The last few days Quigley has been throwing up in the mornings... not fun to wake up to a glob of goo on the floor! There have actually been mornings when I have had to jump out of bed because I heard the tell-tale sounds of him getting ready to hurl and I wanted be sure to get him to any surface other than my carpet. I rarely make it out of bed in time, so I have pretty much given up on the idea of having spot free carpet.

So, I have noticed with this recent bout of barf has come grass as well. Over the years I have heard many reasons why dogs eat grass and I honestly believe it depends on the dog. Many say it's because they are sick, others say it's because they are lacking something in their diet, and yet others say it's simply because they like it. I agree with all of them.

Supposedly some dogs like to munch on grasses and other greenery on a regular basis and it doesn't upset their systems one bit. Experts say dogs are basically scavengers and will devour just about anything - whether they should or not - as long as it fulfills their basic dietary needs. That explains some other odd behaviors I have witnessed but won't get into now... I'll leave that up to your pet parent imagination. Our modern dogs aren't like their ancestors who ate their prey entirely, which often included the stomach contents of plant-eating animals. Modern dogs typically eat what's in their dish entirely, and then any other treats we dish out or others sneak to them.

Dogs who binge and barf are typically looking for a quick fix to an upset stomach. They will gobble up grass quickly, rather than relax and graze. The grass blades tickle the throat and stomach lining, which in turn usually cause fido to vomit.

Pausing to clean up barf... not kidding. Quigley just tossed some goo and grass up right in the office. Yuck!

Where was I? Oh, grass gobblers. Now the slow grass eater could be eating grass just to add a little roughage to their diet. Most experts agree there is no real danger associated with your dog eating grass. My primary concern is all the pesticides and chemicals we put on our grass at parks and other public places. For that reason I tend to stop grass eating when we are at the dog park. So, if you want to see if your dog is eating grass due to a dietary need, try feeding them some veggies. Pamela and Quigley LOVE carrots. For that matter, they also love apple and banana. I can't cut or bit into an apple without finding the two of them staring at me waiting for their piece. If the veggies don't work, then you need to put on your little Sherlock Holmes hat and start considering why they have an upset stomach to see if you can help them feel better in other ways.

Have a Pawsitively Tail Waggin' Good Day!

P.S. This information was provided by Ruff Haus Design - Your Loyal Marketing Companion. Established in 1997, we are a special breed of full service graphic design company that works with a premier pack of clients. We bring a fresh outlook and tail-wagging enthusiasm to your marketing program. Learn more about how we can help improve your brand management and support your marketing needs at www.ruffhaus.com