Why does a dog eat grass

 Every person who has or has ever had dogs knows that they eat grass from time to time. And every owner at least once had a question: why do dogs eat grass? Let’s figure it out.Let’s start with the fact that dogs are predators by nature, but in the modern world it is customary to classify them as omnivores. Dog food is quite varied. Of course bоMost of the food consumed is meat products, but vegetables and cereals are also included in the diet. This is the merit of evolution. During the time of domestication, the eating habits of dogs have changed a lot, but the reflexes developed over thousands of years have been preserved. Previously, dogs were exclusively predatory animals and hunted for food. They could not cleanse their food on their own, and therefore, when eating prey, bones, wool and feathers fell into the stomach. Some foreign objects irritate the stomach, starting the vomiting process, and some can remain in it for quite a long time, causing heaviness and discomfort. So we come to the reasons for eating grass.

Why a dog eats grass: the main reasons

• relief from nausea or pain
• elimination of formed stagnation in the stomach and intestines (eating grass, dogs cause vomiting)
• relief of pain and discomfort during bloating (eating grass leads to burping)
• increased stress loads.
• the presence of medicinal properties in the grass (but this is typical only for dogs of natural selection), in this case, eating grass is not accompanied by vomiting
• playful behavior when dogs do not eat grass so much as cut it off (this behavior is typical for puppies and young dogs).

 I would also like to note that dogs are quite selective in choosing the right grass and they won’t eat any kind.

Is eating grass dangerous for dogs?

Many owners wonder if eating grass is dangerous for dogs? No, eating grass alone will not cause any harm to your four-legged friend. But only if we are talking about pure grass. It is important to watch where pets eat grass to prevent cases of chemical poisoning, because grass is often treated with various pesticides. The safest thing to do is to grow grass in your backyard and let your dog eat to its heart’s content. If this is not possible, you can plant grass in a flower pot and leave it freely available. The best choice for growing will be oats, wheat or wheatgrass. 

poisonous plants for dogs

You should not limit the dog to eating grass, but you should remember that there are plants that are poisonous to dogs, and make sure that the animal does not accidentally eat them. Poisonous for dogs are: 

• all plants of the buttercup family, 
• anemone, 
• nun, 
• eyelets, 
• crow’s feet.

Of the houseplants, the following are especially dangerous for dogs: 

• oleander, 
• monstera, 
• Dieffenbachia.