Eating mud

[Nanny71]

Dudley used to eat dirt and mud quite often as a puppy. He seemed to stop as he got a little older but he has started again this winter. It is not for water as he does it mainly in the garden sometimes around the bushes. We do not have any dangerous plants as we have chickens in the garden.
Could he possibly be finding something he is not getting in his food? Should I give him supplementary vitamins/minerals. He is still young at two and a half but I am wondering if he is missing something.
He has Canagan dog food which I believe is a good food.

 

[Flobo]

The Airdale I walk eats mud sometimes and it seems to be the same two matches that she favours. Google obviously has a variety of reasons for it, I generally am of the opinion that a dog will self medicate for their own needs instinctively, the Airdale has always grazed on nettles too, which are a natural antihistamine, this breed are prone to itchy skin apparently and she has never had any problems with her skin and has a beautiful coat.
A couple of my other dogs graze on young cleaver shoots very specifically picked out amongst other plants shooting up around them, good for cleansing/toning the lymphatic system aswell as other things...
And we have of course, couch grass. Though I would always monitor what your dog is attracted too and check it out first just incase!

 

[Nanny71]

He eats grass sometimes too but not in our garden. There is one particular clump at the side of a wall where we walk which he seems very partial to.
The mud hasn't got any nasties because we don't use slug pellets or any weedkiller so it is just mud. I will watch him because he did it before and then just stopped

 

[JoanneF]

Maybe just make sure your worming regime covers lungworm as that can be contracted from the slime trails left by snails.

 

[mdkel]

"Could he possibly be finding something he is not getting in his food?"

I know this is a well accepted theory, but to me it never made any sense... Zappa sometimes eats poo, mud, dirt, dirt water, etc etc... He also eats a well balanced diet (good kibble plus fresh cooked meat and vegetables).

I think some dogs are just, well, dogs. and they like to do weird stuff, as some of as humans do to... some people eat raw tomatos and onions, I hate it and cant understand why such people eat that...

 

[Nanny71]

Maybe just make sure your worming regime covers lungworm as that can be contracted from the slime trails left by snails.

We have always covered him for Lungworm with his worming regime fortunately