Grass Eating!
 

In the last little while, Spike has started chewing on grass whenever we go on a walk. He eats his normal food, drinks his water, pees and poops as usual. My sister says her dog does the exact same thing with no problems, but my neighbour says they only do that when their stomach is upset. DOes anyone else's pup do this? Any thoughts?

Sometimes they do it because they want to make themselves puke but in the spring and summer times they often just eat it because it tastes sweet.

Actually, right after I posted this, I found the answer on-line, so I thought I'd post it in case anyone had the same question. This is from peteducation.com




Eating Grass
Holly Nash, DVM, MS
Veterinary Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.


Q. Why do dogs eat grass?

A. Dogs commonly eat grass, and there are several explanations that have been offered for this behavior. One, wild canids (e.g., wolves and fox) eat all of an animal when they catch it. Since they eat many herbivores (plant-eating animals), they end up eating a lot of grasses and plants that were in the intestines of these animals. In addition, they have been known to eat certain berries and other plant material. Dogs then, may eat grass because, in reality, it is a normal part of their diet.

Many times, dogs will vomit after eating grass. Did they eat grass to make them vomit? Or did they vomit because they ate grass? It is a mystery, but it seems that some dogs may eat vegetation when they have an upset stomach.

The third reason - they just like it. Some dogs have certain species of grass or plant material that they will search out and eat. We know a beagle who can pick raspberries faster than his owner.

In any case, grass eating is basically a normal behavior, and is not of concern unless your dog does it excessively.