Canine behavior is often intriguing. Who has never wondered why a dog digs up his bed before going to bed? Or what is the reason behind dogs that spin around the same place before going to the bathroom? These are attitudes that, at first glance, do not seem to make sense, but that have their explanations. However, not all behavior is healthy, as is the case with the dogthat eats soil, because this can end up causing problems for the animal's organism. With this in mind, the Paws of the House highlighted the main causes behind this canine behavior and how to get your dog to stop digging up dirt and eating it.

Your dog eats dirt? Lack of vitamins and minerals is often the reason behind this

Dogs, just like humans, also need a number of nutrients to stay healthy, and that's why dog food exists. The food is formulated with the purpose of ensuring that your four-legged friend receives all the proteins, vitamins and minerals important for the functioning of the organism. However, it is important to keep in mind that the quality of the food influencesin this formulation, so that the Premium and Super Premium versions are considered the most complete and nutritious for dog food.

Therefore, one of the reasons why dogs eat dirt is the deficit of vitamins and minerals promoted by low quality or low quantities of food. As they do not find what they need in the food, they look for other means of meeting this nutritional need (in this case, eating dirt). To prevent this from happening, it is worth keeping an eye on whether the problem is the amount of food that is in the dog's diet.being insufficient, or whether it is the quality standard of the product.

Why do dogs eat dirt? Psychological disorders and parasites may be the cause

The dog that eats dirt may do so because of stress and anxiety. This often happens to dogs that live in an environment without environmental enrichment and that spend a lot of time alone. In this way, these animals begin to develop compulsive behaviors and even destructive habits: in addition to eating dirt, many tend to lick or bite their paws frequently, bark atSo if your dog eats dirt and has other associated symptoms, pay extra attention! They may be suffering from anxiety, stress, depression or other psychological disorders.

In addition, another common cause of a dog eating dirt is the presence of parasites and worms in the animal's body. This is actually a defence mechanism of the dog itself, since by eating dirt (especially grass) dogs seek to stimulate vomiting, and thus try to get rid of the parasites in question.

How to get the dog to stop digging up dirt and eating it?

The first step to prevent your dog from eating dirt is to keep an eye on his food. The choice of food should be according to the age and size of the animal, as well as the amount offered to him. In addition, it is also worth investing in environmental enrichment for dogs, which is something that helps to improve the quality of life of the dog, both in the physical and mental aspect. TheOur pets also need attention from humans on a daily basis, especially if they spend a lot of time alone. Other than that, just keep the usual care: take him to the vet regularly, pay attention to the vaccination schedule and give dewormers to keep the dog free of worms and parasites.