Why Do Dogs Eat Dirt?

When a dog eats dirt or any other inappropriate item it is referred to as PICA. When a pet owner sees their dog eating dirt and sometimes grass along with it they are usually very concerned. However it may not really be a very large problem at all. 

One of my first concerns would be is your dog eating a quality dog food. Just because your dogs food is sold at the grocery store or the local feed store does not mean that it is a quality food. Quite often this problem can be cleared up by disposing of the low quality food you are feeding and moving to a much better quality food.

 

Many dogs actually eat dirt at different times in their lives and can be doing it for several different reasons. One of the most common reasons is boredom. Yes it could be that simple that your dog has decided to give it a try and see what dirt tastes like. 

Some dogs will actually develop a taste for dirt and enjoy eating dirt on different occasions. It really is not something that you should be concerned with if it only happens occasionally. However if it is on a regular basis I would take my dog to the vet to see if there is possibly a mineral deficiency that could be causing the problem. 

If your dog eats dirt and then throws up it could be a sign that it is trying to rid its stomach of something bad. In fact quite often dogs that eat grass and of course the dirt that goes with it are very often simply trying to relieve themselves of some type of gastric distress by eating the grass and then being able to throw up. 

If your veterinarian finds no real cause or deficiency in your dog and you are feeding a good quality food then the next step is to break the habit. 

If you feel that your dog is simply a dirt eater out of habit, boredom or for whatever reason, you need to help them break the habit. You can do this by limiting their time out side without you. In fact it would be ideal if you took your dog outside only on a leash so that you are able to control the habit and not allow it to happen. 

Just like with any addiction or habit you can help your dog overcome this type of pica by helping your dog kick the habit.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Do-Dogs-Eat-Dirt?&id=8518166