Dogs are primarily carnivores (meat-eaters). Although they like to eat meat, they can also survive on a well-balanced vegetarian diet: Cats, on the other hand, may die without animal protein. Like all living creatures, dogs need a combination of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water in a balanced diet that provides enough calories to meet their daily needs.

We're not sure why your pup likes grass, although there have been many theories offered. Primarily, dogs are descended from wild canids (wolves and foxes), which ate the entire "kill" when they hunted for food. Since they consumed many herbivores (plant-eating animals), they wound up eating a lot of plants and even berries found in the stomach and intestines of their prey.
Interestingly, carnivores tend to go for the stomach and its contents first, so it's likely that dogs may eat grass because they like it and it was once part of their normal diet.

Then there is the great mystery: Do dogs eat grass to make themselves vomit? Or do they vomit because they eat the grass? Most veterinarians believe that dogs eat grass simply because they like it, and vomiting just naturally follows. When dogs eat grass, the grass acts as an irritant and causes vomiting. However, they may not be smart enough to use grass as a medicine when they have an upset stomach. That said, one of us has seem a dog with burrs stuck in his throat pounce on a Ficus plant and voraciously start scoffing great scads of leaves until he threw up, presumably in an attempt to dislodge the foreign material.

Some veterinarians believe that dogs eat grass because their prepared diets are lacking in greens and so they eat grass. And as some support of this contention, dogs sometimes seek out a particular variety of grass to nibble.

No matter what the reason, your dog's "grass" habit is normal behavior and you need not be concerned about it. A note of caution, however: Take care that your pet does not eat grass that has been treated with fertilizer, pesticides or herbicides. This could cause stomach upset or even worse problems for your dog.

But did you know that it could also cause a lot of serious health problems for your dog? Eating the stuffing in those pillows and sofa cushions can lead to serious gastro-intestinal problems. Painful splinters from chewed wood can cut your dog's gums or become deeply lodged in his paws or gums. Once swallowed, those buttons from your favorite cardigan sweater can become stuck in your dog's throat, causing him to choke.

Yes, dogs love to chew. It can be a very soothing activity that brings your dog a lot of comfort ... or a very dangerous one that threatens his very life. You can't change your dog's biology. The fact is, he's driven to chew.

What can you do?

Well, to begin with you can make the activity safe for him (and easier on you) by getting him his very own chew toy.

Every dog needs a great chew toy. It can bring your playful pup tons of fun! A good chew toy will satisfy his natural urge to chew, help keep his life interesting and keep him contentedly entertained for hours on end. It can also help break your dog of those destructive chewing behaviors.

When you're shopping for a good chew toy, choose wisely. The wrong chew toys could lead to serious health problems for your precious pup, including choking, gastro-intestinal blockages and painful dental damage. Here are some important safety tips for choosing chew toys.

• Size matters. Make sure the chew toy is the right size. Avoid toys that are small enough for your dog to swallow or too large for your pup to play with comfortably.

• No spare parts. Make sure the toy has no pieces that can be chewed off and swallowed. Don't buy toys with sewn-on eyes. Some dogs will even tear toys apart to find the squeakers inside ... and swallow them!

• The right stuff. If your dog tends to tear stuffed toys apart and eat the stuffing, look out! It can make him really sick. Look for durable toys that will be hard for your dog to chew apart.

• Get involved. When you first give your dog a new toy, supervise his play to make sure he plays with it appropriately.

• Keep it clean. Between the dirt and drool, your dog's chew toys can become pretty disgusting ... not to mention a natural breeding ground for unhealthy bacteria. Choose a toy that can be washed and keep it clean.

1. Puppies and juvenile dogs learn about their environment by mouthing and gnawing on objects. Typically the targets are random, and may include shoes, books or bedposts. Investigational or "play-related" destructiveness of this kind is a normal behavior for a growing dog.

2. Some adult dogs chew out of boredom or because they are upset when "abandoned" by their owners each morning. In frenzied efforts to escape the house or find her owner, a dog of this persuasion will dig and chew at doorways, windowsills and curtains. She may also search for shoes, pillows, purses and other personal items to chew on.

3. Other dogs may chew because they have a nervous personality or they have some phobia. If your dog suffers from thunder phobia, she can cause dramatic damage to your house on stormy days.  In addition to thunder, your dog may develop fears of fireworks, wind, and a variety of other noises.

4. Finally, dogs chew because it is "FUN".

60% of dogs sleep on the bed! Another 18% sleep elsewhere in the bedroom. Wow!

On the bed  60.25%
On the floor in the bedroom  17.55%
On the couch/sofa or special chair  8.63%
In a crate  6.17%
In another room  2.75%
In an area specifically for the dogs
 2.09%
Outside  1.33%
In the kitchen  0.95%
I don't know where my dog sleeps  0.28%

1. Blaming your farts on me..... not funny... not funny at all !!!

2. Yelling at me for barking. I'M A FRIGGIN' DOG

3. Taking me for a walk, then not letting me check stuff out. Exactly whose walk is this anyway?

4. Any trick that involves balancing food on my nose. Stop it!

5. Any haircut that involves bows or ribbons. Now you know why we chew your stuff up when you're not home.

6. The sleight of hand, fake fetch throw. You fooled a dog! Whoooo oooooooo what a proud moment for the top of the food chain.

7. Taking me to the vet for "the big snip", then acting surprised when I freak out every time we go back!

8. Getting upset when I sniff the crotches of your guests. Sorry, but I haven't quite mastered that handshake thing yet.

9. Dog sweaters. Hello ??? Haven't you noticed the fur?

10. How you act disgusted when I lick myself. Look, we both know the truth. You're just jealous.