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Does your dog eat grass? Not only do my dogs love to roll and run in it..they love to eat it as well. The good news is that it is not harmful. We get alarmed because I am sure you too have also experienced green accidents from both ends…but don’t worry! Dogs are natural scavengers and can even have a natural affinity for the taste of greens! Just as we are encouraged to eat our greens, grass can actually benefit our furry friends…it’s in fact very fibrous and in fact, may indicate that you dog is lacking fibre in his / her diet. They also may be simply like the smell.
If you prefer that dogs get their fibre another way..there is the option of buying fibre enriched foods but insead- why not just make more beans or broccoli and share a bit. The best way to implement veggies, is to do it slowly by adding increasing amounts to their regular food. They will eventually get used to the taste and consistency.
Even though pesticides are illegal in Quebec, they are still unfortunately used and very popular in other provinces. Luckily, with increased pressure, the # of provinces banning pesticide / herbicide use is increasing; we still have no choice but to be cautious. There is no doubt that if your pet ingests grass that has been chemically treated, there is a big risk of your pet getting sick!
One of my green friends, actually grew a herb garden in the basement of her house for her dog to nibble at…she basically said, “if the cat gets catnip..the dog will get herbs!” She grew Anise and rosemary. Anise is an herb that really does it for dogs ( like catnip for cats..well..sort of..maybe not that intense) and rosemary seems to also attract dogs. Because they tend to like strong scents, this may do the trick and hopefully, they will be drawn more to the herb garden scent as opposed to the grass…it may even end up being more pleasurable. Rosemary is often found as an ingredient in dog food so that may even increase the attraction and desire to nibble!
So don’t worry if your dog thinks the grass is greener on the other side-but also know that there are alternatives out there. I could get used to smelling a rosemary scented dog around the house!
