First and foremost, this unusual thing is referred to as pica. Pica means eating things that are considered as non-food items such as poop, pee, and in this case, dirt. Our dogs have always been weird when it comes to their personal choices of food since they take pleasure in eating feces, dirt, and a lot more things that are not edible for us.
Why does my dog eat dirt?
As I understand it, there are many reasons why do dogs eat dirt. It is important for us, dog owners, to know which among these reasons affect our dogs so that we may be ale to respond to it properly and if we are lucky enough, we can put an end to this bad habit of theirs.
1. Stage of exploration. Each one of our dogs go through a stage of exploration. Just like human babies, …show more content…
Also, you need to reinforce your dog’s behavior in a positive way because studies has it that positive reinforcements stick better to your puppies rather than punishments.
2. Cure of an upset stomach. Eating dirt may be a sign that your dog is experiencing an upset stomach. It was found out that clay can help with parasite problems as well as detoxification processes. It can also soothe your dog’s digestive problems too. If this is the case as to why your dog is eating dirt, will you still stop it?
3. Dirt are delicious. Okay, this reason may rather be absurd for humans, but dogs may really find eating dirt tasty. If you think that eating a hamburger clad with greasy meat and cheese is heaven, your dog’s definition of heaven can simply mean eating dirt wherever they can find it.
If you notice that your dog keeps on coming back at one particular area to eat dirt, their might be something in there that makes them go back to it more often than on other parts. If this is the case, you can check the area and see what’s in …show more content…
Behavioral problem. Behavioral problems occur on dogs too. Humans exhibit awkward mechanisms when coping up with stress and anxiety such as hair twirling or nail biting. Dogs also have their own ways to cope up with such conditions, and one of these is eating dirt. If your dog is experiencing stress or anxiety over some issues, it is important to know what these issues are. Solving the underlying problem will also solve your dog’s dirt-eating behavior.
One culprit is also obsessive-compulsive disorder. Just like humans, dogs can also suffer from OCD. A dog suffering from OCD may start eating dirt compulsively. In suspected OCD cases, it is best if you consult your veterinarian for this and ask help for the different treatments that you can do to correct the disorder.
6. Chronic health problems. As we said earlier, there are minerals and vitamins found on dirt that your dog needs. If you are feeding the right amount of food to your dog with its perfect nutrition, dirt-eating may be a result of a chronic health problem that makes your dog search for more vitamins and minerals. Any deficiency like hypothyroidism or inflammatory bowel disease will make your dog look for cure
Why does my dog eat dirt?
As I understand it, there are many reasons why do dogs eat dirt. It is important for us, dog owners, to know which among these reasons affect our dogs so that we may be ale to respond to it properly and if we are lucky enough, we can put an end to this bad habit of theirs.
1. Stage of exploration. Each one of our dogs go through a stage of exploration. Just like human babies, …show more content…
Also, you need to reinforce your dog’s behavior in a positive way because studies has it that positive reinforcements stick better to your puppies rather than punishments.
2. Cure of an upset stomach. Eating dirt may be a sign that your dog is experiencing an upset stomach. It was found out that clay can help with parasite problems as well as detoxification processes. It can also soothe your dog’s digestive problems too. If this is the case as to why your dog is eating dirt, will you still stop it?
3. Dirt are delicious. Okay, this reason may rather be absurd for humans, but dogs may really find eating dirt tasty. If you think that eating a hamburger clad with greasy meat and cheese is heaven, your dog’s definition of heaven can simply mean eating dirt wherever they can find it.
If you notice that your dog keeps on coming back at one particular area to eat dirt, their might be something in there that makes them go back to it more often than on other parts. If this is the case, you can check the area and see what’s in …show more content…
Behavioral problem. Behavioral problems occur on dogs too. Humans exhibit awkward mechanisms when coping up with stress and anxiety such as hair twirling or nail biting. Dogs also have their own ways to cope up with such conditions, and one of these is eating dirt. If your dog is experiencing stress or anxiety over some issues, it is important to know what these issues are. Solving the underlying problem will also solve your dog’s dirt-eating behavior.
One culprit is also obsessive-compulsive disorder. Just like humans, dogs can also suffer from OCD. A dog suffering from OCD may start eating dirt compulsively. In suspected OCD cases, it is best if you consult your veterinarian for this and ask help for the different treatments that you can do to correct the disorder.
6. Chronic health problems. As we said earlier, there are minerals and vitamins found on dirt that your dog needs. If you are feeding the right amount of food to your dog with its perfect nutrition, dirt-eating may be a result of a chronic health problem that makes your dog search for more vitamins and minerals. Any deficiency like hypothyroidism or inflammatory bowel disease will make your dog look for cure