Rain wrote 10/15/2001 06:42 PM Dirt eating #32253 - 10/15/2001 06:42 PM
Rain Webboard User Reg: 07-13-2001 Posts: 18 Loc: Michigan Offline	I have two dogs that like to eat dirt, why, I don't know. They aren't digging per se, but they will pull up the grass by the roots, eat that, and then continue to eat the dirt left in the bare spot, digging it up with their paws. These turn into holes big enough to trip in. They each do this seperately as they are kept apart. They aren't left outside alone for any extended period. I've filled the holes with feces, but they just move to the next chunk of grass. My male won't do it if I'm outside with him, but my female could care less. I've tried putting a long line on her to correct her, but the line just kept getting caught in everything. Has anyone ever heard of dogs wanting to eat dirt so much? They actually try to bring big clumps in the house with them! Any ideas? Thanks!
Top
Ed Frawley wrote 10/15/2001 09:52 PM Re: Dirt eating [Re: Rain ] #32254 - 10/15/2001 09:52 PM
Ed Frawley Administrator Reg: 07-11-2001 Posts: 2112 Loc: Offline	What do you feed your dogs? I have a friend whose dogs do this also. I will tell her to read your post and reply if she has any insight. Frawley@leerburg.com http://www.leerburg.com
Top
Rain wrote 10/15/2001 11:17 PM Re: Dirt eating [Re: Rain ] #32255 - 10/15/2001 11:17 PM
Rain Webboard User Reg: 07-13-2001 Posts: 18 Loc: Michigan Offline	Originally posted by Ed Frawley: I will tell her to read your post and reply if she has any insight. Thank you! That would be great. I feed my dogs Flint River Ranch. I had wondered if they were missing something in their diet, but I am not sure what. My older dog has done it on other brands, but I have only had the younger one on FRR. I know other dogs on this food that don't eat dirt, but who knows. It just strikes me as odd that both do it and they have never been out in the yard together.
Top
Cindy Easton Rhodes wrote 10/16/2001 05:30 PM Re: Dirt eating [Re: Rain ] #32256 - 10/16/2001 05:30 PM
Cindy Easton Rhodes Moderator Reg: 07-14-2001 Posts: 2069 Loc: Wisconsin Offline	Hi Rain--My dogs started to do this when I switched to Flint River food as well BUT now I am feeding a raw diet and it has started again. Like you said, they tear up chunks of grass and eat the dirt (and I guess some of the grass too) underneath. I thought maybe they were lacking veggies since I make my own raw food. I have a patch the size of a large pickup truck in my yard that they have demolished!! I will do some research and see if I can come up with any useful info for this and pass it on. You do the same, if you don't mind. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Cindy cindyr@leerburg.com
Top
Rain wrote 10/16/2001 11:07 PM Re: Dirt eating [Re: Rain ] #32257 - 10/16/2001 11:07 PM
Rain Webboard User Reg: 07-13-2001 Posts: 18 Loc: Michigan Offline	A patch the size of a pick-up truck?! Wow! I think I would have a breakdown. I have spent the entire spring, summer and now fall, filling in holes, reseeding, fencing of sections to get the grass back. I even put in a patio to stop some of the mud on the way into the house. I think I am fighting a losing battle. It has crossed my mind to pave the entire yard. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> It's interesting to hear that your dogs did the same thing on FRR. Perhaps the reason they started again is because it's a learned behavior? I don't know. I did start giving my older dog some digestive enzymes as I thought maybe as he was getting older he wasn't getting all the nutrients from the food. He slowed down for awhile and he is not as gung ho as he once was, but he still does it. I will definitely see what I can find on the web. The vets I have asked have been no help. Thanks!
Top
Patricia Moreno wrote 10/18/2001 06:00 PM Re: Dirt eating [Re: Rain ] #32258 - 10/18/2001 06:00 PM
Patricia Moreno Webboard User Reg: 08-12-2001 Posts: 26 Loc: Offline	I have the exact same problem. I have switched dog foods because of this but it doesn't seem to help. We feed a very good food which is called Pinnacle. It is comparable to California Natural. We also feed ground beef with this food along with vitamin e & c along with 3 V caps. I try to feed the very best we can & I don't understand why this is happening.
Top
Joy Tiz wrote 10/18/2001 07:05 PM Re: Dirt eating [Re: Rain ] #32259 - 10/18/2001 07:05 PM
Joy Tiz Webboard User Reg: 07-25-2001 Posts: 472 Loc: Offline	Pinnacle does look to be a good food. If my dogs were eating *that* much dirt, I'd have the vet do a complete blood panel to see if anything is brewing that I need to worry about. It wouldn't surprise me if one of the dogs copied it from the other. Are these working line dogs? I have noticed a greater tendancy to devlop obsessive/compulsive type behaviors in dogs w/a lot of working drive, ie spinning, rock eating, etc. What starts out as an experiment or a way to relieve boredom locks in to a kind of repetition compulsion. The 2 things I'd do would be the full blood profiles and block their access to the dirt, paving the entire yard may be extreme, but I'd probably only take them outside w/supervision to break that self reinforcement cycle. Joy Tiz, MS, JD Donner-Haus Shepherds http://www.donnerhaus.com
Top
John Fristrum wrote 10/20/2001 09:54 PM Re: Dirt eating [Re: Rain ] #32260 - 10/20/2001 09:54 PM
John Fristrum Webboard User Reg: 07-14-2001 Posts: 35 Loc: Offline	My dogs do the same thing. My lab usually starts it and my gsd follows-- usually in the same spot. I've noticed they seem to do it when the dirt is damp. My best answer is they do it for what's in the dirt, i.e. bugs, worms etc.
Top
Patricia Moreno wrote 10/21/2001 06:16 AM Re: Dirt eating [Re: Rain ] #32261 - 10/21/2001 06:16 AM
Patricia Moreno Webboard User Reg: 08-12-2001 Posts: 26 Loc: Offline	That point about the dirt being damp when they like to eat hits home. After a rain, this is when the dogs are at their worst. I am going to be vet next week & will speak to her about the blood panels. Patricia
Top
Lonny B. wrote 03/30/2002 10:38 AM Re: Dirt eating [Re: Rain ] #32262 - 03/30/2002 10:38 AM
Lonny B. Webboard User Reg: 07-17-2001 Posts: 704 Loc: Offline	Anybody ever come up with an answer for this problem? I am curious. Leute mögen Hunde, aber Leute LIEBEN ausgebildete Hunde!
Top

Previous Topic

Index

Next Topic

Page 1 of 3 123>>

When purchasing any product from Leerburg Enterprises, Inc. it is understood that any and all products sold by Leerburg Enterprises, Inc. are sold in Dunn County Wisconsin, USA. Any and all legal action taken against Leerburg Enterprises, Inc. concerning the purchase or use of these products must take place in Dunn County, Wisconsin. If customers do not agree with this policy they should not purchase Leerburg Ent. Inc. products.

Dog Training is never without risk of injury. Do not use any of the products sold by Leerburg Enterprises, Inc. without consulting a local professional. The training methods shown in the Leerburg Ent. Inc. DVD’s are meant to be used with a local instructor or trainer. Leerburg Enterprises, Inc. cannot be held responsible for accidents or injuries to humans and/or animals.

Copyright 2010 Leerburg® Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. All photos and content on leerburg.com are part of a registered copyright owned by Leerburg Enterprise, Inc. By accessing any information within Leerburg.com, you agree to abide by the Leerburg.com Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.