Vitamins and fibre

Please does anyone know the best way to tell if a dog needs more of certain vitamins and/or fibre in their diet? I have read that grass has very little nutritional benefit but contains some A and D vitamins, which am wondering if is why my dog won't leave it alone. She should be getting everything from her food but am sure needs more of something Any help or advice most welcome(am close to wits end)
Many thanks
H

My dogs like to munch on the new fresh spring grass, thankfully its not jucy enough for them to be grazing like a pair of daft sheep
But they only do it once a year - so I wouldnt think it is a neutrient problem more that they just like it

as for fiber - dogs dont really need fiber in the way we do, in natural fed dogs and wild wolves the 'fiber' in their poo is really just undigested bone and even some fur and feathers

Dogs cant really digest grass (as what comes out the other end proves - ewww) tbh I think we will never really know why some dogs graze, some dont, and some do sometimes
They might be hungry, bored, curious, missing something from their diet - or they may just like doing it

Thankyou, i think it's definately something that's missing from diet. There have/are issues with behaviour but have tried to change our walk to see if changed anything n it has helped(it's driving me nuts not knowing or being able to find out what's going on ).

Sometimes if a dog is getting anal gland problems the vet will advise additional fibre in the form of All bran or similar. You start off with a few sprinkles in tbeir food & over period of time get it up to couple teaspoons per day depending on dog size

Ours eat grass too. Have you tried distraction?

Dogs eat grass because they like it, especially at this time of year. When I was judging last week several dogs munched their way around a search square for 5 mins when they should have been searching for artlcles.

Why does it bother you so much?

I'm the same with my dog. He didn't used to do it, but after watching a doggy friend lick the dew off some grass he decided to eat it. Since then he will eat any long grass he can get to. I always thought it just made them sick??? So I tend to tell him to leave it, but have had to pull him away in the past as he will walk away from the bit he is eating to another section! Little so and so...
If it is fine for him to do and not going to make him sick I may just ignore it and see if he stops of his own accord.

Thankyou for your replies, I have tried distraction(tried everything), it bothers me because it makes her really sick and sets her stomach problems off, also a lot of places are sprayed with weedkillers/pesticides. Things have been better since finding a new place to walk, not so many opportunities for mischief and is relaxing rather than stressful, which is a very good thing.

Does your dog play?

DOes it only happen when you take her out, not at home?

If so & i didnt want her to do it, i would try to find something for her to focus on instead. Ours are very ball orientated. If i were to take a ball & throw it, they would stop whatever to chase it. Has she a fav toy you could take out with you?

You could try, when she starts eating grass, you called her name - make sure heard you & then you run Or walked off fast in opposite direction so that she follows you, other than that for a while you could try walking her on a long line where you have better control over what shes doing. If shes spending her walks eating grass, it wont make a huge amout of difference for a while until you can condition her to do otherwise. If she stops to chomp, call her & gently pull her away with a reward of lots of fuss

Think i would go back to the vet & ask him for further advice re her digestion.

As a matter of interest what are you feeding & how often?

I always thought one of the reasons a dog eats grass is because it has an upset bilious stomach and is trying to induce being sick to relieve it. Is her diet agreeing with her and is she being sick because of eating grass or eating grass to be sick!