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by GSD Justice on 10 July 2009 - 02:07
by 4pack on 10 July 2009 - 04:07
I have never seen Baden eat grass but he will vacuume up a whole yard of dried leaves. He really loves crunchy brown leaves and fall is his favorite season for sure. Been that way since he was a pup and I highly doubt he is missing anything in his diet. Our female eats grass quite often and rarely throws it back up. Faust will eat anything, he trimmed all the shrubs growing through his kennel. He's a pup, teething and just bored. Just like a toddler, everything goes in the mouth, even if it's not ingested.
My dogs eat the best kibbles on the planet, RAW and many oils, soy sprouts, digestive enzymes, microrganisms, tincture of black leaf and Ox-E-drops. They have no parasites and aren't lacking vitamins or minerals in their diet. Some dogs just like to graze.
by Two Moons on 10 July 2009 - 05:07
Acclamation may be one reason.
It may very well have a tonic effect, the grass at least.
Whatever the reason its harmless for the most part.
My dogs will at times eat soil, not really eat it but taste it.
Grass always, even the young ones.
Mine aren't that hot on leaves but they will eat a stick.
And they love bugs.
I never really thought it was worth too much effort to figure out the why.
There have been times I used suppliments and I never saw any difference from when I did not.
I feed well and they can have all the grass they want.
by AandA on 10 July 2009 - 09:07
We've owned two GSDs (at different times) in our present house so naturally we took them on the same walks and both would eat grass from the same place if not the same plant! The grass would be a lot coarser than the usual 'meadow' grass and the first hound used to reguritate it along with the usual foam and it must be said he didn't have a robust constitution.
The present hound eats a lot less but doesn't throw it back up and will pass it the other end. Sometimes with a long strand left hanging.... not a good look
AandA
by Red Sable on 10 July 2009 - 17:07
I'm not quite sure what you mean GSD justice, are you saying it is instinct? or they are lacking vitamins?
I know dogs will roll in dead animals to rid themselves of fleas. That is instinct. A dog will do that even if it doesn't have fleas. A God given protection. The same with eating leaves. It may very well be true the leaves wrap around intestinal parasites and gets rid of them. Therefore, eating leaves may be another instinctual habit dogs do, even if they don't have parasites.
With all the great dog foods out there, I find it hard to imagine it is a shortage of vitamins, unless it is vitamin C. I'm not sure that one is in dog food. JMO.
by snajper69 on 10 July 2009 - 19:07
your male and my female have something in common lol I don't have to use blower any more lol it pisses the heck out of me lol. She likes grass from time to time. I always assumed that it is because something is bothering her belly I actually don't pay attantion to grass eaters it happens so often. I know for a fact that dogs are quite capable of self medicating.
by jc.carroll on 13 July 2009 - 15:07
I think it has more to do with roughage, fiber for dogs I guess. Probably taste as well. I have a GSD with a fetish for fresh sugar-maple leaves; and only fresh sugar mayple.
As for the dry leaves, my cats -- obligate carnivores! -- love the things, and several of my dogs do as well. I think it just has to do with the crunchy texture; fun to eat or something. I don't know. I figure, as long as it's not making them sick, it seems little harm. I try to discourage it, but I've never had a pet suffer from it.
ps. Come to think of it, my cats would eat grass as well... then throw up all over the carpet. I was told it was to help them regurgitate hairballs. I could believe that for the cats at least; lots of cat hair in the grass-wads.
by windwalker18 on 13 July 2009 - 19:07
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