This mystery has gone round the houses now for years now and there are many reasons why.

It is often suggested that a dog will eat grass in order to be sick, but this doesn’t really hold true. We must remember that a dog being sick isn’t as troubling for them as say a human. In a wild setting a mother canine will go hunting, gorge on her prey and regurgitate the remains to feed her pups. If a human was doing the same thing something would be seriously wrong. 

So does the dog really need the grass in-order to be sick? A study from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine found only 22% of dogs would throw up after eating grass. 

Could it be that dogs are using grass for medical purposes, are they feeling under the weather and searching for the remedy. 

We know that rats in certain areas have worked out that grass is the remedy for some of the more commonly used poisons because it contains vitamin K1. So is it so absurd to suggest that dogs have worked out something similar as well? 

Grass does contain vitamin K1. Could dogs be craving it to make up for the lack of K1 in their diet. This could very well be true if your dog isn’t getting enough vitamin K1 then it’s highly likely he or she will search for it themselves. 

So what about wild/feral dogs, do they eat grass? Yes, yes they do, albeit in small amounts but a study from the the University of Queensland, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences found small amounts vegetation in the stomach contents of 40% of the dingos they examined. On top of this the study from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine came to the conclusion that eating grass is natural for dogs. 

Of course if this is something that is worrying you and your dog is continually being sick then speak to your Vet. 

But provided it’s not too extreme, it’s fair to say your dog is just being a dog. 

Patrick East 

Co-Founder of RUDE Dog Food