The #1 Reason Pet Parents Should Worry If Their Dog Is Eating Dirt
Ah, dogs—the gluttons of the pet world! Always ready for some culinary adventures. Unlike cats, who often turn up their noses at everything unless it’s served by a five-star chef, dogs will eat just about anything as long as it fits in their mouths (if it fits, it sinks—all the way down to the dog's stomach!)
But it’s not just food that makes itself down their belly. As dogs explore the world through their mouths, they’ll eat the oddest non-edible things. Take dirt, for instance. To us humans, dirt is something we wipe off our shoes and readily remove from our hands after handling it in our gardens, while to some dogs, a field of dirt is like an all-you-can-eat buffet.
But why do dogs eat dirt? Until our dogs master human language, we may never know what’s really going on in those complex doggy brains, but at least we can try to make some educated guesses based on what we already know about them, plus some research studies.
Related: Why Is My Dog Eating Grass Frantically? 6 Possible Reasons
Why Do Dogs Eat Dirt?
This list of possibilities, while not definitive, may help us put together some puzzle pieces and gain a clearer picture of why dogs exhibit certain behaviors like dirt-eating.
Can Dogs Be Lacking Nutrients?
While we perceive dirt as something yucky, there may be a chance that dogs perceive it as nature’s best snack bar—a granola bar of minerals, trace elements, and maybe a worm or two for extra protein.
Of course, dogs don’t have the luxury of flipping a bag of dirt over to read its nutritional label. They don’t make conscious choices about their nutrition like we do when adding some kale to our smoothies. So the next question is, since dirt is rich in nutrients, does eating dirt mean a dog is missing something in their diet? This is a legitimate question.
Nutrition Typically Isn't a Factor
“Dogs eating rocks or dirt is usually what brings clients to me worried that their dog has a nutritional deficiency [... but] eating non-food items has never been clearly linked to a nutritional deficiency in dogs or cats,” says board-certified veterinary nutritionist Dr. Cailin Heinze in an article for the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.
It's rarely, if ever, about nutrition. “The dogs I see because their owners are worried are generally eating balanced diets that I have no concerns about,” she further adds.
This likely explains why many dogs that are fed well-balanced, nutritionally complete diets still exhibit dirt-eating behavior; however, for dogs on raw or homemade diets, it's wise to have the meal plan reviewed by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist (DACVN) to rule out the rare possibility of nutritional deficiencies.
So if it’s rarely a lack of minerals, why do dogs eat dirt? Turns out, it’s often a matter of a dog just being ... a dog.
Related: 5 Natural Ways to Prevent Your Dog From Eating Poop
Photo by Andrew Linscott, modified via Canva
A Way to Explore
Puppies, just like babies, go through phases in their lives where they like to mouth everything. It’s, therefore, not surprising to see them taking mouthfuls of dirt with a satisfied look on their face after digging a spot.
Most likely, active young puppies and juvenile dogs are drawn by the earthy smells and the storybook of scents exuding from bugs, plants, and decomposing organic matter. What better way to explore an intriguing smell than to give it a good taste?
To these youngsters, dirt can be fascinating—smells, textures, and the occasional surprise bug. It’s like nature’s toy box for them, with so much to discover. Fortunately, as puppies develop, many stop eating dirt as they lose interest in it, just as they lose interest in chasing their tails.
An “Earthy” Smorgasbord
Can it be that dogs are after some earthy undertones to elevate their dining experience? Jokes aside, dirt may attract dogs because there may be some tasty components at play.
For example, consider that dogs who eat dirt on farms may do so because the dirt is often mixed with manure. In gardens, dogs may be after the bone meal. If dogs eat dirt near the BBQ grill, they may actually taste some fat drippings from the last BBQ party.
A Sign of Boredom
If your dog spends a lot of time in the yard alone, he’ll need to find some hobby to keep occupied. It’s unfortunate, but this often translates into undesirable behaviors, such as barking at people from behind the fence, digging until the yard starts resembling planet Mars, and other bad habits, like pacing back and forth or eating dirt.
