Why does the dog eat soil?
When dogs start eating soil regularly or all of a sudden, many dog owners wonder what the reason could be. There is no single answer to this, it all depends Individual case to.
But I can reassure you in one aspect: There is nothing serious wrong with most “earth eaters.” However, if you know the causes, you can draw many conclusions about the four-legged friend's smaller problems.
curiosity
Particularly Puppies and young dogs love to eat soil. This has less to do with physical needs and more to do with Curiosity.
Like human children, little four-legged friends also like to try out new things: Earth often has a surprisingly attractive smell for the animals and they like to put it in their mouths. This is not a behavioral disorder, but actually a completely healthy desire for knowledge.
In many cases this behavior decreases with age, If the dog knows every corner of his walk route, the need to take a closer look at the taste of the ground disappears.
Boredom, stress & neuroses
You should be a little more worried if psychological causes are responsible for the behavior: Many dogs – also increasingly at a young age – begin to ingest soil when they boring is. They then try to keep themselves busy by eating; in the absence of food sources, they resort to soil.
Four-legged friends often behave in a very similar way when they are under stress or neuroses, e.g. caused by psychological trauma, suffering. Then eating the earth is a kind of skipping action that supposedly suppresses other problems.
These causes are commonly considered behavioral disorder and also pose other dangers: In addition to soil, these four-legged friends can also eat other, sometimes poisonous and dangerous, foreign bodies.
Try to join in malnutrition to eat enough
In some cases, however, it can also happen that a dog dies due to… malnutrition begins to absorb soil. This is often the case if the animal is overweight and has therefore been put on a diet.
Unfortunately, some dog owners make the mistake of simply drastically reducing the food ration. Four-legged friends fed in this way lose weight quickly, but unfortunately not in a healthy way: the amount is then not enough to maintain their body's functions.
The dog senses this and, in a kind of panic, begins to look for other sources of food. Soil then has no nutritional value and is hardly digestible, but it initially fills you up.
Natural reaction to Mineral deficiency
But even when there is sufficient food supply, dogs can instinctively reach for the ground. There are many in it Minerals such as phosphorus, sulfur, calcium and magnesium – all substances that the animal needs to maintain its bodily functions.
Enter Mineral deficiency the dog senses this instinctively: In this case, he knows that there is a lot to be gained from the earth.
This occasionally occurs in four-legged friends unfavorably put together Receive wet or dry food. However, this problem is particularly widespread in animals that, according to the BARF philosophy be fed: If the owner does not pay close attention to the composition of the food, important nutrients will quickly be missing.
One of the best natural Detoxifiers
Furthermore, although soil is indigestible, it has the ability to bind toxins. Objectively speaking, they belong one of the best natural detoxifiers ever, and the four-legged friends know this instinctively: If your dog suddenly and without any warning starts to eat soil, you should also consider poisoning.
Sometimes these are “only” slightly toxic substances such as plant leaves that are not suitable for dogs. But the four-legged friend should eat earth and at the same time other symptoms You definitely have to, such as apathetic behavior, sudden, bloody diarrhea or nausea go to the vet immediately!
“Home remedies” for the dog Stomach hyperacidity
The Stomach acid production For dogs, the process is different than for us humans: While we are always ready to eat, our four-legged friends have to start their digestion first.
This sometimes leads to too much stomach acid being produced – for example if the feeding times are too precise or the wrong expectation of a meal is coming. The dogs then suffer from an unpleasant condition Stomach hyperacidity.
When symptoms of hyperacidity occur, the dog often reacts instinctively by eating (alkaline) soil. This neutralizes stomach acid and alleviates the symptoms. In this context, the earth can also be viewed as a tried-and-tested “home remedy” for four-legged friends.
Relieves Toothache
Some dogs also grab onto the ground when they Toothache have. These are particularly tricky with four-legged friends because the animals can hardly tell us humans that something is wrong with them – common diseases such as tartar and the associated inflammations therefore often remain hidden for a long time.
Earth – especially cold ones – then has pain-relieving properties. You can often recognize advanced dental diseases even as a layperson – Symptoms include, among other things, bad breath, unusual refusal to accept chewing snacks or discolored lips.
Sometimes also signs of Parasitesinfestation
In some cases, dogs also eat soil because they… Parasites how worms and protozoa cause problems in the gastrointestinal area. These really mess up the dog's digestion and eat away important nutrients – the animals then try to compensate for this by eating the soil.
If you are constantly eating soil in conjunction with other symptoms such as nausea, loss of appetite and weight, or (bloody) diarrhea, you should definitely consider this cause as well.
Many dogs also eat sand, stones, wood & bark
There are very similar reasons why dogs reach for other indigestible objects. Eating sand, stones, wood or bark is also often observed.
What can you stop your dog from eating soil?
If the dog eats dirt, there may well be good reasons behind it. However, such behavior is far from being wanted: you should therefore actively do something about it.
The following have occurred Strategies proven.
Attentive be
First of all, this means that you have to be more attentive during the run than you already are. As soon as the dog starts to disappear into the ground with his mouth, you have to immediately present being and behaving with words and gestures prevent.
The easiest way to do this is for the animal to increase its intensity at least temporarily leash is executed. This means you can keep an eye on your four-legged friend at all times and intervene immediately.
Immediate help: Diversion of the four-legged friend
It is also highly recommended and often immediately effective for the dog to distract immediately, when it starts eating soil. This includes, among other things, words and gestures or walking quickly while on the move; permanent activities and toys in your own garden can also help.
Occasionally, a simple change in everyday life is enough to keep the dog busy enough to get rid of the habit. This includes, for example, more exercise time, mental support for the four-legged friend or varying dog routes.
Even if this strategy is not successful, you should try it: If the dog immediately forgets the earth, it is very likely that there are no physical reasons that trigger the behavior.
If you eat soil for a long time: go to the vet
If the dog keeps eating dirt despite your attempts, there is probably a more complicated problem behind it. To be on the safe side, you should If the behavior persists for a long time, definitely go to the vet.
Controversial, but effective: dog scare off
Some dog owners also resort to rather harsh measures when it comes to getting the dog to stop eating soil. These include, among other things, this Spray with water or collars that emit an unpleasant impulse at the push of a button.
In many individual cases, very good experiences have been had with such methods. However, they are also very controversial because they also represent a mild form of violence. So I wouldn't necessarily recommend it.
Worm treatments & remedies against parasites
If parasites are the cause of the soil eating, only medication can actually help. In most cases, proven ones are sufficient Worm treatments completely, which in some cases also work against certain protozoa. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to administer these remedies regularly – generally taking one dose is sufficient.
Some dog owners also rely on homeopathy or natural remedies. According to experts, most such preparations have no scientifically proven effect.
Feed change can be worth it
In many cases, however, one is worthwhile feed change, to eliminate the causes of soil eating:
- Unfortunately, many dog foods have not an optimal combination of minerals, especially the calcium-phosphorus quotient, is not balanced in some varieties. Then it is often worth switching to a better mixture with very transparent information about the nutrients it contains.
- In some cases, however, they can also Supplementary feed help and balance the four-legged friend's diet. Experience has shown that this is particularly helpful for dogs that are fed according to BARF rules.
- If there are any signs of one Stomach hyperacidity It can also be beneficial to extend the feeding times a little: If the dog does not expect his meals on time, acid production is usually reduced somewhat.