Caught your canine companion noshing on soil in the backyard? You’re probably wondering why dogs eat dirt. How could dirt ever be that appealing, let alone appetizing? You may be relieved to know that when dogs eat dirt, known as geophagia, it’s more common than you may have previously thought. While occasional dirt eating might seem harmless, understanding the underlying causes can help you ensure your dog’s health and well-being.
What’s The Science Behind Why Dogs Eat Dirt?
The instinct to eat dirt is deeply ingrained in your pet and originates from its wild ancestors. In nature, wild canines consume soil to obtain minerals missing from their regular diet. This dirt-eating behavior lives on in your domestic dog, but the reasons for it have evolved alongside its domestication. So before you get mad when dogs eat dirt, remember it’s an instinct inherited from their wild relatives.
What Are the Common Reasons Dogs Eat Dirt?
Nutritional Deficiencies
A nutritional imbalance is one of the many reasons dogs eat dirt. Dogs lacking essential minerals like iron, zinc, or calcium might instinctively seek these in the soil, essentially supplementing their regular diet. If your dog eats dirt when it’s never done so, it may be a sign that a potential nutritional issue needs investigating or supplementing.
Digestive Issues
An upset stomach or digestive problems can cause dogs to eat dirt; soil minerals can help neutralize stomach acids and ease intestinal discomfort. This is similar to how some ancient cultures used clay for medicinal purposes. While this behavior is not cause for concern in isolation, if your dog eats dirt regularly, it’s best to visit your vet to investigate a potential digestive problem.
Behavioral Factors
Boredom, anxiety, or stress can lead dogs to engage in unusual behaviors like dirt-eating in dogs. Dogs that don’t receive enough mental stimulation or physical exercise might eat dirt to keep themselves busy or get attention. Younger dogs and dogs left alone for long periods are most likely to turn to eating dirt.
Psychological Factors
Believe it or not, mental illness can affect canines, too. An eating disorder known as pica can cause dogs to eat dirt. The disorder causes animals and humans to eat non-food items like fabric, dirt, paper, and even poop compulsively. To be diagnosed with pica, a dog must swallow the items in question, not simply chew them, which makes this condition particularly dangerous as there’s a risk of bowel obstruction and even poisoning.
Medical Conditions
In some cases, dogs eating dirt can indicate more serious medical conditions, like anemia or thyroid problems. These conditions can create unusual food cravings, similar to how illness or pregnancy causes strange food cravings in humans.
When To Be Concerned About Your Dog Eating Dirt
While the occasional nibble of dirt is not necessarily cause for alarm, specific patterns should prompt a veterinary visit:
- Despite dietary changes, your dog eats dirt persistently
- If other symptoms like lethargy, weight loss, or changes in appetite accompany your dog’s dirt-eating
- Your dog appears to be visibly uncomfortable or distressed when eating their regular food
- Frequent gastrointestinal issues
How to Solve and Prevent Your Dog Eating Dirt
Diet Evaluation
Dogs eat dirt when something is missing from their diet. Work with your veterinarian to ensure your dog gets all the required nutrients from its diet. Most good-quality commercial dog foods are formulated to meet all your dog’s nutritional requirements, but depending on its needs, your dog may require additional supplementation.
Environmental Enrichment
It’s possible your dog is eating dirt because it’s stressed or bored. Plenty of exercise and mental stimulation can help prevent boredom-related dirt-eating. Interactive toys and puzzle feeders, training sessions, and regular play are crucial to tackling your dog’s dirt-eating and will also help strengthen the bond with your pet.
Medical Assessment
If you’ve tried changing up your dog’s diet and made environmental changes, but your dog’s dirt-eating persists, you may need to work with your vet to rule out an underlying medical condition.
How To Manage Your Dog’s Dirt Eating in the Long Term
Successfully managing your dog’s dirt-eating behavior often necessitates ongoing attention and lifestyle adjustments over a period of time. Monitor your dog’s behavior patterns, maintain regular check-ups, and stay observant of changes in their environment or routine that might trigger this behavior.
Remember that each dog is unique, and what works for one might not work for another. Dietary changes may stop some dogs from eating dirt, while others might require behavioral interventions. The key to kicking your dog’s dirt-eating is patience and consistency in discovering and addressing the underlying cause. Simply keeping your dog away from dirt is not a sustainable solution.
Final Thoughts on Dogs Eating Dirt
The first step in addressing your dog’s dirt-eating is understanding why it is doing it. Once you have this critical information, helping your dog develop healthier habits is much easier. Sometimes, you may need to address both physical and behavioral aspects of this very common problem to ensure your canine companion maintains good health while satisfying those instincts and urges appropriately.
