On animal cops, a horse that ate soil died from it. At least a pound requires medical attention, I would think….it’s free to call your vet and just ask, plus maybe the vet can tell you if he’s lacking in any nutrients..

garden soil is, well fertilized by worms so it has bacteria in it..it is harmful to animals that consume it please call your vet.

it doesnt matter if its organic soil or not..soil is not digestable in dogs.

he eats trees?…? what?

Either your dog is eating a crappy food, isn’t eating enough food, or is completely bored. So you either need to feed your dog a better food, feed your dog more food, or give your dog something else to do that will keep him entertained while he’s in the yard.

soil has a lotttt of bacteriaaa and dirt is actually cow poop

edit: hahah maybe i am
but still it has a lot of bacteria

get him medical attention quickly!

most of the animals eat soil or grass or leaves, when they feel some stomach ailments. i guess its better for u to take her to the vet.

dogs like to eat strange things…try to give him plenty of HIS food and GOOD things to chew (raw hide, pigs ears, etc…) sometimes it’s a good thing to keep him occupied with a ‘chore’ or ‘job’….(dogs, like people, like things to do..)

i don’t know, is he stupid? hehe. .nah jk just bring him to a vet

He’s missing minerals in his diet. That why they start eating strange things.

Dogs do this usually because they are craving the minerals in the soil, but also because they can have an enzyme problem ( digestive ). You should consult a vet about it. It can cause worms as well. Whatever you do, do not let your dog eat potting soil or fertilizer. It can kill him and this happens too often.

he has a small vitamin or mineral deficiency. some eat dirt, grass, feces, chew rocks…etc.
he is trying to make up for it by eating the soil….
just give a multivitamin for dogs…he wont feel as compelled to eat strange things…..

LOL! I think our dogs are related… well, in a way they are
The organic soil has decomposed vegetation that dogs LOVE! Some of ours eat worms, they dig them up, roll in them then eat them!

Just a question, do you give them carrots and other veggies? Add some to their food, or give for treats and see if this might help curb it just a tad. You can also add some kelp to their diet, as well. Is it just the pup? You may find that it’s seasonal, too, as our dogs only do it in the late Spring.

Here’s a link to the benefits of Kelp (I add it to our raw diet for the dogs)

I use to have a geman sheapard that ate glass bottles, so I dont think it’s unusual for a malmute to eat potting soil, and the nitrates in it are probably what he is after, they eat everything, including crap out of a litter box, if you have a cat, so I would just keep an eye on him, and read the potting soil bag, just to make sure.

Yum!! I’d say keep a close eye on him. If he’s not throwing up, acting lethargic, or anything like that he’ll probably process it just fine. Call your vet if you’re concerned.
As for the reason why he’s eating these things, he might be missing something in his diet… or he might be a silly dog that thinks anything outside is food just because it smells good. Try distracting him from eating outside materials (it won’t kill him if he does… but you never know what could have been on that tree or in that mud) and make sure he has a well balanced diet.

Strange tastes I guess. I would keep an eye on him tomorrow, to see if he acts ok. Make sure it passes through ok. He wants to chew on something. Give him a rawhide bone or an old leather boot. Be sure he also eats his dogfood, it has nutrients he needs.
I think he will outgrow it.

your pooch probably has some vitamin or mineral deficiency.many animals instinctively eat grass or soil of sorts to fill those needs. You should probably check his dietary needs.ie vitamins ,minerals etc

soil based organisms (SBOs) that our dog’s wild ancestors would have gotten from eating organic grass and soil to replenish the micro-flora that our dogs require. Now, with fertilizers and other chemicals prevalent in the grass our dogs frequent, it is up to us to supply our dogs with SBOs

Geophagy:

Geophagy is the practice of eating earthy or soil-like substances such as clay, and chalk, in order to obtain essential nutrients such as sulfur and phosphorus from the soil. It is closely related to pica, a classified eating disorder in the DSM-IV characterized by abnormal cravings for nonfood items.
The many possible health benefits of geophagy remain under study and are much debated. Many scientists believe that it is only harmful, while others argue that there may be adaptive benefits to the practice, since humans and animals alike have engaged in it for thousands of years.

Article:
A 19-year-old girl in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has eaten approximately 1,500 kilograms of mud over the years.
Bao Bao likes the taste of mud and began eating it as a 7-year-old. She soon found that if she didn’t have her daily mud ration she wouldn’t feel well.
She is healthy and doctors cannot explain her mud fetish.

Article:
Cultures worldwide have practiced geophagy for centuries, from the ancient Greeks to Native Americans. In most places the habit is limited to women, especially women who are pregnant or of childbearing age.

hey shelby - remember not long ago i had the same trouble with my old Aussie, Bandit? a trip to the vet confirmed that although i feed a quality food (CANIDAE) the cancer Bandit has is using up the nutrients that he was actually getting back from our soil.
the vet put him on a supplemental vitamin and he hasn’t snacked on our yard since.

puppies eat and drink anything dirt trees,mudd and rocks.
They are immature and are trying everything like small kids do…everyone knows that kids put everyting in thier mouths.
I tried putting lge rocks in the planters but he still kept licking…for some reason it only lasted 4 weeks…he is malamute/wolf so he is a bit different than a dog a tad more intelligenyt so when it comes to him realizing ..why am I eating this? He smartened up.
Regarding the chemicals in the soil if he has the runs continually he will dehydrated. Watch and make sure he doesn’t become lathargic or vomits…
maybe a online chat with a vet from Drsfostersmith.com
they are greaty in a pinch and knowledgeable.