subject: Why Does Fido Eat Leaves [print this page] Dogs are great eaters and these animals consider mealtime as one of the most important moments in their life. Dogs that are left alone all day would be ecstatic to see the master at the end of the day because it would mean that mealtime is near. The daily activities of dogs in the wild are devoted to finding a meal. As food is scarce, these dogs would have to consume every bit of the prey as it is not known when the next meal would be. Dogs are mainly carnivorous but these adaptable animals can eat anything when prey is not available. Roots, fruits, berries and leaves become the dog's diet when no prey is found.
Modern day dogs do not have to hunt to survive. Dogs never go hungry as they are regularly provided with nutritious food by their owners. The habit of dogs to eat non-food items has continuously puzzled owners. Dogs have the inclination to gnaw and eat wood, stones and to eat poop. A pet owner should be thankful that the dog has developed an addiction to leaves and not to poops.
It is believed that dogs eat leaves to correct a dietary imbalance. Dogs are noted to have a high level of intelligence, these animals also have the ability to know if something is amiss with their system. A dog's habit of eating leaves is attributed to the need to fill up a nutrient deficiency that would result if an owner provides the dog with cheaper but low quality food.
Because of a big appetite, dogs would eat almost anything. Dogs are noted to have a curious personality. Dogs would investigate things with their mouth thus they get to swallow foreign and non-food items. Apart from this, dogs also have the inclination to eat spoiled food. Would it be any wonder if these animals constantly suffer from an upset stomach? Nature is truly amazing as it has given these animals the capability to deal with a recurring health concern. Dogs only have to eat leaves to induce the expulsion of foreign and toxic substances from the stomach. The leaves eating habit can be a way to gain attention. As the habit is unwanted, the dog will be reprimanded. For a dog, reprimands would be better than no attention at all.
The habit to eat leaves is not really dangerous as long as what was eaten are not poisonous. To keep the pet safe, the owner has to find ways to curb the dog's inclination to eat leaves.
