When I got my first puppy, the first thing I noticed when I would take him outside to go to the bathroom is that he would eat grass. He was fed plenty, but for some reason, he kept eating grass, so I decided to do some research.
Why does my puppy eat grass? Puppies sometimes eat grass to improve digestion or to get more fiber. However, it is also an instinctual behavior your puppy may have to get food.
Keep reading to read more details about each of these reasons explaining why your puppy is eating grass.
Table of Contents
Why Does My Puppy Eat Grass?
Improving Digestion
There are some indications that puppies will eat grass to improve their digestion. This isn’t known for sure, but there are reasons why it might be the case.
Many puppies will eat grass if they have diarrhea, and the grass might be helping them have firmer stools.
There are other times when a puppy might not be able to digest something he ate, so he will eat grass to induce vomiting.
No one knows if that’s completely true, but it is something to consider when seeing your dog eat grass. You should monitor your dog for vomit afterward to see if something came up.
Instincts
Some people believe that instincts play a large factor in why puppies sometimes eat grass.
A dog would never naturally eat kibble in the wild; it’s not a part of their natural diet, even if the ingredients in it are natural.
In the wild, studies show that a large portion of wolves eats grass, so there is an indication that dogs naturally eat grass if they can’t find other food.
This doesn’t mean that your dog isn’t eating enough food; he might just have the instinct to eat grass as well.
Fiber
Your puppy could be eating grass if his or her diet is deficient. Some puppies eat grass because they aren’t getting enough fiber in their diets.
Just like the fact that eating grass can help a dog’s upset stomach, the fiber in the grass can also help your dog have healthier bowel movements.
You must get your dog the amount of fiber he needs; if he is eating grass, you might try giving him treats filled with fiber and see if that helps his health improve.
Final Thoughts
When getting a puppy for the first time, it can be difficult to know if your dog is sick or if there’s something wrong.
When you see your puppy eating grass, you’ll probably think that something could be wrong, but it’s more likely that it’s just a natural thing that your puppy is doing.
Some dogs eat grass to improve their digestion, taking advantage of the rich fiber content within the grass.
Other dogs might be eating grass instinctually because it’s something that wild dogs do as well. Either way, it’s usually not anything to worry about!