After all, we can’t blame them: It’s not like dogs can spend hours on end twiddling their thumbs, doing nothing. Dogs were selectively bred for carrying out some type of job. Left unemployed, they’ll end up finding their own forms of entertainment.
A Matter of Stress
Stress in dogs may lead to displacement behaviors as a coping mechanism. This is similar to what happens to us humans when we are bored or feeling stressed and head to our refrigerator to eat some food, even when we’re not hungry, explains board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Stephanie Borns-Weil.
An Attention-Seeking Behavior
Sometimes, dogs may engage in undesirable behaviors for the simple fact that they get attention this way, and who can ignore a dog that is eating dirt as if it’s the best chow in town?
Something to consider is that, to an attention-seeking dog, any type of attention is reinforcing, whether it’s attention of the positive type (eye contact, praise, petting) or the negative type (scolding, physical corrections).
Related: Why Positive Reinforcement With Your Pets Is Important
A Health Problem
While eating a bit of dirt is considered normal dog behavior, a dog who is eating dirt out of the blue or starts eating dirt like there’s no tomorrow should raise a red flag, especially if there are accompanying physical signs.
Upset Stomach
Several medical conditions have been associated with dogs becoming interested in ingesting dirt. For example, gastrointestinal problems can sometimes be a culprit.
“Just the way dogs might eat grass, leaves, or sticks when they don’t feel well, eating other non-food items may be a way a dog tries to relieve stomach discomfort,” explains Tufts’ board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Borns-Weil.
Iron Deficiencies
Dogs may also eat mud, grout, concrete, dust, or sand when suffering from rare iron deficiencies. “As an emergency critical care veterinarian, I occasionally see pica due to severe, life-threatening anemia secondary to immune-mediated hemolytic anemia,” explains Dr. Justine A. Lee, a board-certified emergency critical care veterinary specialist and toxicologist.
According to Miss Zeyu et al. (2017), dogs exhibiting pica behaviors, such as nail or dirt eating, should be tested for anemia through a complete blood count (CBC) or hematocrit evaluation to rule out underlying medical conditions.
A Compulsive Disorder
Sometimes, dirt eating takes a turn for the worse and becomes a compulsive disorder. This means the dog is intensely fixated on eating the dirt, and it is difficult to interrupt the behavior.
Related: 12 Reasons Why Dogs Lick Their Paws Constantly & Obsessively
Photo by Patrick Hendry, Unsplash
Pica: What’s in a Name?
The behavior of eating non-food items is broadly referred to as pica. Items ingested may vary from toys to house plants, marbles, coins, wood, plastic, rocks, underwear, and dirt. The term comes from the magpie (or Pica pica)—a type of bird known for eating a wide variety of things.
The underlying causes of pica are not well understood. Different cases may have different etiologies. The possibility of nutritional deficiencies hasn’t been proven, and some believe it’s an attention-seeking behavior, while others believe it’s compulsive, explains board-certified veterinarian Dr. John Cirabassi in an article for DVM360.
Some important distinctions to make in the case of pica are instances when dogs happen to eat something because it’s mixed with food or cases of destructive chewing, when the dog chews items but doesn’t ingest them. These are not considered cases of pica, points out board-certified veterinarian Dr. Bonnie V. Beaver in the book Canine Behavior, Insights and Answers.
Fun fact: The habit of eating dirt has its own term. It’s technically known as “geophagia.”
Beware of Some Dirt Dangers
If your canine companion has developed a fascination with dirt, there are several dangers to be aware of:
Chemicals: An innocent-looking patch of soil may be laced with a chemical cocktail of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and other yard treatments, such as bone meal, which is categorized as moderately toxic by the Pet Poison Helpline.
Parasites: According to Elanco, a pharmaceutical company producing medications for pets, roundworm and whipworm eggs may be accidentally ingested when dogs sniff, lick, or eat grass and dirt. Hookworms may also become an uninvited guest in your dog’s digestive system if your dog accidentally ingests hookworm larvae from the soil.
Debris: Dirt may also contain sticks, sharp rocks, and miscellaneous trash items that can cause injuries and even life-threatening intestinal blockages.
