Grass Eating

BostonBanker

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#1
I know most dogs do it. I've heard they do it to make themselves throw up if they feel icky, and I've heard they do it to settle their stomachs if they feel icky.

I have never seen a dog eat grass like Gusto. He does it pretty much any opportunity he can get. On leash walks in the neighborhood, he will walk up to the front of the leash, start grazing until it is stretched out behind me, run ahead, and repeat. He spends half our hikes chowing down on grass. Sometimes he is nearly frantic about it, but mostly it is just casual grazing.

The downside of it all is that once or twice a week, he spends a bit of time in the middle of the night throwing up all that grass. Wednesday, we went on a 4 mile hike after work. He threw up 4 times that night between 12:30 am and 3:30 am. Just clumps of grass. He is completely fine before bed, and wakes up happy and eager for breakfast and such. It doesn't seem to affect him in any other way.

Every winter, I hope he's just going to get over it (or at least get a stronger stomach for it). Apparently not this year.

Does anyone have brilliant insight into the behavior? Ways for dealing with it? I've considered adding plain raw veggies to his food, to see if there is some nutritional reason he wants greens. I've also considered trying to fit a mini-horse grazing muzzle on him, although not all that seriously.

I swear he learned the behavior from Tristan, since I spent so much time hand grazing Tristan while he was sick, and Gusto always tagged along. Maybe he's trying to spiritually reconnect with his pony.
 

Southpaw

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#2
If you figure it out let me know! Juno and Cajun LOVE eating grass, Cajun is more obsessive. She's similar to Gusto it sounds lol if we're on a leashed walk she spends much of the time grabbing clumps of grass as we walk down the sidewalk. She'll get distracted and stop whatever she's doing to eat grass. She oftentimes poops out nothing but a big wad of grass.

Even this winter, sure enough she'd still just bury her face in the snow and come up with clods of frozen grass in her mouth. I should start just pocketing it and use it as a reward at this point lol.
 

amberdyan

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#3
Hugo is a grass eater too. Not tons, but if we're outside and not actively engaged he'll eat grass. He doesn't eat enough to throw up, but I'll see grass in his poop often. I almost wonder if it's habit because he had a lot of digestive issues as a young dog and would eat as much grass as he could get to until he puked.
 

teacuptiger

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#4
Roxie is a pretend cow, too. In the yard, on walks, she will just randomly snack on grass. Doesn't puke from it, though.

I've pretty much just considered it a part of her personality at this point, much like her need to mark things every ten steps on walks.
 
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#5
Fable is a grass-eater as well. It's mainly that long decorative grass that people put in pots, but she will start grazing on regular grass if she's at the park and not engaged in anything (she doesn't do it on walks, though). She never gets sick from it, but it doesn't sound like she's as compulsive about it as other dogs.

And she gets raw veggies every night with her dinner, so I'm pretty sure it's not related to her nutrition. I honestly think some dogs eat it just because they like it.
 

ACooper

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#6
Orson and Crowley are both grazers too. They don't generally barf on it, and they are fine (not appearing ill in anyway) before and after. Running, playing, goofing around, then BAM...time to stop for a quick salad to go! LOL

I've always heard tell the same as you BB..."they need to puke" or "they need it to settle their stomach"....so which is it? ONE product to do both? LOL
 

lancerandrara

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#7
I may have a solution. HAHAH. Rara and Lancer were both completely obsessive grass-grazers too. Like you said, every opportunity they got, they would lunge in and chow down on grass forever? It's really weird yet hilarious? But yeah, caused stomach problems every once in awhile.

Ever since we started adding assorted veggies to their meals, they're much less inclined to eat grass outside though. Lancer stopped completely- Rara still leans in to eat sometimes, but a "Leave it" gets her to stop quite easily, compared to before.

They eat 3 times a day with veggies each time. It's just organic power greens or "spring mix" from Costco, with frozen organic green beans, organic baby carrots. The veggies don't make them barf or get stomach problems!



daily meals WHEEEE.
 

Slick

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#8
Leo used to be a huge grass eater. He wouldn't even throw up from it. Just eat it for fun.

When I first got him, he would sometimes blow off toys and treats because he wanted to eat grass. He just...likes it.

Honestly, I just started forbidding it, and treated it as a behavior issue. If he started to eat grass, I would redirect him or tell him to leave it. He used to be super into it, but now he'll just munch a bit if he's bored or the grass is particularly fresh and amazing, but then he redirects and ignores it really well.
 

Brattina88

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#9
Yea. Maddie's part goat I think.

The funny thing is, if they're outside when I start to mow the grass. Both dogs will go out and eat like crazy before I get to their part and now it all down. It's like they know I'm taking their free salad away :rofl1:
 

SoCrafty

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#10
Addie was a grazer when I had her on grain free food. Since switching to the regular formulation of her food, she does not graze anymore. I don't know if there is a correlation.
 

pinkspore

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#11
Yep, mine are both grazers. Brisbane is a cowdog. They don't barf or poop grass though, and they generally only like it when it's fresh and amazing. It's a non-issue right now because of the drought, I haven't seen them graze in months.
 
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#12
Rip is a grazer...he also loves to pop the heads off of dandelions [which I'm told are good for them? Doesn't seem to hurt him at any rate]. Some times I tell him to leave it when it seems over excessive, but otherwise it doesn't seem to cause issues. He's vomited twice in the the time I've had him so not much at all.

My friend has a herd of 3 corgis that are really bad...will hook up for a doggy play date, and mine are both running and wrestling, while hers face down grazing like cows. You'd think they'd want to run, play and explore in a new area but nope, mooooo. lol
 

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