...to tell my dog he's a stupid bl**dy animal???

[badbride]

So, my mostly adorable little terrier has started eating random stuff while out on walks. First of all it was sticks, FGS. He'd have a good old nosh on them, then come home and yak up all the bits. On the stair carpet rather than the kitchen floor tiles, of course.

Trying to distract Dog with treats simply led to Dog learning to keep grabbing sticks and looking at me in a most insolent manner until I gave him more treats. Eventually solved the problem by running dementedly at Dog, bellowing "No!", sending him scuttling away from sticks (and me scaring small children).

Dog has now decided to eat grass. Dog is now serving up undigested foliage in a bile sauce where you are most likely to accidentally stand in it barefoot. Have tried offering dog water on his walks in case his grass-eating is caused by thirst. Dog doesn't want to know.

Came downstairs this morning to find Dog wearing his sad face because he had a 4-inch blade of grass poking out of his bumhole, which I then had to extract. Told Dog that he is a stupid bl**dy animal. DH says AIBU. Am I?

And if anyone has any ideas as to how to stop the idiotic beast from gobbling grass, I'd be very grateful.

[aldiwhore]

I'm no expert but my dead dog used to eat grass to self-medicate when he was a bit bunged up.

He used to eat sick and other dogs' pooh because he was vile.

Sorry not much help.

[aldiwhore]

I should add my dead dog was alive when he ate grass, and died from old age!

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

Dogs eat grass I am not a fan of the grassy bumhole, though, so my sympathies.

[KittensoftPuppydog]

Distract with a ball?

[Readyisknitting]

YANBU. both my 2 eat grass. Not had any grassy bumholes though. Custard dog likes eating sheep pop too.

Dogs have gross habits

[SirBoobAlot]

at grassy bumhole.

Well... Dogs eat grass when they need to. If you think about it, it's not the easiest thing for them to eat. So it might be a pain the arse, but he's doing it for a reason.

[squeakytoy]

most dogs eat grass when they have an upset stomach..

[squeakytoy]

mine just seems to eat it because he likes the taste though...

and my MIL has a cocker spaniel that eats pea pods that she buys in bags especially for him..

[badbride]

Thanks for the quick replies! He seems to be a pretty, erm, regular, but I'll keep an eye on him in case he is bunged up. I had to feed him Weetabix and oil once, when he thought it would be fun to eat the rubber bands the postie dropped on the pavement. (On vet's rec--was to bulk out his gut contents). Poor little devil was pooping for England after that.

It's not the grass-eating that's the problem, but the consequences. Plus I'm a bit worried that it's a brand-new habit.

The ball is a good idea--will try. But he does it on woodland walks where there are even better things to distract him, such as squirrels.

[badbride]

The grassy bumhole is not the worst he's done, SirBoob. He once ate the coating of a tennis ball, which required some delicate excavation when it reappeared at the other end

[Ladame]

Mine ate my expensive birthday lipgloss yesterday out of my bag. Bits of sick with plastic tube in, coral slimy poo, but I must admit, he did look very pretty for a while as it stuck to his rubbery lips. He's a terrier too. (Hmmm, there's a thought .... make-up for dogs, might be a new business venture)

[ExitPursuedByABear]

Yep. Done all of that. Toes in the grassy sick, and I had to extract grass from Bastardogs arse.

Minger

[francesdrake]

My dog likes eating grass as a sort of salad bar addition to her main food, but she also eats it when she's got an upset stomach, to make herself sick. I agree that eating grass and sticks does sound a bit like your dog might be self-medicating for some sort of digestive reason? Could he be trying to bring up something he's eaten a while back that's got stuck? But it could equally be he just likes chomping away. I'd maybe mention it to your vet, to be on the safe side.

[MrsMook]

My dog once proved that 16 KitKats and their wrappers can sucessfully move through the digestive system. On finding silver poo, I did wince at the thought of that exiting.

[plinkyplonks]

My dog only does it when she needs to be sick/has an upset stomach. Have you changed dog food lately? If this was my dog, I'd get her wormed - keep her on dry food with plenty of water and if it was still ongoing after that take her to the vet to make sure she was OK.

[mistlethrush]

We had 2 collie crosses that used to eat grass to make themselves sick. However, our last dog used to eat grass like a cow, and not to make herself sick. She would just graze as she walked along - and yes, the consequences the other end are not fun.

[badbride]

Thanks for the continuing responses. There is no obvious trigger for the behaviour: no food change, no change in bowel habits (bar the grassy bumhole!), Dog is alert and energetic, no obvious signs of worms (he is wormed regularly, but will worm again in case).

As folk have suggested, I think a trip to the vet may be a good idea. Dog is a bit of a chewer though, so hopefully he's just doing it for fun.

[badbride]

Good advice, plinky. Unfortunately, Dog is a primadonna when it comes to food and won't eat dry stuff unless it put it in one of his interactive toys (dog pyramid).

He will deign to eat home-made chicken and rice though. Will also steal wine from your glass if you're not careful!

[theodorakisses]

Had to pull a small sock out of MN Worral's bum the other day, he screamed the house down.

[ExitPursuedByABear]

[badbride]

Oh dear, theodora, hope dog is OK (you did mean a dog, right??)

Some of you guys deserve a medal for your dogbum foreign object midwifery

[ZebraOwl]

Def worth a wee chat with the vet just to be sure I'd think OP.

MrsMook
My friend's grandmother's dog once demolished a whole box of Ferrero Rocher. And then covered the front lawn with the resultant sparkly poo. Bleurghk.

[Manda472]

Our bulldog must have been eating something stringy at one point because i had to pull a long piece of string out of his butt hole......it was like the scene out of poltergeist, I had no idea what was going to pop through

[theodorakisses]

Yes, Worral Mn Pitbull is a foster named by MN who at 10 weeks was thrown from a car window in Qatar with his ears and tail hacked off. He eats anything and everything (including old boy's tail) but I suppose you would after that start