Lab eating grass

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sdsujacks
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Lab eating grass

Post by sdsujacks » Fri May 10, 2013 10:59 am

Now that the snow is finally off the ground and most training takes place on grass. My 13 month old lab will not stopping eat grass when we are out training. If he is doing something for me then he is fine but as soon as I turn my back he is eating grass. I don't recall this being a problem with him last summer. About 50% of the time after a retrieve he will now just drop the bumper on my feet and start grazing right away. Its gotten pretty annoying, I've tried E-Collar, Nose slaps, putting my fingers in his mouth and taking the grass out, squeezing the muzzle, etc. None of it works for more than a minute.

Is this a sign of anything? Or should I not worry other than it is annoying?

MonsterDad
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Re: Lab eating grass

Post by MonsterDad » Fri May 10, 2013 12:13 pm

My buddy's dog was like that and he put the dog on a grain free food, TOTW, I think and the dog stopped. Dog looks much better as well.

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Sharon
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Re: Lab eating grass

Post by Sharon » Fri May 10, 2013 2:58 pm

I'm very old and it has been experience that all dogs eat grass ( especially fresh young shoots), because they taste great and provide some moisture if the dog is thirsty. I'v enever found it to be something to be concerned about. - Of course being old doesn't necessarily make you right. :)

reba
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Re: Lab eating grass

Post by reba » Fri May 10, 2013 3:16 pm

I agree that from time to time dogs eat grass. My pup was eating so much this spring she was barfing it back up. Six weeks later she is still alive. Nothing to worry about.

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markj
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Re: Lab eating grass

Post by markj » Fri May 10, 2013 3:19 pm

Oh no, next thing they will be rolling on a dead carcuss :) is normal. Some say it is due to a upset tummy. Mine do it just cause.

KingLlew
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Re: Lab eating grass

Post by KingLlew » Sat May 11, 2013 12:46 am

Both my lab and Llew do it like cattle, especially if I let it get too high. Shows up on the back end sometimes, but doesn't seem to bother them.

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SHORTFAT
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Re: Lab eating grass

Post by SHORTFAT » Sat May 11, 2013 6:46 am

My Lab did it... My Pointer does it... just make sure you keep your pup wormed. No worries tho.

JIM K
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Re: Lab eating grass

Post by JIM K » Mon May 13, 2013 7:18 pm

most of time dog eats grass is do to UPSET STOMACH.if his no.2 come out runny,there you have it.
usually its infection in stomach from whatever .

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birddogger
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Re: Lab eating grass

Post by birddogger » Mon May 13, 2013 8:06 pm

I have a GSP that has always liked to eat grass and it is sometimes annoying but nothing to worry about. There is nothing to the upset stomach thing or any of the other old tales about dogs eating grass. Mine will eat just about anything he can get in his mouth.

Charlie

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Brazosvalleyvizslas
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Re: Lab eating grass

Post by Brazosvalleyvizslas » Mon May 13, 2013 8:31 pm

I dont think that a dog eating grass is the issue but rather that the dog would now eat grass instead of doing what it was bred and trained to do during training sessions. If the dog retrieved to hand reliably before but would now rather drop it at your feet half of the time so it could eat grass, leads me to believe there is an abnormal issue.

Using an e-collar or "slaps' along with other negative methods To fix this leads me to believe that this is a training flaw rather than just a dog wanting to eat grass.

With limited info, this is only my interpretation from someone who has some SERIOUS grass eaters.

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cmc274
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Lab eating grass

Post by cmc274 » Mon May 13, 2013 9:43 pm

This came up at a seminar I went to this weekend (hard to win a field trial if your dog stops to eat grass). Look into turnip greens or talk to your vet about an OTC acid reflux medication. This is 2nd hand info so not much I can offer.

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Fran Seagren
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Re: Lab eating grass

Post by Fran Seagren » Mon May 13, 2013 11:15 pm

Every dog I've ever had ate grass. For many years, I only heard one explanation - they eat it because they have something going on with their stomachs (upset, cleaning it out). But, it was obvious to many of us that our dogs didn't have anything wrong with their stomachs. They simply appeared to enjoy munching the grass. Never mind they can't digest it. Or that it sometimes gets caught in their throat and they gag around making horrible sounds until they get it out. And, like others have said, they barf it up later - usually at night - and some of us have stood on it in the morning. Or, they manage to get it all the way through and then it's coming out the other end - messy. So, last summer, I remembered to ask a vet that was running in one of our trials. His answer was, he believes it's for BOTH reasons. They sometimes eat it because of an upset stomach, and sometimes because they like the taste.

I'm pretty sure my dogs simply like the taste of grass. That's how they act when they're eating it. The only "upset" I ever see is from the results of them eating something their bodies can't digest!

Roccus
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Re: Lab eating grass

Post by Roccus » Tue May 14, 2013 10:06 am

Fran, the vet was absolutely right. They eat grass for both reasons. The upset stomach theory is definitely valid. My setter on occasion would refuse his food and demand to go outside where he would ravenously eat grass only to throw it up within an hour or so. The next day he would eat his food and pay no attention to the grass. Grain free diet seemed to solve the problem. Now he occasional eats a little grass because he likes it.

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birddogger
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Re: Lab eating grass

Post by birddogger » Tue May 14, 2013 10:23 am

A dog that habitually eats grass has nothing to do with stomach problems. It is just one of the many weird things that dogs do.

Charlie

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deke
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Re: Lab eating grass

Post by deke » Tue May 14, 2013 1:33 pm

My labs eat so much grass I have not had to bust out the weed eater at all this year. I might go get a couple more so i dont have to take out the lawn mower either.

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mountaindogs
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Re: Lab eating grass

Post by mountaindogs » Tue May 14, 2013 8:51 pm

Mine was doing the same thing and THE ISSUE IS TRAINING ATTENTION as mentioned. Here are my thoughts.
1) my dog is way worse when a little stressed. If I keep the lessons very upbeat and short it helps.
2) my dog is worse if he has eaten a meal recently. I feed after morning training and at crate time at night.
3) seems like its worse when the grass is a bit tall and when he is hot or thirsty
4) I have had the best luck trying to avoid the high temptation situations above when doing less exciting drills
5) I also tried correcting but have better luck with just putting him up the second he starts if I am training. If he is on his own time he can eat all he wants but when we train ... nope. I had to back off and do only easy half fun bumpers with correct returns and put him up if he started eating grass during any bumper work. He cleaned up pretty well after that but would still go straight to grass after training. Which is fine with me.

And lastly, I have found that alfalfa pellets help my birddogs with this a little. A little goes a LONG way. 2 - 4 pellets . Too much and your dogs stool is greens and lots of it!

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