As a dog parent, you’ll always find yourself in flux, especially if you grow plants in your house/outdoor space and your dog exhibits a strange liking to them. For anyone who keeps both plants and dogs at home, it’s hard to avoid considering the question ‘why does my dog eat my plants?’
After all, your dog has wolves for its ancestors, and yet, it chooses to demolish the plants you painstakingly grew. Wouldn’t that impact its diet and, by default, dog health?
Don’t worry, we’re here to quell all your fears. Read on to learn all about it.
Why Does My Dog Eat My Plants?
Wild dogs, while largely being carnivorous, ate plants to fill the gaps in their diet. It’s believed that dogs carried this behavior down when they evolved into the domesticated dogs we know and love today.
Sometimes, dogs may even eat plants just because they’re bored and naturally curious. It may not be as nutritionally dense as meat but plants do their job well when it comes to acting as a filler ingredient in their diet.
Eating leaves, then, could be a sign of boredom, an underlying deficiency, or just their preference to curb their taste of greenery.
The next time you see your dog eat plants, don’t panic. As long as your plant is not toxic or poisonous, it’s safe for your dog to chew on. Think of it as trimming your plants, except your dog does it for you.
Can Plants Do More Harm than Good to Pets?
Your dog crunching on a leave or two is not a matter of concern. Not all plants are toxic and poisonous and may not show any side effects if your pet consumes them. At times, dogs eat plants so they can induce vomiting to get rid of whatever is causing them gastrointestinal pain.
However, at the end of the day, every dog has a different reaction to particular substances so if you notice your dog vomiting excessively or being nauseous after consuming a plant, take it to the vet immediately.
Conclusion
We hope this will prove a fit answer to the question why does my dog eat my plants? If you notice your pet eating a leaf or two off your plants, don’t worry. Chances are, it’s only finding a fit source to fulfill its nutritional needs.
Use this as an opportunity for a quick vet checkup, and your dog should be perfectly fine after taking care of its nutrition.
