Do some dogs just graze grass as a habit? Mine have only ever done it if they have an upset stomach or something. I don't know if it's worth trying them on different food if they're grazing a lot?
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
My experience is that dogs are usually a threat to the garden, not the other way around. Our first love to dig (luckily stopped when she got older) and our second stopped my parents from growing bonsais.
Well done on adopting a rescue dog They're the best kind! I've worried about our rescue dog eating toxic plants but she's much more interested in grass and cat poo... I think it will really depend on their nature but I would think that most dogs are just not interested in chewing plants. Mine loves to chase after a tennis ball, so you could always just have the odd toy/ball or dog chew that they only have outside. Keep them amused! Also I would teach the 'leave' command. The best way of doing this is when he has something like a toy say 'leave' and offer him something better than he's giving up! For example a tasty dog treat, chicken, small piece of cheese etc. Always reward him when he drops the item and he'll soon learn that leaving something means he gets something even better! This can be really handy for when you are out in the garden and he runs off with a bulb you are wanting to plant or a plant pot!! I hope Harvey settles in well and enjoys your garden
What is it about cat poo! My rescue dog is the same. Thankfully we now have moved and the garden is pretty cat proof but probably full of dodgy plants so it's just on the daily walk that she finds it as our estate has plenty of grass verges. 🤢
Do some dogs just graze grass as a habit? Mine have only ever done it if they have an upset stomach or something. I don't know if it's worth trying them on different food if they're grazing a lot?
Dogs in the wild did eat grass and green stuff via the fresh stomach contents of their grazing prey, so I guess there may be some race memory thing going on there. Bill has a good quality organic diet with added natural herbs and is healthy and strong, so I don’t think he needs grass, maybe it is just a habit from before he came to us - he was a kind of rescue/hand-me-down from his great aunty Sandra's breeder.
Yes we do worry too much sometimes, but this is natural unless you are experienced both in dog-owning and gardening.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Every dog is different. We determined our rescue had been fenced in a backyard with wood to chew apart before he came to us. Sometimes it's as easy as telling them no, and giving them alternative chew toys.
Things are new, your rescue is learning the rules. The easiest way to approach it is dedicate the time to being there to tell him/her what is on and off limits.
The best advice I can give you is to dedicate a stretch the length of your garden for your rescue to run down. Temporary fencing-though ugly-also helps to enforce boundaries before traveling through the space becomes habit.
My dogs eat a bit of grass daily. They only really go for it if they are ill or eaten something bad when they do it to induce vomiting. However, a bit of regular grass munching is nothing to worry about.
Two rescue dogs here and never a problem with garden plants including aconitum. The only probem was when we brought the Labrador home and he followed the terrier into the garden and found a pond. Had to put up child gates to protect the sofas in teh living room from bouncing wet dog.
They both chew grass occasionally both on the garden and on walkies here and when we lived in Belgium. The only time we've ever had bovver is with Rasta, a terrier type who is a good ratter and mouser. Bonzo Labrador pointed at a coypu in the hedge during one walk and Rasta decided it looked like a rat. She ended up at the vet's having stitches in her face. Oh, and she loves to roll in coypu poo. Stinks.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I agree with everyone else, our garden is a dog-toxic minefield but our food-obsessed spaniel has never eaten anything she shouldn't.
However...do be careful when you are gardening as they are more likely to pick up things then e.g. I keep an eye that she doesn't pick up the invasive bluebells when I'm digging them out. Bulbs are a definite issue...she also likes to run off with canes and chew them!
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Yes we do worry too much sometimes, but this is natural unless you are experienced both in dog-owning and gardening.
They both chew grass occasionally both on the garden and on walkies here and when we lived in Belgium. The only time we've ever had bovver is with Rasta, a terrier type who is a good ratter and mouser. Bonzo Labrador pointed at a coypu in the hedge during one walk and Rasta decided it looked like a rat. She ended up at the vet's having stitches in her face. Oh, and she loves to roll in coypu poo. Stinks.
However...do be careful when you are gardening as they are more likely to pick up things then e.g. I keep an eye that she doesn't pick up the invasive bluebells when I'm digging them out. Bulbs are a definite issue...she also likes to run off with canes and chew them!