# Obsessive grass pulling anyone?



## luvgolds (May 20, 2009)

I'm curious if anyone's golden has done this, and if they've grown out of it or what you did to curtail the behavior.

Our Harley has a grass pulling obsession. It started immediately - we took him out of the car when we brought him hoe at 8 weeks and right away he started pulling grass. He's 11 weeks now. 

Basically anytime we take him outside, after about 5 minutes or so (after he's done his business and investigated) he starts to literally rip the grass out of the yard in mouthfulls. 1/2 of it he throws off to the side, the other 1/2 he tries to eat until his next ripping mouthful. Of course at first we thought it was so cute, but if we aren't careful we'll be left with no grass in the yard! In fact, if you turn away for even a minute he can easily have about 30 mouthfuls pulled in that short time! 

We'll tried a number of tactics. Pick him up and put him in a new spot, but that seems to be a bonus to him "wow, a new section to pull!". We've tried to give him a ball instead but he wants nothing of it. If we give him an outside toy or a stick to pull at he puts it on the grass then acts as if he's going to chew on that, but slyly starts pulling the grass around the toy or stick! I've tried to get him to start chasing after me, thinking it'll divert his attention but he runs a bit then immediately starts ripping. Even our cats don't divert his attention!

Anyone else have this? If so, what did you do? Suggestions for stopping it? We've decided the best bet at this point is to pick him up and take him inside. But I feel bad because he gets limited outdoor time because of it!


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## ELI&BAILEY'S MOM (Dec 18, 2008)

We had this problem with both Eli and Bailey. Unfortunately we had just put down sod. They would literally tear up the sod. They would get a good size piece and either try to eat it or they would run around the yard with it. One time Eli pulled up an entire piece ( 3 x 5 ). We had to try to divert their attention with something else. A squeaky toy, a treat, a ball etc. After a few days, they found their toys much more fun. Good luck!


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## LOVE GOLDENS (Feb 21, 2009)

I have the same exact problem. Exactly! When we brought her home at 8 weeks, the minute we took her into the backyard it started. We even joked that the breeder must not have had grass! But at 9 mths, she does it. I have no suggestion for you, but I will be curious if anyone does. 

It does make it really hard to play, because she has no interest in toys, frisbees anything if there is grass around!


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## KAW (Jun 11, 2009)

We HAD the same problem with Monty when we brought him home at 3.5 months. We had to resign ourselves to the fact that he could not be out in the yard unattended. The good news is that he is finally giving up on it, with the exception of a few excessive go rounds from time to time. As with most puppy issues, patience and time helps. In the meantime, just plan to being outside when the puppy is outside.


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## nixietink (Apr 3, 2008)

We have this issue too. Vito is 1.5 and it hasn't gotten any better.  We attempted to keep him on long lead and reel him in when it started...but he never did it on lead.

He does it mostly when he gets very wound up outside. Or if he wants you to chase him.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Shadow loves to pull the grass! He likes to beat up my Hosta's now and then, too. All I need is a ball to redirect his attention. I'm outside with them most of the time, so I can stop the behavior if I need to.


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## shortcake23 (Aug 15, 2008)

I don't have suggestions, but Mia pulls up the grass too, especially when she's excited. If we're playing Frisbee for example, she'll run to get the Frisbee and then drops it and start grabbing moutfuls of grass.... If we tell her no, it's just worse... 

When she's busy though and not excited she doesn't do it....


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## FranH (May 8, 2005)

My Holly, almost 7yrs old still pulls up grass. I try to redirect her attention and usually works.


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## Loboto-Me (Nov 13, 2008)

Sophie used to do it too.... now she eats it rather than pull.... we call her "Weed Whacker".


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## kira (Jan 13, 2009)

Murphy did this! We joked and nicknamed him our "goat" and our "cow". At 4.5 months he has pretty much grown out of it. We never left him unattended and corrected him whenever he did it, but I think for him it was just a phase. He still does it occasionally but not obsessively like he did at first.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I'd try another tactic instead of just trying to break the habit directly. Pulling up grass satisfies the urge to mouth and tear, so I'd get lots of toys that fulfilled the same urge (like a rope toy). I'd also give the dog a job while he's outside, like fetching, scent work, obedience practice, etc. so he can express his desire to work and be active without being destructive.

For Goldens, a simple game of fetch often fulfills the urge to work, mouth, and run around.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

I agree! That's why we always have at least 3 tennis balls handy. Shadow loves to play fetch. Tucker likes to see what trouble he can get into (always looking for something to eat), then he will play.


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## luvgolds (May 20, 2009)

Once again (as with all of my posts thus far ) our Harley is in the "normal" range. I'm glad to hear this isn't just a strange obsession of his. Some mentioned about having something to divert his attention outside. So far we just haven't found that something, but I'm going to keep trying. He's so not into tennis balls or other kinds of ball yet, and we've tried bringing the toys he loves inside to the outside, but he could care less about them when he's outside! 

So I guess he's either going to outgrow it (like some puppies did) or we'll end up with a fairly sparse yard.  But in the meantime, yes, it's full-time supervision when we are outside with him!


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## kercolano (Jul 20, 2009)

Hazel is a serial grazer, too. She burrows her nose deep in the grass and roots around and yanks out clumps, eating most of it. We bring her back in the house if she doesn't stop, especially if there are mushrooms sprouting in the yard. Distracting her with a stick sometimes helps...


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Just in case*

Check just in case that where he's ripping out grass there isn't a Rabbit nest.

My Smooch was digging out grass with her paws and I ran over and saw this frightened, bald, little bunny trying to get out of the hole and he fell back in.

I had to take Smooch and Snobear out on leashes for 5 wks. to keep them both away from the Mom Rabbits nest, so the babies would be ok.


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## Shannon_2009 (Aug 17, 2009)

Hi our puppy is nearly 18wks and as soon as he goes into the garden he constantly eats grass/mud!

He has done this since we brought him home at 8wks.

Shannon


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