Loves eating mud

[nobarkus]

Anybody's B eat mud? I take Buddy to the dog park and I can't deter him from going to this spot that has damp dirt and he eats away. Even on walks if there's any he wants to just stop and eat any damp/wet dirt. When I went on line to research you get all kinds of opinions that it's behavior to lack of nutrients. I feed him very expensive food, a probiotic and salmon oil. Maybe I'll try a supplement and see what happens. He's been eating the grass on walks too. He's energetic, no diarrhea or throwing up.

[lvoss]

My dogs will eat only dirt in specific places. Like the park that also serves as the elementary school field. You would think the dirt there was steeped in bacon grease. Of course, with all those kids dropping all the lunch bits on it, well, I guess it is kind of steeped in food. They don't usually do it anywhere else but every so often there will be a spot where they catch a scent and start digging and then biting the dirt in search of something they think is edible.

[Benkura]

When we walk our Bs along our single track road, there is always muddy verges etc. The Bs always take the opportunity to grab a mouthful while walking by.

[thunderbird8588]

See Dan, you could ditch the expensive food and feed him mud,lol.
Our Benji used to dig out bits from around the grid in the garden and eat it. He also used to freak me out by eating this horrible rotting cow muck that was left in a heap on this particular walk.
All our Dogs and Cats have eaten grass, one theory i have heard is that they do it to purge their systems. However they are not often sick after eating so i think they just do it because they like it.

[nobarkus]

LOL, I was trying to get him to stop and and lady at the park says "you're trying to get a Basenji to obey the word "no"! I was joking with her saying that I could save money on food by just feeding him mud. I had a RW that loved fresh green horse poop, which I think a lot of dogs like. Of course he'd eat a dead, flat dried up bird too. The dirt here is clay so maybe that's a delicacy to a Basenji.

[renaultf1]

All 3 of mine are "cow" basenjis - they love to eat grass, and not just to get themselves sick. Liyah loves to eat mud. I've never worried about it…Ruby and Brando always are right on the scene as soon as she looks to be really enjoying it, but they both look at her as if to say, "what's so great about that?". They don't seem to enjoy the delicacy.

[Basenjimamma]

Otis will eat the weirdest things too, I don't think it has to do with lack of nutrients by all means, just that the dirt is yummy..If he was showing symtoms of stomach trouble, or eating anything in site yet loosing weight there might be something going on, but I think it has something to do with the fact that they are in control..they can eat it if they want to..
Otis favorite is chicken poo..yuk..and grass..

[nobarkus]

LOL, looks like our B's all have "mud" on their menus.

[snorky998]

At my house, sun warmed potted plant dirt.

[nobarkus]

@snorky998:

At my house, sun warmed potted plant dirt.

Potted plant dirt? With fertilizer in it?

[snorky998]

HELL NO!!!:eek:

I don't allow any chemicals used where the dogs may be–inside or outside.

This can be a spring/summer/fall nightmare some years as I also have as a passion multiple gardens specifically for birds and butterflies. The DH starts growing in the basement in February, transplants in the spring, and I weed and water all 9 flower beds all summer long.

We use water and nature to help us (lady bugs, mantis, nematodes, etc., that we order and release)to control the local pests.

[nobarkus]

@snorky998:

HELL NO!!!:eek:

I don't allow any chemicals used where the dogs may be–inside or outside.

This can be a spring/summer/fall nightmare some years as I also have as a passion multiple gardens specifically for birds and butterflies. The DH starts growing in the basement in February, transplants in the spring, and I weed and water all 9 flower beds all summer long.

We use water and nature to help us (lady bugs, mantis, nematodes, etc., that we order and release)to control the local pests.

Reason I was asking that is because I don't pot any plants in plain dirt. You don't amend the soil?

[MacPack]

Mine all (especially Topper) eat mud and dirt at the dog park, but nowhere else. Funny how his poop will look just like the mud the next day.

[nobarkus]

@MacPack:

Mine all (especially Topper) eat mud and dirt at the dog park, but nowhere else. Funny how his poop will look just like the mud the next day.

That's funny Ann because I just had Buddy out for a walk and yesterday's mud meal came out and it looked just like the mud he gobbled at the dog park. There were all these dogs to play with and he kept going to that mud hole gulping it down like it was chocolate fudge.

[Vicki]

Yes, mud and soil conditioner that has mushroom compost in it. I find big chunks of both in the house from time to time.

[nobarkus]

LOL, I have had Basenjis in the 70s, 80's and early 90's with no internet and the things I learn on this forum.

[-ClarEmmKai-]

Our B Kairoe, has a flavour for ants!! One day at the dog park, I noticed him hunched over a dirt patch eating dirt, so I walked over to inspect the mud and noticed that he was chasing and eating the ants. I read somewhere that many animals including B's, will eat ants if they're in need of water or are hungry. Either way, I had the water and he was a couple hours away from feeding but I think the ants tasted better!

Some of the other owners of different breeds at the park have the same scenario but we noticed that the dogs were eating the sweet tasting roots…

[nobarkus]

@-Clar|Emm|Kai-:

Our B Kairoe, has a flavour for ants!! One day at the dog park, I noticed him hunched over a dirt patch eating dirt, so I walked over to inspect the mud and noticed that he was chasing and eating the ants. I read somewhere that many animals including B's, will eat ants if they're in need of water or are hungry. Either way, I had the water and he was a couple hours away from feeding but I think the ants tasted better!

Some of the other owners of different breeds at the park have the same scenario but we noticed that the dogs were eating the sweet tasting roots…

LOL, eating ants is new one I have not heard about.

[snorky998]

@nobarkus:

Reason I was asking that is because I don't pot any plants in plain dirt. You don't amend the soil?

Only with our own home made compost, and for the house plants that's only every 4-5 years or so.

[Vicki]

Aren't you concerned about your dogs eating dirt at a dog park?
I think dog parks and highway rest stops are the dirtiest places to allow dogs to play - my vet agrees with me and discourages her clients from visiting either. I don't want my dogs in an area where other dogs are peeing and poo'ing - dogs can contact whipworms and Lord knows what else.