My Miniature Schnauzers dig and eat grass and dirt. Is this normal?

It's quite common for dogs to eat grass on walks - of my three dogs, two of them eat grass every time I take them outside. Although it can be a sign of nausea or GI discomfort in some cases, in many dogs it's perfectly normal behavior that doesn't mean anything is wrong at all. As long as Bruno is acting fine otherwise, it doesn't sound like this is any cause for concern :)

If your dog is tearing up the grass to try and get at vermin (or slugs), treating your lawn to remove the vermin and slugs will likely solve the issue. Taking Goku out on leashed potty walks and exercising him elsewhere can also help prevent him from focusing on the grass, as well as monitoring and redirecting his behavior when you see him do it.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This can sometimes point out the possibility of a gastrointestinal condition and just like you pointed out it can be some lack of a nutrient or something in the diet. I think a good place to start would be changing his diet to something else to see if that makes a difference. If no difference is noted, I recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Otherwise, start by changing his diet to something like a Purina Pro Plan or Hill's Science Diet product that tend to be very complete diets. Also, try to avoid him eating the sand as that could result in gastrointestinal upset or obstruction. Good luck!

Have Madu examined by your veterinarian. Blood work may diagnose anemia or a mineral deficiency. Other causes include simple boredom, inadequate nutrition or he likes the taste. Review his diet with your vet, provide more exercise and playtime during the day with him and provide toys as distractions.

It sounds like this may be a learned behavior for him since he is on a good quality diet and nutritional deficiencies are unlikely. I would recommend distracting him with some play time with his favorite toy in the morning when he tends to do this so you are not giving him attention (even though it is negative attention) for eating the dirt. In order to completely stop this behavior you may need to prevent his access to the dirt by putting something like a basket muzzle on him.

This is not normal for a puppy. He may be doing it out of boredom, curiosity or in an attempt to correct a nutritional imbalance. Restrict access to areas where there is dirt if possible. Monitor him for inappropriate licking and correct the behavior immediately. Provide a toy or task as a distraction. If he complies, praise and reward him. If possible, transition him slowly to a better quality puppy food. If the behavior persists, he will need to be examined by your veterinarian.

Some dogs like to eat grass! As long as they have good appetites (for dog food!) and are not frequent vomiters, there is nothing wrong with eating grass. I do recommend that Chopi is routinely dewormed for common intestinal parasites (often included in monthly heartworm preventatives) and that you do not treat your grass with any chemicals.