Why Do Poodles Eat Grass
If you’ve ever kept an eye on your Poodle when they’re out in the yard, there’s a high chance you’ve seen them munching on some grass. Some people may be shocked by this, but don’t be alarmed; the Poodle is perfectly normal in this regard.
Most dogs, not only Poodles, may occasionally nibble on a stray blade of grass. You shouldn’t panic if you notice your Poodle eating grass but instead look into the different reasons why this might be happening and get veterinary assistance to ensure your Poodle is healthy.
What is the Reason for Poodles Eating Grass?
The following section will outline a few of the causes behind your Poodle’s grassy diet. It is always beneficial to be aware of what is going on with your dog even before you take him to the veterinarian.
What Causes Poodles to Eat Grass?
Illnesses and Diseases
Due to the fact that they have no means of communicating what is wrong with them, many different illnesses might drive your pet to attempt to eat grass.
It is for this reason that seeking medical attention as soon as you discover your Poodle chewing grass outside is so critical.
No matter how perfect everything appears to be, like in the previous three reasons, it is just not worth it to put your pet’s health and safety at danger for any reason.
It will identify a few underlying difficulties that your Poodle may be experiencing and that are leading them to chew grass as a self-diagnosed remedy in order to alleviate the symptoms.
1. Stomach Discomfort
Having a troubled stomach and the urge to throw up is one of the ailments that might be making your Poodle want greenery.
This, however, is a rare occurrence, and the majority of the time, dogs that vomit after eating grass are doing so because they have eaten grass rather than because they had previously had stomach troubles.
However, despite all of this, it is a possibility that should not be dismissed when trying to figure out why your Poodle is ill and eating grass.
2. Infestation with Worms
Even though you may despise the thought of it, your dog might be suffering from worms in its stomach, and eating worms could be its natural method of attempting to push out and cleanse its digestive system of any undesirable organisms that may have become lodged in there.
3. Underlying Stomach Issues
Poodles are more prone to stomach problems than most other dog breeds, and a variety of stomach ailments might be affecting your pet in such a hazardous way that it will seek out grass to relieve itself.
Regardless of the reason for your Poodle’s grass consumption, you should take your pet to the veterinarian to ensure that these or any other concerns are not causing harm to your Poodle’s health.
2. Psychological Requirements
You might be perplexed as to why your dog keeps repeating the same poor behaviour despite your reprimands, but this really supports the idea that it will receive more contact from you if it continues to do so.
Finally, your Poodle may be chewing grass because it desires more attention, which is a perfectly reasonable explanation.
In the event that you’ve caught your Poodle eating grass in the past and disciplined him, he may do this as a means of getting you to do it again.
If your dog chews on grass as a stress reliever or as a method to pass the time while you aren’t spending time with it, this isn’t the only psychological explanation for this.
It’s important to remember what kind of Poodle you have and how it spends its time emotionally, because it could be consuming grass to simply soothe its mind and nerves.
If this is the case, you may want to spend more time with your Poodle during the times it would attempt to consume grass if this is the case.
3. Just for Pleasure & Fun
It should not be ignored that your Poodle may just like the process of chewing on the grass, despite the fact that it is a straightforward solution.
Your Poodle may be utilising the grass as a chew toy, much like the toys we purchase him, while he is enjoying the fresh air and sunshine.
So, if any of the other explanations don’t seem to apply to your pet, and you’ve checked with medical specialists who have found nothing amiss, it’s safe to assume that your Poodle likes the act of eating grass.
Consider playing with your Poodle whenever it goes outdoors if you want to prevent your Poodle from eating grass in the future and suspect that this is the cause.
Instead of using grass, you may purchase toys for your Poodle that will remain outside, providing them something to play with and chew on as an alternative to the grass.
Your Poodle may continue to eat grass regardless of whether or not there are any visible health problems, so don’t be too concerned if there aren’t any.
Despite all of this, you need still to keep an eye on your Poodle after it consumes grass because the reason for its consumption of grass is continually changing.
4. Dietary Supplements
Dogs, like people, require a diet that includes everything they require to be as healthy as possible.
This includes fibre. While wild dogs would typically obtain the fibre that they require by consuming the contents of a herbivore’s stomach while also consuming every other component of the herbivore’s diet, this is not viable for domesticated animals.
Instead, your Poodle will have to rely on whatever sources of nutrition are available to it in order to obtain these essential nutrients, and grass can be a feasible alternative for obtaining the fibre that they require.
Checking the ingredients of the food that you feed your Poodles might help you determine whether this is a probable cause of their behaviour is an excellent idea.
Lack of fibre in their regular meals will indicate a fibre shortage, which might indicate that they are eating the grass to supplement their own ability to digest fibre on a self-sufficient basis.
