Ever since we moved to our new neighborhood, CindyLu has been munching away on the grass during our walks. This is not something she regularly did where we used to live. Over time I’ve noticed – and discussed with neighbors – the irresistible attraction the grass here seems to have for our dogs. Cindylu is definitely not the only dog dining on the green! This has made me wonder, why the grass here? Why are all the dogs so attracted to this grass? And….is it okay if a dog eats grass?
Dog guardian after dog guardian has shaken their head when I’ve asked them if they knew why there’s such a fascination here. No one seemed to know, but all have noticed their dog’s obsession. I’ve joked that CindyLu was just making sure to “eat her greens”. The questions were burning in me, I really wanted to know. Today, I stumbled upon the answer, in the form of the video below from Dr. Karen Becker of Mercola Healthy Pets. Thank you, Dr. Karen, for this thorough explanation!
To understand it all in detail, please view the video. In short, though, if your dog isn’t vomiting after eating grass – which a dog will do to relieve gastric distress – she’s eating the grass because she likes it, it provides nutritional/roughage value, and it’s natural for her to do this. Dr. Karen explains there’s a particular type of grass they prefer, and boy is she spot on about that. The thicker-bladed grass is the green of choice in our neighborhood, just as she describes.
I already knew that it would be a no-go if the grass were treated with herbicides/pesticides/insecticides. Thankfully that is not an issue in our neighborhood, especially in the grasses that grow along the creek and lakes on our usual walking routes. But it’s good to know that it not only won’t harm the dogs – it can be a good thing for them to eat some of this grass.
Video: Dr. Karen Becker, Mercola Healthy Pets
I had only been joking, but I was closer to the answer than I imagined – CindyLu was just gettin’ her greens!
Hey Kim and that grass munching dawg, CindyLu!
Wow, the mystery of the grass is solved. Penny is very fond of the grass around here. She eats some grass, get the munchies and eats more grass. Of course, she comes back indoors and proceeds to leave a nice green clump of gooey grass on the carpet.
Thanks for this and I might just go have some grass myself! 🙂
Penny’s pawtend human,
Gary 🙂
Oh, dear…I don’t imagine that nice green clump is very easy to clean off your carpet! Sweet Penny, sure hope she’s doing well after her surgery!
Thinking of you, and kisses from CindyLu xx
Hey, sometimes it really IS easy being green!
Hahaha….good one, Brian 🙂
Muppet likes to eat grass – and thankfully, it stays down!
Aw, Muppet!! I’ll have to check with you on how’s he’s doing. Some day these two will get to be together – and they can stand in a field munching away together. LOL A dream date!
🙂
Wow CindyLu those greens look delish!
They are!! Nom Nom…
Thanks for sharing. I’ve always heard that eating grass signaled something bad but Gretel munches away any chance she can get. I was a little concerned but glad to know it’s ok since she has never vomited after eating it.
You sound just like us! I was getting worried since the dogs were not vomiting, after eating copious amounts of the green stuff here. Happy it helps you, too!
I notice that Honey is particularly fond of Bermuda grass. Which I hate.
I wish I could teach her to yank it up by the roots for her snack.