Can Puppies Eat Grass (Vet Explained!)

Is your puppy eating grass? There are many reasons that your puppy may be eating grass.  Many times, they may be just fine, but there may be a medical condition causing them to eat grass. 

Why Is My Puppy Eating Grass?

1. It may help relieve an upset stomach
2. It increases fiber in their diets
3. Their ancestors at grass
4. They like the taste of grass
5. They are bored

If your pup has a habit of eating grass and you’re worried they have a nutritional deficiency or serious medical conditions, calm down. There are lots of reasons why dogs eat grass, and most of the time nibbling grass is nothing to worry about. However, there are some times when consuming grass is problematic and dog owners need to pay attention.

• Puppy grass eating can be caused by several factors including an upset stomach, need for fiber in their diet, liking the taste of grass, being bored or due to pica, a medical condition that makes dogs eat non-food items.
• The behavior is quite common, and most vets believe it does not cause harm to the puppy.
• The reasons for a puppy consuming grass may not be entirely clear, but some of the reasons include the need for fiber in their diet, being bored, and their ancestors’ instinct to consume grass for a balanced diet.
• If a puppy shows any signs of intestinal problems, such as vomiting or diarrhea, or any underlying medical condition, the vet should be consulted.
• Puppies should be monitored when they eat grass to ensure they don’t eat any grass that has poisonous pesticides, fertilizers, or herbicides on them.
• Some grasses and plants are toxic to puppies and can make them ill, so it is essential to make sure the grass or plants are safe before allowing the puppy to eat them.
• Deworming medication should be given monthly to puppies to keep them free of parasites.

If your puppy is eating grass, you should monitor them very closely for any underlying medical problems that may be causing them to eat grass. 

While many times there is nothing to worry about, there are many things that you can do to discourage this behavior in your puppy. 

5 Possible Reasons Why Your Puppy may be Eating Grass

Grass eating is very common with puppies. This is not as odd as some of the other things that dogs love to eat, such as their own feces. 

The reason behind your puppy devouring grass may not be entirely clear, although many puppy just seems to like it.

For other puppies, eating grass may be a way to fill a missing nutritional need or maybe causing them to vomit to settle an upset stomach, or your puppy may even be chewing on grass because they are bored.

Some dogs have a medical condition that is known as pica.  This means that your dog will eat things that are not food.  This can include anything like dirt, feces, toys, and even grass.

Most vets will agree that a dog eating grass may be a normal dog behavior and that this type of pica does not cause them too much harm if any. So, then why is your puppy eating grass, and What can you do to stop them from doing it all the time?

The grass may help relieve an upset stomach

The most common reason that many people think that their puppy may be eating grass is to relieve their upset stomach.  Some puppies will go outside to eat grass very fast and then vomit. 

While most puppies who eat grass will not vomit right after eating the grass but consuming grass is commonly seen in dogs who have an upset stomach right before they vomit.

Puppies need Fiber in their Diet

All puppies will need fiber in their diet.  Your puppy may be filling this need by eating grass.  A lack of fiber in your puppy’s diet can prevent your dog from being able to digest food and pass stool.  By eating grass, they are helping their bodies function better.

If your puppy shows any signs of intestinal problems, they may have a medical problem such as gastroenteritis, inflammatory bowel disease, or pancreatitis.

If your puppy is vomiting or having diarrhea and eating grass, see your vet rule out any serious medical problem.

It is in Your puppy’s DNA to eat grass

Your puppy’s ancestors did not eat food packaged in neatly sealed bags. Dogs who live in the wild would balance their diet by eating what they hunted and the grass around them. the entire animal provided a balanced diet.

Domesticated dogs may not have enough fiber intake so they have nutritional deficiencies. They may eat plants found around the house for their dietary needs or vomit after eating grass to clear their system of an overly rich diet.

They also would eat everything of what they caught, such as the meat, bones, internal organs, and stomach contents of their prey. When they eat an entire animal, it provided them with a balanced diet. 

This is especially true when their prey’s stomach contained grass and plants that fulfilled the dog’s need for fiber.

Your puppy May like How Grass Taste

This may be one of the simplest explanations of why your puppy is eating grass.  They may like the taste of grass. Many puppies may simply like the taste and texture of the grass in their mouths.

Most puppies will consume grass more in the spring when it is newly growing and full of moisture. Usually these dogs prefer grasses that are sweet when you bite into them. 

Many plants that also have flowers will be sweet when your puppy bites into them causing them to really like the taste. 

Because they are Bored

Some puppies will nibble grass because it will give them something to do. This will usually happen with puppy that does not get plenty of exercises.  Young dogs and puppies will have an abundance of pent-up energy to burn.

For a puppy that is bored, eating grass may be a behavior problem and may not really be a big of an issue at all. You do not need to worry if the grass eating does not make the dog sick.

Trying to correct this behavior may interfere with natural instincts and may do more harm than good.