If you switch to a diet that has more fibre, it is possible that your Poodle may cease eating grass in the future, unless it has progressed to the first reason for eating grass often.
5. Digestion and absorption of Nutrients
It is possible for your Poodle to have difficulty passing its faeces if it does not have the proper contents in its stomach.
Even though it may seem strange to think about it, it is possible that eating grass might help your Poodle’s digestive body systems run more smoothly.
This is related to Reason 2 above, in that grass is a wonderful source of fibre, also known as roughage, which is necessary for the digestive tract to function correctly and move food through it.
This roughage will not digest fully, but will instead push through the body to clean out anything that has been left within, as well as to ease their bowel motions and flush out any hazardous compounds that have remained in their digestive system after eating it.
All of this is beneficial to your Poodle’s biological processes, and as with the Reasons above, you should do all in your power to include fibre in your pet’s diet for this reason.
6. Grass Has a Pleasant Taste
Many people believe that certain dogs especially Poodles just like the flavour and feel of grass. This is probably true.
Aside from fibre, there has been some suspicion that grazing on grass may offer traces of vitamins and minerals that are not sufficiently provided in commercial dog food.
A restricted diet is typical of the modern domestic dog’s diet, but its wild cousins continue to benefit from an abundant supply of food.
Poodles & Coyotes, for example, are known to consume vegetal debris found in the stomachs and intestines of prey animals as a source of nutrition.
As a matter of fact, many wild canines consume a variety of plants and animals in addition to the meat they hunt or scavenge.
This proclivity to consume plants manifests itself in the behaviour of your dog as well. Most likely, in addition to grass, your dog loves safe raw-plant treats from time to time.
These may be sliced bananas, green beans, strawberries, or even apple slices. You may also discover that your dog dislikes some raw fruits and vegetables, such as broccoli, but that he or she really appreciates them when they are cooked.
7. To Get Rid of Boredom
Some experts believe that dogs that are bored would chew grass merely because it will provide them with something to do.
This occurs rather frequently in dogs that do not receive enough exercise, particularly in young dogs and pups who have a lot of pent-up energy to expend before they mature.
Caution
If your dog grazes repeatedly for more than two days in a row and vomits every time, this is a signal that you should take your dog to the vet. A chronic upset tummy should be checked out as soon as possible to rule out intestinal parasites, like roundworms, or something more serious like parvovirus or kidney disease..
How to Stop Your Dog From Eating Grass
It’s okay if your dog eats the grass every now and again. If your dog eats grass because he’s bored or has a nutritional deficit, you may remedy the situation by making a few easy modifications to his diet and environment.
However, there are instances when you must stop this behaviour immediately for your dog’s safety, and there are times when it may be an indication that your dog is very ill..
If you have an indoor dog, let him graze on your houseplants to satisfy his natural instincts.
Depending on the plant type, this might be extremely hazardous or even deadly. Avoid growing any toxic plants indoors or outdoors to stay safe.
It’s best to keep plants that are poisonous to dogs out of reach of your pet if you can help it.
Alternatively, focus on your dog’s training so that he learns which plants and parts of your home and garden are off-limits.
Never let your dog consume chemically treated grass since it might become poisonous. Herbicides and pesticides may be used by your neighbour even if you don’t.
Water runoff or wind can carry toxic compounds into your yard, especially if they’re used on a windy day.
This also applies to public spaces like parks, where the grass has been chemically treated for aesthetic purposes.
Give your grass-craving dog something else to eat to satisfy its hunger.
You might, for example, give your dog a patch or a jar of nutritious wheatgrass to eat. Grass and herb-growing kits that are suitable for dogs may often be found in pet supply stores.
Don’t forget to give your dog plenty of playtimes each day. Boredom may be combated by engaging in physical and mental exercise. Suppressing boredom-related behaviours requires regular time spent playing and training with your dog.
If your dog’s grazing suddenly increases, it might be an indication that he’s unwell or nutritionally deficient.
Pay attention to your dog’s behaviour so you can bring it up with your veterinarian if the situation warrants it.
In order to ensure that your dog is getting a well-balanced diet that includes all the nutrients he needs, look at the ingredients in the food you feed him.
Changing your pup’s diet to one with more fibre or one that helps with digestion, in general, may help reduce the amount of grassy supplement your pet needs.
About the Author: Dog Behavioural Consultant
Jennifer W loves Pets! She is an animal lover. She loves caring for and sharing her knowledge of all kinds of pets.
Her Love for pets made her Join the pet paws hub Team, to share knowledge with the world.
Jennifer W – Dog Behavioural Consultant
References
- AVMA– Vet
- The Everything Poodle Book (2004) by J.Adams
- Poodle Clipping and Grooming: The International Reference (2001) by S. Kalstone