Why Do Dogs Eat Grass From Lawns

While the practice might seem odd to us humans, sometimes man’s best friend is fond of nibbling the lawn and making a bit of a mess – but why do dogs eat grass?

A major attraction of being a pet parent is the pleasure of observing how their personality influences their behaviour. While some dogs might identify as couch potatoes, others are more partial to zoomies right before dinner. 

Of all the weird and wonderful things that our canines do, the habit of eating grass is one of the more perplexing, and the practice often brings up more questions than answers. Why do dogs eat grass? What purpose does the turf have? Should you be discouraging it?

Unfortunately, even decades of research still hasn’t delivered a clear answer, but scientists believe that they now have a clearer idea on why dogs chow down on turf, and what causes such behaviour in our beloved four legged friends. 

Three Scientifically Backed Theories On Why Dogs Eat Grass 

Although every breed of dog is different, there are certain behaviours and actions that tend to overlap between all varieties in the canine world, with one of the most common being that almost every dog eats grass. 

While it can seem bizarre to the human eye, there are a variety of reasons that can motivate your dog to seek out a snack from your lawn, and not all are a cause for concern. In fact, many would argue that it’s normal – but why do dogs eat grass exactly?

Hunting For Nutrients – One of the reasons why dogs eat grass is because grass is roughage which contains dietary fibre, as well as essential vitamins for digestion such as Omega 3. If your dog is struggling to properly digest their food and has issues with constipation, they may seek out grass to eat, particularly first thing in the morning. As the day goes on, the dog is less likely to seek grass out as a means to encourage bowel movements. 

A Symptom Of Boredom – Is your dog home alone all day? Have they fallen out of love with their toys? Are they eating grass out of the blue, or even digging up patches in the turf or garden? In this instance, there’s a high chance that your dog is simply eating grass because they’re bored. While this won’t harm the dog, it’s important to ensure that they’re getting enough exercise and stimulation to avoid further destructive behaviours. 

To Ease Stomach Discomfort – While it’s a bit of a myth that dogs eat grass to soothe an upset stomach and induce vomiting, if your dog is showing any signs of physical discomfort, seems stressed and is eating grass, there may be a medical problem that needs to be addressed. Common culprits include eating something they shouldn’t have, gastric reflux, inflammatory bowel disease, or even pancreatitis, so consult with a veterinarian if the behaviour persists. 

In order to create a dog friendly garden, homeowners need to remove some of the common hazards as well as providing a safe area full of enrichment as a means to keep them amused and out of trouble. After all, as a pet owner, it’s your responsibility to take care of the health and wellbeing of your animal of choice, as failure to do so can have catastrophic results. 

In addition, the type of gardening products that you bring into your home can have enormous ramifications for both dogs and their owners. A dog who eats grass risks being accidently poisoned if they consume plant materials that have been treated with chemical based herbicides, pesticides and even fertilisers. 

As such, using a pet friendly weed killer made from natural ingredients is a must if you share your property with animals – but where do you find one?

Introducing A Safer Way To Spray

Bioweed is an organic, non selective weed killer that works fast on contact with the weed, in order to rapidly desiccate and burn even the most stubborn of plants. It can be used anywhere around the house including garden beds, veggie patches, paths and driveways, and is safe to use around children, animals and even native wildlife. 

The best part? Bioweed is the brainchild of well established agricultural leaders greenPRO, and is backed by over twenty years of research and development. Owned and manufactured in Australia, the primary ingredient of Bioweed is actually sustainably sourced pine oil, and is even approved by NASAA, ACO and APVMA for use around organic farms and food production. 

If you’re on the hunt for a nature friendly weed killer, or simply want to know more about eliminating weeds safely – check out other tips and tricks in our online advice forum, or contact us for any further queries.