Why Do Dogs Consume Dirt?

Nutritional Deficiencies

[{"selector":"#anim-4d5f2bcf-86ad-44aa-b374-6273a626a6ff","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-11af9726-d717-4058-92cf-5e1183fc9c25","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0d38325e-0c55-46f6-83dd-c6a27366d130","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.00000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8ac7f645-4891-421f-b1e5-2ef21df89f96","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9f1c983b-47bf-47b6-95ce-f616cbc6a11c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(98.48484%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":250,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 01 Dogs may eat dirt to compensate for a lack of certain minerals or nutrients in their diet.

Lack of Stimulation

[{"selector":"#anim-20e0a1fb-62ef-49e5-9e3e-9e6d4ca4deda","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c02317ae-4623-47c3-b3fb-b37f3def9507","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7dd8be7f-7e19-42a3-8e1e-18c8d00d6a9b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.00000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-01fdc387-b53f-4db6-9af9-6fb38a94c182","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1818e70c-7280-4968-9ed4-4504921ad115","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.00000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":250,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 02 Dogs may resort to eating dirt out of boredom or as a way to entertain themselves.

Natural Instincts

[{"selector":"#anim-193598d7-a96d-45f9-bccd-c454050989fc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-93ca0d8c-503f-4af9-8b37-f424cd73a8bd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bbd624b4-5f98-47d5-a98a-0b8b0406c0d2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.00000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-10121efc-b786-4f26-b3e1-b2c44fceffe9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e884aa93-1ebf-410e-8280-c0d487e5f506","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.00000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":250,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 03 Dogs have a natural inclination to explore their environment with their mouths, and this may include sampling and ingesting dirt.

Pica Behavior

[{"selector":"#anim-1a20552d-e176-44ae-af4c-12919403c9f9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2661a112-56d9-4e69-87cb-88187f5fda32","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a15b665f-e7c4-4ba7-88aa-a06be5505f32","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.00000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e70c7df3-90a0-41f9-ad59-d52d6adb4118","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5181310a-a5c2-4241-805e-bd724383e236","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.00000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":250,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 04 Pica refers to the consumption of non-food items, including dirt, which can be caused by behavioral or medical issues.

Digestive Upset

[{"selector":"#anim-aafaed0c-f523-47d7-95e8-65f188e815cc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-33b8249f-8a01-4d02-b8d8-40112ce8946a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0ec4115a-a479-421b-b6db-e9fc9b1ef38e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.00000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c04e2b86-eca6-46b2-a9ca-19a657c88541","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-670d6dd1-6ee8-4a83-87f8-cb20cc543ffb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.00000%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":250,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 05 In some cases, dogs may eat dirt as a way to soothe an upset stomach or to induce vomiting.