# Eating dirt



## Duke's Momma (Mar 1, 2007)

Why does he do this? We had some sprinkler work done in our yard and clods of dirt were left. I'm sure eventually they will work back into the soil, but only if Cole leaves them alone long enough to do that.

I swear it's a treat to him. What's up with that? When I was cleaning the pooh out of the yard last week I found some that were white and hard as dried mud because that's what they were!

What can I do to stop this?!? I'm a little concerned about it. I know they didn't come out of his body like that lol. It's nice and moist in there while the mud is there but still it can't be healthy. 

Is it because he's lacking in something in his food or what?!?


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

hmm...Ike only does this occasionally and usually when it's very rich soil, not clay soil. Someone told me that it's their way of getting something they're missing in their diet...minerals maybe?


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## animallover (Jul 18, 2010)

I don't have much experience as Hannah went to the bridge when she was two...but she dug holes, chewed on dirt, ate grass, chewed on rocks. I just tried to watch over her and I figured it was something most dogs do to a certain extent. I am interested to see if the theory "missing something in their diet " is correct.


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## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

I don't know, but I notice that Tess also enjoys mud...She can dig up complete grass and mud balls and chomp away...and look very put out when I wrestle them from her mouth!


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## Alfie's Girl (May 6, 2010)

My boy does it too! He munches away happily - I've practicly given up trying to wrench clods of dirt or compost from him jaws!!!!!!!


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## cubby (Jun 23, 2010)

Alfie's Girl said:


> My boy does it too! He munches away happily - I've practicly given up trying to wrench clods of dirt or compost from him jaws!!!!!!!


I've given up too. She'll eat just a little bit of dirt, so I'll let her do it. It's the wood chips and rocks I am more worried about. I pull those out of her mouth in a heartbeat. She put a cigarette but in her mount the other day too...yuck. They just love stuff in their mouth, I really think that's all it is.


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## kkudi (Jun 30, 2010)

Ah if only we could somehow tell them that their toys are good for chewing and that dirt and wood chips and grass is all full of parasites and can be bad for their tummies.


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## MittaBear (Mar 9, 2010)

I don't know what it is about grass and dirt. Chester doesn't just like the grass - he pulls up huge clumps of grass along with the dirt underneath it. Sometimes I wish we could just sit outside with him but when that's all he wants to do, we have to go back inside because we can't get him away from it. I don't get what's so good about grass and dirt. :yuck:


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## sdain31y (Jul 5, 2010)

Our newest Darby loves to eat dirt. You'll hear him crunch, crunch on a mouthful, if you aren't watching close enough. Jazz saw him do it and in certain areas in the yard, she'll munch down too. Strange! But, then again, she'll pull up grass by the roots, eat anything on the ground and graze on grass. Think they enjoy the texture, crunch, whatever. Sure ensures I keep the back picked up well!


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## cbrett (Dec 26, 2009)

Charlie is doing this too and it's driving us crazy. He isn't even an overly mouthy dog INDOORS..but get him outside, and he eats HUGE CLUMPS of grass, dirt, the sticking up roots of my tree...... It gets to the point that we can't be outside with him because it is such a pain that I'm in his mouth every few seconds fishing out something he wasn't supposed to eat. A friend told me to try not to let him eat grass as much as possible because they will throw it up if they eat too much, and it's like a giant turf ball when they do. 
Any suggestions on here as to how to STOP or discourage them from doing this so being outside with them isn't such a pain in the rear end????:doh:


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## sdain31y (Jul 5, 2010)

There was an earlier thread about them eating grass. Can't remember everything, but basically some dogs just like to graze and it doesn't make then throw up. Jazz ate grass at every rest stop when we drove cross-country and continues to do it regularly. She doesn't puke, but seems to enjoy the taste. Easy enough to let her do it. 

I haven't found a way to discourage the chewing/eating everything, except to keep everything I can picked up. Distraction with a toy, ball, etc seems to help some. The real irritation is Darby, our new puppy's desire to eat dirt. Ugh! That can't be good for him! Can't believe I'm wishing he'd eat grass! LOL!


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## sdain31y (Jul 5, 2010)

Besides that's what their purpose in our lives sometimes ........ find new, different, frustrating ways to be a pain in the butt!!! If you weren't the one being annoyed, most of the time you'd probably laugh if you didn't have to personally deal with it!


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