# Eating grass???



## prelimax (Nov 14, 2010)

Hello all! As most of you know, we have our first lil pup, a mini dachshund who is now 10 weeks old. He is finally completely transitioned to Orijen Puppy but have noticed that he has been eating grass a lot when he's going out. Is he missing something? He also seemed to be constipated. I gave him a few green beans today with lunch to see if it helped, so will post more as I discover. Any sugguestions are greatly appreciated.


----------



## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

He seems to be looking for more fiber in his diet, the green beans should help some, also if he is truly constipated then too much "real pumpkin" should help move things along. Make sure it is not the canned pumpkin that has the extra ingredients for pies, you want just plain pumpkin. Good Luck.


----------



## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Plenty of dogs eat grass. I don't really think it means anything. My three graze like little cows no matter what they eat.


----------



## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

3Musketeers said:


> Plenty of dogs eat grass. I don't really think it means anything. My three graze like little cows no matter what they eat.



My dog grazes as well. When were out hiking, he's always looking for top graze ahahahaha He might just be getting hungry from hiking, but he definitely enjoys it. You just switched to orijen, so it might take a little longer for him to adjust to the new food.


----------



## coolstorybro (Nov 3, 2010)

my pup goes crazy for leaves. and those white fluffy dandelions. is that alright? i getting tired of sticking my hands in his mouth to take them out everytime we go outside


----------



## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

coolstorybro said:


> my pup goes crazy for leaves. and those white fluffy dandelions. is that alright? i getting tired of sticking my hands in his mouth to take them out everytime we go outside


My sisters lab eats everything in sight. It's a pain in the butt. You have to constantly watch him. Grass is ok, but I'm not sure about the other stuff. It's also ok if they break up sticks, but not eat them.


----------



## Katie Chumlee and Shorty (Oct 22, 2010)

My bully would lick the grass when I first got him but he wouldn't eat it. He is 10 months old now and eats raw and doesn't eat grass or foreign objects anymore, thankfully!! 6 xrays on file already :frown: all from eating landscaping!


----------



## prelimax (Nov 14, 2010)

Thanks everyone! After today, a few green beans did the trick for constipation and it seemed he ate less grass. Do you think its the high protein and no grain in the Orijen causing all of these issues?


----------



## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

You could try acana on your next bag and see if that resolves your dogs problem. Acana contains more fiber and less meat. Your dog might do better on it and that would make it the best choice for kibble.


----------



## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

Jackson eats grass no matter what he eats, lol. I think he just likes it.

He WILL eat it before he throws up too, if he's going to get sick. He will be like SUPER fast grass eater so I do think it coats his stomach. But 99% of the time he just eats it just to eat it.


----------



## Gia (May 29, 2009)

yup, I've got a couple of cows here, too. They can be picky about the grass they eat, but if they find a patch that suits their taste buds, they graze like a couple of cows!


----------



## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

My dogs are ~~GOATS~ ~CATTLE~~ they love to graze on the green!!!!!!!!!!:biggrin:


----------



## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

Uno always grazes, but definitely more times when he has an upset stomach. How much Orijen are you feeding? make sure youre not overfeeding your pup since its very rich.


----------



## prelimax (Nov 14, 2010)

cast71 said:


> You could try acana on your next bag and see if that resolves your dogs problem.


I would prefer he eat Acana, but for some reason our pet store (where I buy Orijen) does not carry it. What about mixing a teaspoon of can Merrick? Would that help ease the richness of Orijen?


----------



## prelimax (Nov 14, 2010)

Unosmom said:


> How much Orijen are you feeding? make sure youre not overfeeding your pup since its very rich.


We offer him 3/4 cup throughout the day. 1/4 cup in the morning, at lunch and for dinner. Max doesn't finish it all so he is probably getting between 1/2 cup to 3/4. As I asked above...would it help to add a teaspoon of canned Merrick (Puppy Plate, Turducken, etc)? Would that ease the richness of the Orijen. I really like the Orijen food, I just want to do what's best for our Max.


----------



## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

I noticed my dog eating grass a lot more when he was on a food that he hated and did poorly on, Nature's Variety (both Instinct and Prairie). Once I switched to California Natural, the grass-eating diminished almost entirely. Not sure if there's a connection.

I'm not an expert, but maybe 3/4 cup per day of Orijen is a lot for a dog the size of your right foot -- especially if he's leaving some in the bowl. I feed my dog exactly twice the amount of you feed yours, and my dog is just over 60 pounds. He too was leaving food in his bowl when I had him on NV. Maybe your dog is trying to tell you something. Just a thought.


----------



## SerenityFL (Sep 28, 2010)

My bigger dog, the boy, doesn't eat much grass. Every once in awhile he'll pluck at some grass or a plant.

The girl, Sakari, the evil princess, likes to eat plants, (weeds), and grass every time we go out. However, I think it's more of her saying, "I don't want to go to the bathroom, I don't want to listen to you. I'll pretend I don't hear you by eating these plants, instead." >Chomp!< 

Thankfully, the plants with toxic berries are up in trees and she can't reach them. 

I think it's just what some dogs do.


----------



## Guest (Nov 29, 2010)

All 3 of my dogs enjoy grass-eating. However when I offer them "Pet Greens Treats: Powered With Green Nutrition" it helps to curb grass-eating by providing them with the natural benefits of wheat grass (probably what they are seeking). These treats are a safe alternative to outside grasses. 

Bell Rock Growers :: Powered with Green Nutrition™

Give it a try.


----------



## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Also as for the 3/4 cups a day, it might be a bit too much depending on the expected weight of your puppy. I think the "guidelines" say around 1/2 cup for a 10lb dog, and sometimes what they say is a little too much.
If he's a mini dachshund he shouldn't weigh too much fully grown.
I guess you could add some of the canned Merrick and feed a bit less kibble, see how that goes. Probably won't stop the grass eating though


----------



## prelimax (Nov 14, 2010)

Thank you all for such good advice. I will begin tomorrow by cutting his offered food down to 1/2 cup per day. This is such a great support system for us new pet owners. I really don't know what I would do without your help!!! Thanks a million times!


----------



## cast71 (Sep 16, 2010)

prelimax said:


> I would prefer he eat Acana, but for some reason our pet store (where I buy Orijen) does not carry it. What about mixing a teaspoon of can Merrick? Would that help ease the richness of Orijen?


You probably can have them order it for you if they carry orijen. You could also buy it online. Try adding some canned merrick and feeding less orijen. That would definitely cut down on the protein levels and add more moisture. You have to experiment a little:wink: Here are some online stores. See which one has the best shipping price.


ACANA Dog Food and other pet products on sale at DoggieFood.com


https://www.pethealthandnutritionce...al-dog-products/dog-food/dry-kibble-dog-food/

Acana Pet Food Dry Dog Food Dog | PetFoodDirect.com

Hearty Pet - Acana Dog Food


----------

