--- title: "5 Reasons Dogs Eat Dirt" id: "239794" type: "post" slug: "5-reasons-dogs-eat-dirt" published_at: "2019-01-29T17:00:06+00:00" modified_at: "2019-01-29T17:00:06+00:00" url: "https://www.petlandbatavia.com/5-reasons-dogs-eat-dirt/" markdown_url: "https://www.petlandbatavia.com/5-reasons-dogs-eat-dirt.md" excerpt: "Dogs do the darnedest things sometimes, don’t they? Besides being comical they have the tendency to do weird things, like eating stuff that they shouldn’t! In this post, we’re exploring their desire to eat dirt. What does it mean? Should..." taxonomy_category: - "Blog" --- [Home](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/) / [Blog](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/blog/) / [Blog](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/category/blog/) / **5 Reasons Dogs Eat Dirt** [Blog](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/category/blog/) # 5 Reasons Dogs Eat Dirt January 29, 2019 · 2 min read · [cosmick](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/author/cosmick/) [Stay connected via Google News Follow us for the latest pet updates and guides.](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=petlandbatavia.com) **Dogs do the darnedest things sometimes, don’t they?** Besides being comical they have the tendency to do weird things, like eating stuff that they shouldn’t! In this post, we’re exploring their desire to eat dirt. What does it mean? Should you be alarmed? Here are five reasons why dogs eat dirt. #### **It Tastes Good** One obvious reason dogs eat dirt is because it tastes good. For instance, if there was a cookout in the backyard and some food dropped in the surrounding area, one of your purebred dogs might just take a few bites. This is a less serious reason so don’t be too alarmed. #### **Bad Diet** Your dog may be eating dirt because he’s actually searching for minerals and vitamins that they may be missing in their daily diet. Make sure that your purebred dogs are fed healthy and nutritional diets. Enjoying this read? You'll love our puppies. Adorable, vet-checked pups looking for their forever homes — available now. [Meet our puppies](https://www.petlandbatavia.com/puppies-for-sale/) #### **Behavior Issues** Just like humans, dogs get bored and they do some weird things to entertain themselves. As odd as it may seem to pick up that as a habit, it could be because of a behavioral issue with your pup. Believe it or not, dogs can suffer from OCD and start eating dirt as part of that disorder. You may want to consult with a vet or animal behaviorist for assistance. #### **Chronic Health Concerns** As we mentioned in #2, when purebred dogs search for vitamins and minerals in such a way, this could be a sign of something more serious. Inflammatory bowel disease could be one reason. #### **Soothing an Upset Stomach** There are some types of dirt that contain clay that can actually soothe digestive issues your dogs may be having. Some say that dogs instinctively consume it in order to heal themselves, so to speak. ###### ***When dogs eat dirt, it may not always be the worst thing however it should be monitored for the very reasons we’ve outline. If you’ve started to notice a more habitual problem, we recommend that you contact your vet.*** [Stay connected via Google News Follow us for the latest pet updates and guides.](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=petlandbatavia.com) Available Now## If you loved this, you'll *love our puppies* Meet the happy, healthy pups ready to join your family today — browse the whole litter below. 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Being Your DogSummer is officially here. The… June 1, 2026 ``` AVERAGE Based on 358 reviews Posted on Google Kevin Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Amazing staff. All very nice and answered all my questions. I loved all the dogs but I had to see the dog named Kevin! I went in with a completely negative view on petlands but the staff really changed my mind by going over all the breeder info, If I am ever in need of a puppy I will go there and you should too. Posted on Google Cecilia Caballero Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We came at a time they were very busy and never once did we feel rushed, or given attitude while asking questions. The two on staff were amazing and sweet! Posted on Google Noelle Chaney Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I went in to get my dogs nails trimmed and was met with a smile and warm greeting from an employee, Dean. The trimming was quick and they really showed my scared dog good care. It was the most pleasant experience I’ve had when it comes to some of these pet places! Posted on Google Shayna V Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We just went for a walk”puppy therapy.” Look at how cute they are. I was a little surprised that considering how few customers were in at the time & yet we only got a “let us know if we can help you with anything” and that was it. There were plenty of employees in store, as it was probably the beginning of the Friday night shift, before families started coming in. I had made an appointment, just in case we decided to see any of the dogs. I guess I’m accustomed to the employees being more personal and wanting to tell me things based on the conversation my group is having without me having to reach out to them. ```