clean the digestive system. Like humans, dogs can suffer from gastrointestinal problems, including cramps, stomach, nausea, and diseases from pathogenic microorganisms. If a dog eats grass, it doesn’t automatically mean that there are problems with digestion.  It means that it doesn’t have plant fibers in the diet.

Nutritional need

Whatever the reason, most experts consider that eating grass is harmless and beneficial for a dog. The grass contains essential nutrients that may be missing in dogs’ everyday nutrition, such as fibers, minerals, and digestive enzymes. Ensure the dog does not eat grass treated with pesticides and herbicides. Toxic chemicals can be fatal to your pet and it is necessary to contact a veterinarian immediately. The safest thing is to plant your grass in a square pot that you can hold in the apartment or let your dog on grass surfaces you know are not sprayed. When you next notice that your dog eats grass, relax and keep in mind that wolves and other wild animals related to dogs also eat grass and that this behavior of dogs is inborn and completely normal. An interesting study showed that puppies would more often eat grass if their mothers were eating grass during breastfeeding.