My dog is tearing up the lawn and eating slugs. 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 :)

This may be simply because they're Terriers. That's what Terriers do, dig in search of vermin to kill. Eating the soil and grass is a little more concerning. If they are actually ingesting it, they could have a mineral deficiency and instinctively they are trying to correct it. I recommend getting them to your vet for an exam and bloodwork. If that comes out normal, then behavior is a more likely culprit. In that case, consider consulting with a trainer that specializes in behavioral problems. Your veterinarian can probably recommend one.

Your dog may be licking the grass because he enjoys the taste of it, or something on the grass itself. Some dogs eat grass because they don't feel well, while others just like the taste. I'm not clear on what you mean that he gets stuck in the movement, if you mean that his tongue gets stuck outside his mouth? Is be happy to consult with you about that to get more information, or you could post again with more detail. As for destroying things while you are gone, it sounds like your dog has separation anxiety. I would recommend getting a crate for your dog and putting him in it when you leave. It will give him a safe, secure spot when you are gone. You will have to train him to get used to it, and I recommend speaking to your vet for tips on how to do it. You can also try a pheromone diffuser called DAP that works with dogs who have anxiety.

Eating grubs and not eating a complete nutritional diet is going to cause some malnutrition issues for your pet Maddie. I would highly recommend not leaving her outside and brining her indoors to stop this unwanted habit. Also you do have the option of making her an enclosure outside that does not allow her access to the soil. Perhaps a cemented enclosure that will keep her away from the grubs. You can also look into extermination companies that may be able to rid your yard of these pests altogether. Another option is to work with a trainer to see if you can train the habit out of her. I hope this helps and best of luck getting Maddie to once again eat her dog food on a consistent basis. Best wishes and take care.

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.

Pets will eat grass when they are either bored or have an upset stomach. By eating the grass it will tickle their throat on the way down and usually cause them to vomit up whatever is upsetting their stomach. If Riley isn't vomiting or has a decreased appetite, then he is likely just bored. I would however refrain him from eating grass, to prevent him from having any vomiting episodes. Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach, and I hope that Riley continues to do well. Best wishes and take care.

Try keeping a toy or something that makes noise with you (you can put some pennies or pebbles into an empty soda or tin can and tape it closed to make a shake can that you can rattle or drop next to her to startle her into stopping) when you go outside with her. When she starts to eat weeds, squeak the toy or clap your hands to make noise to distract her from what she is doing and tell her 'drop it' or 'leave it'. As soon as she stops what she's doing give her a treat or the toy to play with. Over time this should give her the idea that she gets a nice treat when she listens to you when you ask her to stop. If she does not stop you may need to take her outside only on a leash so you can control her trying to eat weeds until you can break her of the habit. Some species of plants can be highly toxic to dogs (lilies, sago palm are two common toxic landscape plants) so teaching her to stop is a good thing.