Puppies are curious creatures that love to explore the environment. They often do this with their mouths and – as you can imagine – can lead to them eating things that they shouldn’t like dirt or other unpleasant substances. If you’re worried about your puppy eating yucky things and concerned they might get sick, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we’ll dig (pun intended) into why puppies eat dirt, if your dog eating dirt is dangerous, and whether your puppy eating dirt is a reason for you to consult your Vet. We’ll also help with training tips so that you can teach your puppy to stay away from nasties – it just isn’t ideal.
Now that you’re here, download the Zigzag puppy training app! You’ll be able to start your personalised puppy training journey quickly. We’ll help you teach your puppy all the important life skills like socialisation, toilet training and how to cope with being home alone, as well as basic obedience cues like sit, down and loose lead walking. It’s all you imagine and more, to be honest.
There’s also a team of professional dog trainers happy to answer your questions or help you through any worries 24/7. All you have to do is shout.
Why do puppies eat dirt?
Puppies eat dirt all the time purely from being curious little creatures. Some do it because they are deficient in nutrients in their diet, while others may have a dirt eating fixation. Some might be ill and doing it as a result of a condition.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves – let’s look at the reasons why do dogs eat dirt:
Eating dirt when exploring the environment
Dirt smells interesting to puppies, and we know puppies learn about the world by putting everything in their mouths. Being so smelly, dirt is definitely something they’ll want to savour with their taste buds.
Boredom
If your dog isn’t getting enough exercise or stimulation, then they might be eating dirt because they’re bored.
Maybe you can relate – it’s kind of the same when you visit the fridge when you’ve got nothing to do.
Nutritional deficiencies
If your dog’s diet is lacking essential nutrients or minerals, then they might try to get these by eating dirt.
Not sure how much food you should be feeding your dog? Read our article on how much to feed a dog based on age and weight. I’m sure you can whip some better tasting snacks than pure dirt.
Medical reasons
If your dog has issues like parasites, worms, or is anaemic, then they can have an urge to eat dirt.
Want to learn more about parasites? You probably don’t, but it’s important you know about this nasty stuff for taking care of your puppy. We have just the articles for you in our articles all about roundworms, tapeworms and flea treatment in puppies.
Coprophagia
If you have a puppy who’s eating dirt, poo or cat poop specifically, then it could be that they’re suffering from coprophagia.
This is where they almost obsessively eat faeces, theirs or someone else. Little did you know such a horrible thing existed.
Attention seeking
Dogs do things to get your attention, it’s what they want most in the world. That means they can learn that doing something you don’t want, like dirt eating, gets your attention.
You do the maths. If you only give them attention to stop them from dirt eating, they’ll start to form a connection between dirt eating and getting your attention, and actually eat dirt more!
Is eating dirt dangerous for my puppy
Dogs eating dirt is a normal part of canine behaviour, but if your puppy is eating a lot of dirt, it’s a good idea to prevent them from doing it.
Excessive dirt eating can result in a sore tummy, which might make your puppy vomit or give them diarrhoea…and no one’s in for stinky business.
Should I go to the vet?
If your puppy gets sick because they’re eating a lot of dirt, or the behaviour has come on suddenly, you might want to reach out to your Vet for help.
Having a quick vet check up is always good to make sure your puppy is physically healthy before you start behavioural training.
How to stop my puppy from eating dirt
To stop your puppy from eating dirt, you’ll want to make sure of a couple of things: that your puppy is eating the right amount of food and is getting all their nutrients, having plenty of mental stimulation and exercise and that you’re not only paying attention to them when they go to eat dirt.
Here are some more tips to stop your puppy from eating dirt:
Ensure your puppy gets the right nutrition
Puppies need a balanced diet containing all appropriate minerals and vitamins. If not, they can try to find that in other places like eating dirt, or even poo!
Bust that boredom
If your dog is eating dirt because they’re bored, make sure they’re getting the appropriate amount of physical and mental exercise. Sniffy walks, stuffed Kongs, puzzle toys and chews all help to work a dog’s brain and prevent them from going and getting into trouble in the garden.
Supervise your puppy when out in the garden
If your puppy is going out in the garden to eat dirt, keep an eye on them, so you can redirect them away from nasties and teach them that there are better tasting things in life.
This also prevents them from eating stones, which is another puppy favourite!
Reward your dog for not eating dirt
It seems obvious, but all the time that your dog is in the garden and choosing not to eat dirt, you should reward them. Food always helps them to understand lessons much better.
Do other things in the garden
Teaching your dog some tricks or playing games with toys will help them understand the garden isn’t somewhere they only eat dirt, but actually where they do lots of other fun things.
Teach them to leave it
‘Leave it’ is a basic obedience command to teach your dog that will help to redirect them when they go to eat dirt. It’s actually a great cue to redirect your dog from many things you don’t want them to access or get involved with, so give it a go!
There you have it – plain and simple. We hope your question of why dogs eat dirt is finally answered, and you’ve got some strategies to keep them from it. Mostly, it’s just common canine behaviour that dogs and puppies do because they’re curious, but if they’re eating a lot of dirt, it’s worth putting some time into figuring out why and also teaching them to leave it, as it can make them ill.
There’s plenty more to learn about puppies, by the way – we’re just getting started. Fun facts about puppies is probably a good place to keep going, or how about learning all about raw feeding for puppies?
With the Zigzag app, you’ll get personalised training for your puppy based on their stage of development, and their breed. We know that puppy raising can be a challenge, so we have a team of professional dog trainers to talk to you via our in-app chat or just give them a call, they’ll be happy to talk to you.
