Canine Questions Anwered: Why Do Dogs Eat Dirt?

Our dogs certainly do a lot of strange things – just look at how they usually greet each other! But few unusual behaviors are as bizarre as a dog eating dirt. 

It certainly can’t taste very good, and it’s often full of nasty bacteria. So why do they do it? And more importantly, how do pet parents get their dogs to stop?

Don’t worry; dogs eating dirt is a common problem, and it’s one that can often be corrected pretty easily. But you’ll have to start by identifying the reason for the behavior. This isn’t always easy, as dogs eat dirt for a variety of reasons. 

I’ll try to help below by explaining everything a pet parent needs to know to understand about dogs who eat dirt. 

Medical Issues And Odd Behaviors: Why Is Your Dog Eating Dirt?

Believe it or not, there are several reasons your dog may be eating dirt. Some of these reasons are pretty benign, while others can signal an underlying medical condition. 

A Nutritional Deficiency

While nutritional deficiencies are rare for healthy dogs who’re fed a balanced diet manufactured in accordance with the AAFCO guidelines, they can occur in dogs who’re fed a non-traditional diet. And dogs who don’t get all the vitamins or essential minerals they need – especially things like sodium, calcium, or iron – may start trying to acquire them by eating dirt. 

Anemia and Other Blood Disorders

Anemia is a condition that occurs when your furry friend has a low red blood cell count. This is a pretty serious issue, as your red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your dog’s body. There are a variety of things that can cause anemia, ranging from parasites to cancer to immune mediated diseases, but no matter the cause, you’ll need your vet’s help to address it. 

A Liver Shunt or Liver Disease

Liver shunts occur when an abnormal blood vessel forms in a dog’s liver. This often causes the liver to receive inadequate blood supply, which prevents the liver from functioning properly. This can cause toxins to build up in a dog’s bloodstream and lead them to purposely eat dirt. 

Gastritis and Other Types of Stomach Discomfort

Gastritis is simply a fancy word for stomach inflammation. This inflammation can be caused by a variety of things, ranging from spoiled food to bacteria to viruses, and it often causes pets to experience vomiting, abdominal pain, and upset stomach, irregular bowel movements, and a decreased appetite. Though it often resolves on its own, gastritis can make your pet feel pretty rotten. This can cause them to eat dirt in an effort to feel better. 

An Eating Disorder Called Pica

Pica is an unusual condition in which afflicted dogs have a compulsion to consume inedible things. And we don’t just mean items humans may consider inedible (like tasty treats from the trash can), we mean truly inedible things like rocks or metal, and in some cases, it can make your dog eat dirt. Pica is often a complicated issue, which may require a combination of veterinary and behavioral therapies to resolve. 

Boredom and Understimulation

Unfortunately, many dogs fail to receive enough attention or enrichment in their daily lives, which leads to chronic boredom. This boredom can cause dogs to look for entertainment in a variety of ways, including the eating of dirt. Boredom obviously isn’t a physical health problem, and it’s relatively easy to address, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t serious – our dogs all deserve to live rich, fulfilling lives.  

Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety (and other types of anxieties) can cause a litany of destructive and problematic behaviors, ranging from vocalizations to self-harm. Dogs do a variety of things to help self-soothe when they’re frightened and dealing with severe anxiety. It’s usually easier to prevent separation anxiety than it is to treat it, but it is possible to help an older dog learn to cope with alone time. 

Simple Canine Curiosity

Most dogs are curious creatures, who sometimes investigate things they find intriguing for one reason or another. And because dogs tend to explore the world with their noses and mouths, they often chew, taste, or eat things they find interesting – including, potentially, dirt. Dogs who eat dirt due to curiosity usually don’t have some kind of super serious behavioral or medical problem, but you’ll want to prevent your dog from consuming dirt (or eating non-food items in general) whenever possible. 

Is It Dangerous for Dogs to Eat Dirt?

