Does Your Dog Eat Plants? Here’s How To Avoid It

Everyone likes to have a nice manicured garden or a house full of flowers … Unfortunately, however, this possibility seems to be closed to those who own a dog. Many of you will have noticed that even your pet often starts eating tufts of grass and plants. How come? What is the reason for this behavior?

Let’s try to understand the reasons that push your dog to  eat plants and how to prevent it from destroying your garden or balcony flowers, with very simple but effective tips.

Why do dogs eat plants?

Dogs and especially puppies seem to have a great love for plants… Just see how pleased they are if they eat them! Other times they just lick them, bite them and play with the various leaves.

They love to explore the forest and meadow, but also love to destroy petunias, begonias or daisies. They are curious and are attracted by the unusual scent, their color and very particular appearance. If you have a dog, surely more than once you have scolded him for destroying some flowers in the garden or even just rummaging through the pots on the terrace.

To understand why your pet acts this way, here are some of the possible reasons for this  strange behavior :

1. Lack of vitamins

If the dog notices that it has not absorbed all the necessary nutrients, it can look for them outside of the nutrition or food provided by the owner. Lack of vitamins is one of the main reasons dogs eat plants.

2. Stomach pains

If something has hurt him (for example, even the flowers he ate the day before), it is normal that, in the eyes of the dog, the lawn appears as a natural remedy to purify itself. You will notice that your four-legged friend will discard flashy grass and flowers, looking for exactly and only one type of grass that will allow him to regain intestinal balance.

3. Boredom

A dog that is bored and has accumulated a lot of energy, is very dangerous for any home or garden. .. It can decide to let off steam by destroying a sofa, a cushion, a carpet or sticking your favorite vases with even expensive flowers. How to avoid this gratuitous violence? Dedicate more time and attention to your pet, perhaps giving him some new toys.

4. Anxiety

If your beloved dog enjoys eating plants and destroying flowers when you’re not home, he may want to get your attention. It could also be a symptom of distress caused by emotional distress or separation anxiety.

5 tricks to stop your dog from eating plants

Now that you know the reasons for your dog to eat plants and flowers, the next step is to take steps to avoid this type of behavior. Pay attention to the following tips:

1. Move the pots up

If, in your home, there are several pots and plants that are too close to the animal, it is best to move everything to higher and inaccessible areas. You can also put some kind of protection or cage around the plants, so that the dog’s face cannot access them.

2. Educate the dog

The best way to build a perfect coexistence is to  train your dog effectively. In the case of flowers, just let your pet smell the new plant. Let him know that this strange object is part of the house (like a rug or sofa) and that he will have to keep away to avoid punishment.

3. Use lemon or vinegar

Smell is the most important and developed sense of dogs. If something smells bad or its perfume is unpleasant, your friend will keep well away. At home you can create a special product to spray on plants. Either based on lemon juice diluted in water (1 part juice and 3 parts water), or with apple cider vinegar (same ratio). It will not harm plants and keep your pet away.

4. Limit your dog’s space

Another technique to prevent your dog from eating plants is to restrict access to certain areas of the house. A speech that you can apply to the protection of plants but also of other places where expensive or dangerous objects are kept. A door, wooden barriers or other can avoid unpleasant consequences.

5. Make him understand that he is wrong

Whenever the dog bites, breaks or eats a plant, pulling it to the ground, you will have to let him know that he has made a mistake. Take him to the “crime scene” and utter a series of intimidating phrases, in a confident and clear tone: “This is not done”, “Bad”, “It is not done”. He will try to be forgiven, but ignore his presence, he will understand that he was wrong.

Source of main image: Enlazadordecaminos.