Pica is a craving for unnatural, non-food items. Dogs do enjoy their grass and grass-eating is not always viewed as pica. However, if your dog eats grass excessively and as more than a passing snack, the habit may escalate into a pica. No one really knows why dogs eat grass – it is one of the mysteries of dogs.

That being said, it is unlikely that only one reason exists. Some dogs likely eat grass because they simply like the taste, others may do it to provide further bulk to their diet should they perceive this to be lacking, and still others likely eat grass to try and settle or clear an upset stomach.

If your pet is on a good quality diet, has regular stools, and isn’t showing other health concerns, grass-eating is unlikely to be a problem. You may want to try and curtail the behaviour to avoid it from becoming a problem by keeping your lawn cut short and free of grass clippings and leaves and providing your dog with an outdoor toy for its chewing behaviour. One concern is that some public parks, and perhaps your own lawn, have had a chemical spray to control for weeds. The obvious concern is the dog ingesting these chemicals and the cumulative effects over the weeks.

If you are at all in doubt, take your dog to your veterinarian for a thorough physical examination and a review of its current diet and dietary needs. Your veterinarian may suggest some behaviourial training to stop the grass eating behaviour. This DogReader space will have some training suggestions tomorrow.

Catherine Forsythe