How to get your dog to stop eating grass

Whistle GO Explore. Image courtesy Whistle.
Whistle GO Explore. Image courtesy Whistle.

If your dog won’t stop eating grass, here are some ways you can stop it.

Even though grass isn’t the worst thing your dog can put in his mouth (you know what I mean), it’s certainly not pleasant. In fact, it can cause some serious health issues. Not so much because of the grass itself, but what could be in it, such as pesticides and fertilizers.

Do you have this problem with your pup or an older dog who has always been stubborn about it? Canine Journal recently shared a few tips on how to help our grass-eating dog put a stop to this bad habit.

Before we cut into how we can get our dogs to stop eating this, the source offers a reason for why this happens in the first place. The main reason is that it’s a natural instinct. Canine Journal takes us back to before dogs were domesticated.

They share that dogs used to eat anything they could to survive. Now, dogs no longer need to hunt or chew on grass, but they still have this scavenging instinct.

However, another reason suggests that, in a few cases, the problem could be anxiety. If you are worried, your best bet at getting to the bottom of it is having your dog checked by a veterinarian. Otherwise, read on for tips.

What vets recommend for grass-eating canines

The source recommends having treats in hand when you are out with your dog, to take their mind off of it since they will know you have something even better with you.

Teaching them a command (the source suggests “heel”) is also a helpful tip. Shout this out whenever you catch your dog wanting to dive in for some grass.

If this doesn’t help after a couple of weeks, ask their veterinarian for more help. How have you helped your dog break a bad habit?