There’s an old wives’ tale that the reason dogs eat grass is because they have an upset stomach and that eating grass will make them throw up, taking care of the nausea and remedying their problem. Sometimes this really is why your dog runs out the door and heads for a blade of grass. Dogs know that grass works by tickling the insides of their stomachs, making them vomit. Remember the last time that you were sick to your stomach? Didn’t you feel much better after you were finally able to throw up? Fido does too.

But what about a dog who doesn’t have an upset stomach; why would he eat grass? No, it’s not because he’s a vegetarian, but he could be treating your lawn like a salad bar as part of a balanced diet. Seriously. Your dog mostly eats dry dog food, right? Just like humans need their fruits and veggies, especially greens, so too do dogs need greens for proper nutrition.