Does Your Dog Eat Grass? Do This To Stop It

Your friend, Mr. Amazing Dog Training Man, is NOT in a good mood this morning.

Last week I busted my cell phone. I was not mad about this. It was time for a new phone anyway so off to the T-Mobile store I go.

I schedule all of my appointments on Google Calendar. Somehow, someway, not all of my appointments were transferred to my new phone. I have no idea how this happened.

So please be gentle with me this week if I miss an appointment. I will do my best to make it up to you. I do between 30 to 35 appointments a week so this could get a little messy.

Anyway, I see a lot of dogs every week and I would say 80% of them eat grass. Many of them also eat sticks, rocks, dirt, and socks. The technical term for this is called PICA. The correct definition is: “an abnormal desire to eat substances not normally eaten.”

This can be behavioral but in many cases it is caused by a nutritional deficiency.

So I want to give you a useful tip.

Most dog owners think their dogs eat grass because they have upset stomachs, which could be true. But my research reveals it is often from the dog’s diet.

Most dogs are fed from a bag. There is one main goal dog food companies have when it comes to creating their products and that is shelf life. They must develop a food which will sit on a shelf for 6, 10, or 12 months without going rancid.

This requires cooking live elements out of the food. Enzymes, certain vitamins, and minerals will not exist at the high cooking temperatures required for the bag of food to last long on the shelf. Since this food is the main source of nutrition for your dog, there’s a good chance there will be deficiencies in your dog’s diet.

I am in no way a canine nutrition expert. I am also not knocking dog food companies. What I am sharing is the idea that your dog may need some supplements. One of the best supplements to help with eating grass and pica is a product called Barley Dog. You sprinkle some on your dog’s food and in a few weeks, no more grass eating.

I have recommended this for years and have seen many dogs do well on it.

I do NOT sell it. I am NOT an affiliate. I am just a nice guy looking out for you and your dog.

You can get Barley Dog on Amazon and most health food stores. I am pretty sure my friend Cathy carries it at Down To Earth Natural Foods in New Bedford if you live in the area.

Another useful tip from your friendly neighborhood dog trainer.

All the best,

Eric