A lot of owners view dirt eating as a peculiar problem, but they don’t regard it as particularly serious. This is unfortunate, as eating dirt can be quite dangerous for dogs. In fact, it presents several different potential dangers to your dog’s health, including: 

• Choking and Obstruction Hazards: A big mouthful of dirt could conceivably hurt your dog’s mouth, cause your pet to choke, or even lead to an obstruction of the digestive tract. It’s also important to note that dogs who eat dirt may also end up consuming rocks, sticks, and other foreign objects mixed with the dirt. 
• Toxic Substances: Dirt can sometimes be contaminated with any number of dangerous substances like gasoline, pesticide, fertilizer, antifreeze, or other toxins. And because you may not know what the dirt was contaminated with, it may be hard for your vet to treat your pet, should they fall ill.  
• Bacteria and Fungi: Dirt is absolutely full of bacteria and fungi. Some of these microorganisms are harmless, but others — including things like E. coli and Salmonella — may make your dog very sick.  
• Intestinal Parasites: A variety of soil-dwelling parasites and parasite eggs can be found in dirt. This not only includes roundworms, hookworms, and other worms, but also protozoans, such as coccidia.  

How Do I Get My Dog to Stop Eating Dirt?

Successfully convincing your dog that dirt is not suitable for dinner can be tricky, and you may have to go through several steps to do so. But in all cases, the important thing is that you address the root cause of the issue.

1. Start by making an appointment with your vet. Because some causes of dirt-eating behavior are caused by medical conditions, it’s always a good idea to start by visiting your vet. Your vet will likely take a detailed history, ask about your dog’s diet, analyze a fecal sample, and potentially draw blood or run diagnostic tests to help rule out any health problems linked to dirt eating. 
2. Be sure your dog is enjoying a nutritious diet. As long as your vet has ruled out any health concerns that may cause vitamin or mineral deficiencies, you can likely ensure your pet gets the proper nutrition they need by sticking to dog foods that meet the AAFCO guidelines. 
3. Prevent your dog from accessing their favorite dirt-eating areas. If your dog is eating dirt frequently (meaning that it isn’t something they just do on occasion while walking), you’ll want to restrict access to the places where your dog eats dirt. This may mean covering places with exposed soil or moving indoor potted plants out of reach.
4. Make sure your dog is adequately exercised and stimulated. Providing more exercise and stimulation can help address a variety of problems, including dirt eating. In addition to providing more walks and fun activities like nose work, you may want to consider providing your pet with interactive toys or starting to use a puzzle feeder at mealtimes.  
5. Redirect your dog whenever you see them start to eat dirt. It isn’t necessary to scold or punish your dog when you see them eating dirt (in fact, that may exacerbate any anxiety they’re already experiencing, which can worsen the problem). Instead, try to redirect your pup and shift their attention to something safe and constructive, like a favorite chew toy. 
6. Teach your dog a “drop it” or “leave it” cue. As mentioned, you don’t want to shout or freak out when you see your dog eat dirt, but it is helpful to have a verbal cue you can use to get them to stop. This way, you don’t have to run across your yard the next time you see your four-footer munching on dirt. Training your dog to have a good recall can also help in this manner. 
7. Reach out to a professional trainer for help. Behavioral problems can be challenging for many owners to address on their own. But a skilled and knowledgeable trainer can not only help identify the cause for a dog eating dirt, but also provide some tools and strategies for eliminating the behavior. 

Get the Help You Need to Stop Your Dog from Eating Dirt!

Putting an end to your dog’s dirt-eating issue isn’t always a straightforward process. It often requires pet parents to do some homework to identify the root cause of the problem and then work to address it – especially if something like separation anxiety is a factor.  

But you’re not alone – I can help if your dog is eating dirt!  

Cosmic Home & Pet offers a variety of training programs that may prove helpful for your little mud muncher, including walk-and-train programs, which are designed to help teach your pupper the proper way to behave during walks (which means, among other things, not eating things they’re not supposed to). 

Go ahead and head over to our contact page and drop me a line. I’d love to help you stop your dog from eating dirt, instill better behavior, and support your dog’s overall well being!