Why Do Dogs Eat Grass? by Laura French
When passersby on the walking trail see my Sofie eating grass, they often make a comment like, “She must be sick to her stomach,” or “It must be about to rain.” I smile noncommittally at the comments. Sofie doesn’t throw up after she eats grass — although occasionally she has to make a “gack-gack” noise a couple of times when a blade gets stuck partway down. Nor have I seen any correspondence between her grass-eating habits and the weather. (Although she does show great eagerness to comp away on the first green shoots she finds every spring.)

My sister, who is a veterinarian, emailed this response to inquiry as to why dogs eat grass: “One of the most frequently mentioned pieces of information relayed in exam rooms is ‘He ate grass.’ Clients always mention this when they are talking about their vomiting dogs. I never know what to with the information and have no idea why they eat it.”

“No idea why” seems to be the consensus, although there is no end of speculation. Some writers claim that the flavor reminds dogs of the good old days when they hunted and feasted on grass-grazing animals. Others say they actually taste the scent that other animals have left behind. Some writers theorize that dogs swallow the grass in big chunks when they want to throw up and chew more carefully when they’re just enjoying an herbal snack.

Many Websites note that dogs are omnivores who eat everything from green beans to blueberries. (My sister once recommended carrot sticks as a crunchy treat for my overweight golden retriever). Dr. Robert Orzeck concludes that dogs eat grass for the same reason humans eat pepperoni pizza — they like the way it tastes.

Laura French is a freelance writer who lives in Roseville with three cats — Gracie, Tennessee Tuxedo and his pal Chumley, and Sofie, whose breed(s) will forever remain a mystery.