Summary of Why Your Dogs Eating Grass

• Stomach upset: Puppies may consume grass to help soothe an upset stomach.
• Mineral deficiency: If puppies are not getting enough minerals in their diet, they may eat grass to supplement their nutrition.
• Ease boredom: Some puppies may chew on grass simply because they are bored and need something to do.
• Induce vomiting: Eating grass can sometimes help a puppy to vomit and get rid of something that is bothering them.
• High fiber diet: Grass may increase the fiber in their diet, which can help with digestion.
• Well-balanced diet: If a puppy is not getting a well-balanced diet, they may try to find nutrients in grass to try to supplement their nutrition.
• Anxious dogs: Puppies that are anxious or stressed may consume grass as a coping mechanism.
• Natural instinct: Eating grass is a natural instinct for dogs, as their ancestors would eat grass to help with digestion.
• Other dogs: If a puppy sees other dogs eating grass, they may copy the behavior.
• Fecal residue: Sometimes puppies eat grass because there is fecal residue on the blades, which can be appealing to them.
• Roughage: Grass is a good source of roughage, which can help puppies feel full and aid in digestion.
• Vegetables: Grass is a type of vegetable, and some puppies may simply enjoy the taste.
• Intestinal parasites: Some intestinal parasites, like roundworms or hookworms, may cause puppies to crave unusual foods, like grass.
• Nutritional deficiency: If a puppy is not getting the right nutrients in their diet, they may eat grass to try to compensate.
• Vomit: Sometimes puppies eat grass specifically so they can vomit, which can be helpful if they have eaten something they shouldn’t have.
• Minerals: Grass contains minerals that can be beneficial to a puppy’s health.
• Chemicals: Some puppies may eat grass because they are craving certain chemicals that are found in the grass.

Should I let my puppy eat grass?

Dogs eating grass may be considered normal behavior, but your puppy does not really gain any nutritional value from the grass. These are some reasons that you may not want to let your puppy eat grass:

Some grasses may have poisons on them:  Make sure that the grass your puppy is eating does not have any poisonous pesticides, fertilizers, or herbicides that have been applied to them.

When you are at home, this can be very easy to do but look out for public areas like the dog park or in other people’s yards.  Another great option is to grow your puppy, an herb garden specifically for them to snack on. 

Some common herb that your puppy may like are:

• Basil
• Chamomile
• Fennel
• Dandelion
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Purple Coneflower
• Parsley

When dogs eat grass they can easily get infected.  If your puppy is eating grass, it is best to give them a monthly deworming medication to keep them free of any parasites. 

Many heartworm preventions also contain a dewormer, so when you are giving your puppy their heartworm prevention each month, you are also deworming them.

Some grasses and plants are toxic: puppy may start off eating the grass, this may then progress to eating the whole plant. Some outdoor and indoor plants can be very toxic to dogs. 

If your puppy does like to munch on the grass or plants in your yard, make sure that none of the plants that you have are toxic to your dog.  You can even teach your puppy to know which plants are toxic and off-limits, or you can keep these plants in an area that your puppy cannot reach. 

How to stop my puppy from eating grass

Eating grass may be a very fun past time for your puppy.  If they are always eating grass when they are outside, you may want to find out why they are wanting to consume grass and try to get them to stop eating grass. 

These are just a few ways that you can make your puppy to stop eating grass.  

Give them a tasty treat instead:  If your puppy loves to eat treats, many times, you can convince them to eat a treat or some of their dog food rather than grass. 

When you take your puppy outside for a walk or for potty breaks, you will need to take treats with you.  Every time that your puppy starts to try to eat grass, tell them no. 

When they listen to you and do what they are told, give them a treat and tell them that they are a good boy or girl. Your puppy will quickly learn to not eat grass and wait for a taste treat. 

Give them attention: When your puppy is eating grass, pick up one of their favorite toys, and start to play with them with this toy.  Many times, they will stop eating grass and come and play with the toy. 

This helps decrease their boredom and allows them something else to do to keep them entertained while they are outside other than munching on the grass.

Give Your puppy Praises:  Many puppies will stop eating grass for praises and attention.  When your puppy starts to munch on the grass, tell them to come to you and give them praise. 

puppies who are eating grass because they are bored will quickly stop eating if you start to give them attention.  Treats are always a big hit when trying to get your puppy to stop eating grass. 

Make sure that these treats are not high in calories, or your puppy may gain weight when learning not to eat grass.

Take Your puppy out for a walk:  Make sure that your puppy is getting plenty of exercises. If they are continuously eating grass, a walk around the block to burn some extra energy and keep them from being bored is best.  

Puppies are active and will need to be taken outside for playtime outside multiple times a day.  They will also need mental stimulation to keep them from becoming bored and destructive.

Using puzzle toys or dog training to help keep your dog from getting bored and eating the grass. 

Look for a medical reason: If your puppy is sick, they may eat grass because their stomach may be upset or that they are missing very important nutrients. 

If you notice that your puppy just does not seem right, discuss this with your vet.  Your vet may want to run bloodwork or other tests to make sure that your puppy is perfectly healthy. 

Look at your puppy’s diet: Make sure that your puppy’s dog food does contain a balanced diet. 

By adding additional fiber into your puppy’s diet, you can easily help with their digestion and stop them from eating grass.  One good way that you can add fiber to your puppy’s diet is to give them a spoon full of canned pumpkin.  This is a tasty treat that is full of fiber. 

Just make sure that this is canned pumpkin and not the pumpkin pie filling as pile filling is loaded with sugar.

Give your puppy an appropriate grass to eat:  If your puppy is still eating grass, you can grow them an approved area of grasses that they can eat. 

You can even purchase grass and herb growing kits that are safe for your puppy to eat.  The Pet Greens Self Grow Grass Kit is perfect to use to grow grasses that your puppy can safely eat.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Many puppies will find a tasty patch of grass in the backyard to eat and munch on it. 

This can be a perfectly normal thing for your puppy to do, but there are things that sometimes can cause them to get very sick.  If you have noticed that your puppy gets sick after eating grass, it would be best to take them to your vet.  

Your vet can examine your puppy and make sure that there is nothing wrong with your puppy.

 If your puppy continues to eat grass, there are many reasons that you may want them to stop. 

By following some of these tips and tricks found in this article, you can easily teach your puppy to stop eating grass or fix the problem the is causing them to eat grass in the first place. 

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