If your Rottweiler has been eating grass a lot, you might be wondering why and what you can do about it. This post will show you a number of possible causes and what you can do to get it to stop.
So, why does my Rottweiler eat grass?
Eating grass is common amongst all dog breeds and isn’t something to be concerned with by itself. Possible causes include boredom, forcing itself to be sick to relieve an upset stomach, to improve digestion, being an inherited trait and liking the taste of grass.
And, how can I stop my Rottweiler from eating grass?
The only way to completely stop it would be to not allow it to have access to grass but this isn’t advised.
Instead, you can reduce its interest in eating grass by feeding it more fiber (most dog foods have enough), giving it lots of exercise, giving it other things to chew on and training it to come to you when you call it.
There are many different possible reasons why your Rottweiler eats grass and it could be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are a number of things you can do to get it to stop.
Why your Rottweiler eats grass
Below are a number of possible reasons why your Rottweiler does it and what would make them more likely to be the main reason.
Boredom
Rottweilers are supposed to get exercise on a daily basis. When they do not get enough exercise, they will often look for other ways to stimulate themselves and it could be a part of the reason why yours eats grass.
This would be more likely if yours tends to do it more when it has not gotten much exercise. Generally, it is recommended for them to get at least an hour of exercise per day as healthy adults.
Nutrition
Some people think that the cause could be to improve digestion due to the high fiber content in grass or to fulfill some other nutritional deficiency.
It likes how it tastes
The cause might be that it likes the way grass tastes. It could be that it wants to chew on something and grass is readily available to it and it’s not poisonous so it chooses to chew on that.
To make itself throw up
Dogs will often throw up soon after eating grass. This has caused some people to think that dogs eat grass due to having a stomach upset that they want to alleviate by throwing up.
However, some people disagree with this saying that dogs aren’t smart enough to do that and that most dogs don’t actually throw up when they eat grass.
It’s an inherited trait
One possible cause is that grass was something that was readily available to dogs before they were domesticated by humans so they would get some of their nutrition by eating grass and this is an inherited trait that present-day dogs have.
How To Reduce How Much Your Rottweiler Eats Grass
Below are some options you have when getting your Rottweiler to eat grass less.
Exercise
If your Rottweiler is healthy, it would help to make sure that it is able to get the daily amount of recommended exercise. Generally, it is recommended for them to get an hour or more of exercise per day when they are healthy adults.
A Diet high in fiber
Since some people think that dogs eat grass to get more fiber you could try giving it foods that are higher in fiber.
Most dog foods will have a decent amount of fiber but you can see what other fiber foods you can feed your Rottweiler here. It would also help to check with your vet, when you take it for a checkup next, that it is getting the right diet.
Give it other things to chew on
It would also likely help to try giving it other things to chew on so that it is less likely to eat grass. Other things would include toys, chews and bones.
Train it to come to you
It would also help to train it to come to you when you call it. By doing so, it will help you to prevent it from eating grass and to get it to stop when you catch it doing it.
Visit the vet
If it has been eating grass excessively or it has been showing signs of being ill, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so, you should be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular Rottweiler and to rule out medical causes.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider about your Rottweiler eating grass.
Risks of eating grass
Grass is not usually harmful to dogs but, it can by if it contains pesticides. Be sure that your Rottweiler doesn’t have access to any grass that has been sprayed with pesticides or poisonous plants.
What else happened when it first started doing it
If your Rottweiler has not always eaten grass, it would also help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it since it could be the case that there was an event that caused it to start.
If it started doing it suddenly, it would be more likely to be due to things such as illness, a change in its diet or smelling food there.
If there is a certain time that it tends to do it more
It would also help to consider if there is a certain time that it tends to eat grass. If there is, it could be the case that the timing has something to do with it.
For example, if it does it more when it has not eaten, it might be a sign it needs to be fed sooner.
It’s not unusual
Eating grass is something that has been observed by owners of all dog breeds and is seen in non-domesticated dogs. So, just because your Rottweiler eats grass sometimes doesn’t mean that something is terribly wrong with it.