Dogs Eating Grass: Myth, Mystery and Fact

There are lots of theories as to why dogs eat grass, one of which suggests that it dates back to their days in the wild. The theory being that dogs were carnivores who ate animals who ate grass and would thus have a genetic predisposition to like the flavor of grass. Another theory suggests that they may even be eating grass to make themselves vomit on purpose, for whatever reason they may need to. Some believe dogs eat grass to make up for some nutritional deficiency in their diet. Personally, I think they just like the taste and texture. I have a standard poodle that can't get enough it. She eats it every chance she can and as fast as she can. Anyway, these theories, including my own, are pretty much theories and surprisingly I've been unable to find any hard conclusions that have been scientifically proven to date. Once thing is certain however, and that is that blades of grass, which have microscopic barbs, can be irritating to a pet's stomach and throat. When my standard poodle goes out, I do what I can to limit her exposure to the culprit, I watch her and keep her from eating the grass she so desperately seems to want. Just the same, she always manages to get a little bit down. Last weekend, she became very sick to her stomach only to bring up a large, hard very compacted ball of grass about 1" x 1" x 3" in volume - about the size of a thick cigar doubled over. The vet said it had to be building up for a while and that there was no way something that size could pass through the stomach into the intestines. The moral of the story being ... that even with a careful eye and very short trips outside ... a dog can still wolf down enough grass to be harmful. It only takes a minute. If your one of those who believe in the nutritional deficiency theory, you might be interested in trying a food supplement that we've recently discovered. It's called Barley Dog and it contains fresh juice, barley grass powder, active enzymes, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. In other words, it's all the good things of "the grass" without the irritating barbs. It's also supposed to help promote energy and healthy coat growth. A Barley Cat is also available.