A 6-stage overall program to prevent your dog from eating dirt
dog! We love them, care for them, and sometimes we wonder if their habits are so different from ours.
While it is rare to see a person’s head eating mud or garden beds in a planter, many dogs do just that.
Naturally, you might think that something is missing in your dog’s diet. Others will ask whether eating filth is a sign of indigestion, toxicity, or a bad habit shaped from boredom.
If your dog is a dirt eater, my plan is to take you six simple steps to help you stop your dog’s habits. So there’s no need to worry.
important: Make sure your dog friends do not eat the soil while you go through the elimination process.
Step 1 – Make sure the minerals are gone
Step 1 – Make sure the minerals are gone
Most animals know what is good for them through intuition. When it comes to eating dirt, it is very likely that your dog is trying to replenish the minerals he is lacking or neutralize toxic substances in his body.
Minerals usually need to be collected from food, but given the level of intensive agriculture and soil depletion and the questionable quality of pet food ingredients, it is not surprising that defects and toxicity are very common conditions.
To find out what your dog is missing, you can test your dog’s hair with a very accurate plasma induction method. Dog hair is soaked in the plasma of the body and contains minerals.
Although mineral plasma levels fluctuate, these minerals are sealed in dog hair and can be measured with very high accuracy. In a way, your dog’s hair is a time capsule of his or her nutritional history.
Step 2 – Detoxify the system and provide minerals
At this point you have the option to wait for the results of your hair test or start a best friend with herbal liver detox, river tun, and plant-based mineral supplements. If your dog stops eating dirt, it means toxicity and deficiency are the main issues. If the habit continues, follow these steps:
Step 3 – Exclude indigestion
The second most likely cause of eating dirt is indigestion. If your dog is eating kibble, I would recommend you switch to either cooked or raw food.
Kibble, similar to human processed foods, is far from what nature intended. Even if it is made from the purest quality ingredients, it is just the fact that processed dog food will become sour and lose its nutritional value for months, and sometimes years.
To learn more about how to supply your dog with raw or cooked meals, sign up for our free raw and cooked diet courses.
Step 4 – Fix Vitamin Defects and Rebalance the Intestinal
Indigestion and feeding soils can be caused by vitamin deficiencies, especially B complexes and vitamin B12, as well as intestinal imbalances. Intestinal imbalances can be corrected by advanced dog probiotics.
The paradox is that while all-natural, food-based vitamins help to cope with soil feeding, the majority of vitamins are synthetic and can exacerbate soil feeding habits.
Step 5 – Check out other underlying issues
If your dog continues to eat dirt when completing steps 1-3, we highly recommend that you perform a more comprehensive blood test, including complete blood count, chemistry, urine tests, pancreas, thyroid, and adrenal tests.
This helps to identify underlying conditions such as: Hypothyroidism, Pancreatitis, Addison’s disease, Cushing’s diseaseand other health conditions.
Step 6 – Help your dog stay active and happy
If all the tests return clearly, your dog is likely to be an obsessive soil eater. In this case, it is recommended to find an experienced animal homeopath, a Bach flower practitioner, or herbalist to balance the dog’s body.
Boredom can be a factor. If your dog likes to be around other dogs, then play and parking time is a way to go. All dogs should take a walk for at least 2-45 minutes. If you live in an area that is too cold, but too cold, safe play is a great way to occupy your dog and keep him happy.
Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM
