Why does my dog eat grass? What we know and some foods your dog should avoid

Spring is in full swing, and summer is following right behind.

It’s time to go outside and play with your puppy.

But, as your grass gets greener and the dog plays more, you might see him or her eating grass like a Jersey cow.

Why do dogs eat grass?

Some people say dogs eat grass when they are nauseous to throw up. Others say it’s because the dogs are hungry or bored.

According to PetMD.com, we don’t know, but scientists have a few theories.

Dogs’ instinctive behavior: The dogs’ wolf ancestors ate grass and animals such as wolves, jackals, foxes and coyotes – all from the Canidae family – eat grass. It could just be the way of the dog.
Supplementing a missing nutrient: A study involved a dog with a seven-year history of eating grass and then vomiting. After being put on a high-fiber diet, the situation resolved itself. Generally, dogs don’t digest grass; it just passes through their system.
Your dog is hungry: Simple enough. If you take a dog out before dinner, they may see the grass as an appetizer or something to tide them over before supper.
Puppies are curious: You know how sometimes children eat dirt. Well, puppies sometimes eat grass and, in some cases, the pups like the taste of grass.

Yes, dogs can eat grass, but they probably shouldn’t.

While the grass doesn’t pose any problems to the dog, what could be on the grass can cause problems.

Pesticides, fertilizer or fecal matter could be on the grass your dog walks on or eats. All three could be detrimental to your dog’s health.

PetMD.com has a few suggestions to help:

A place for dogs to play: A new Wawa is approved and a dog park is proposed in Newark

Here’s a list of foods your dog shouldn’t eat from the American Kennel Club and Chewy.com:

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Why does my dog eat grass?Foods your dog should not eat

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