How to Stop a Dog From Eating Dirt
Since the behavior of eating dirt can have various causes, solutions will vary, and often, you’ll have to adopt a multi-pronged approach. Following are some tips to reduce dirt-eating behaviors in dogs.
1. Manage the Environment
“Out of sight, out of mind” goes the saying, and this may be the ideal first step, as it prevents your dog from practicing the unwanted behavior and becoming an Olympic-level pro at it. You can accomplish this by erecting barriers, covering up tempting spots, or keeping your dog on-leash to limit access. If your dog eats dirt from your flower pots, you can simply move them out of the way.
As an extra bonus, by managing your dog’s environment, you’re not just preventing unwanted behaviors—you’re also keeping your canine pal safe, considering the fact that dirt isn’t as innocent as it looks.
2. Provide Environmental Enrichment
As you’re blocking the problematic behavior from occurring through management, you’ll need to be ready to offer some replacement activities. A great way to keep dogs happy and busy is through environmental enrichment.
This can be easily provided by offering your dog fun sniff walks, food puzzles, training, and brain games that help him stay busy and out of trouble. Enrichment may even help in cases of compulsive disorders, as there may be behavioral and stress components at play.
3. See Your Vet
It’s also a good idea to rule out the potential for medical problems. As mentioned, eating dirt may stem from an underlying medical condition. Although many times the issue is behavioral, excluding medical problems remains a crucial first step, because it’s difficult to address a behavioral problem if the underlying issue is physical.
The vet may start with a complete blood count and several other tests to rule out metabolic conditions that can cause dogs to feel hungry all the time, to the point of seeking non-edible items. This can also occur as a side effect of medications known to increase hunger, such as prednisone or phenobarbital, points out veterinarian Dr. Barri J. Morrison on PetMD.
Related: Do Dogs Need to Taper Off Prednisone if They Have Side Effects?
Photo by Matt Bradford-Aunger, Unsplash
4. Train the “Leave It” and “Drop It” Cues
While environmental control and adding enrichment to your dog’s life are great first steps, these are only part of the solution. All dogs should learn life-saving cues starting from early puppyhood, such as the “leave it” and “drop it” cues.
The “leave it” cue tells your dog to immediately interrupt his behavior and orient toward you, while the “drop it” cue tells your dog to open his jaw to release something that he may have been carrying in his mouth.
5. Use a Muzzle
The use of a basket muzzle will stop a dog from eating dirt, but it doesn’t address the underlying cause of dirt-eating. It should therefore be a temporary measure.
Furthermore, most dogs will object to wearing a muzzle if you haven’t introduced one properly. It’s important to introduce a dog to a muzzle gradually and help the dog form positive associations with wearing it.
6. Consult With a Pro
For persistent or challenging cases, such as compulsive disorders, consulting with a professional may be necessary. Complex cases that may require behavior modification, possibly along with prescription medications, should be referred to a board-certified veterinary behaviorist.
Related: Why Does My Dog Keep Biting His Tail? 14 Possible Causes
References
Miss Zeyu S, Hongsen S, Nairui H. A Serious Case of Nail-Eating Pica Occurred in a Labrador Dog. Appro Poult Dairy & Vet Sci. 1(3) 2017
Canine Behavior: Insights and Answers 2nd Edition by Bonnie V. Beaver
Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training: Etiology and Assessment of Behavior Problems by Steven Lindsay
Elanco: Surprising Ways Your Dog May Get Worms
Tufts University: Getting to the Bottom of Pica
Tufts University: When the Pica Gets Out of Hand
PetMD: Pica in Dogs
Disclaimer: Dog training and behavior modification, particularly for challenges involving potential aggression (e.g., lunging, barking, growling, snapping, or biting), require in-person guidance from a qualified behavior professional. Online articles are for educational purposes only and do not replace personalized, professional intervention.
By using this information, you accept full responsibility for your dog’s actions and waive any liability claims related to their behavior. If your dog shows concerning behaviors, seek professional help immediately to ensure safety and proper care.
