Can dogs eat leaves, and why is your dog eating them?

The colder months bring with them fresh joys and challenges. But while the cold, dark weather is difficult, at least we get plenty of colours to enjoy on our walks, whether it’s through the local park, a leafy street, or your local woodland.

But if your dog likes to eat pretty much anything, then you may find them wanting to sample all of those tasty-looking, jam-coloured fallen leaves. Is this a problem? Why do dogs try to eat them, even though they probably know they do nothing for them, and should you be worried?

Here, we discuss why your dog sees autumn and winter as a chance to dine on leaves and what you can do to divert their attention.

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Can dogs eat leaves?

No. Dogs may try to eat leaves, and while it seems like it’s harmless (a bit like eating a small amount of grass), leaves aren’t great for dogs to eat.

Is it dangerous?

Yes, it could be. Leaves carry a lot of potential risks, like:

Chemical exposure

This is rare, but it’s still a real risk. Sometimes, gardeners can cover leaves with herbicides, pesticides, and other harmful chemicals, especially in public areas. If your dog eats these, they can cause negative short-term and long-term effects.

Intestinal blockage

Dogs can’t really digest leaves, especially large volumes of them. Too many eaten leaves can lead to a blockage in your dog’s digestive tract, which is a serious medical emergency.

Toxicity

Numerous common plants - some of which we’ve listed in our pet poisons guide - are toxic to dogs. If they eat the leaves, it can lead to health issues, which can be severe in some cases.

Vomiting and diarrhoea

Leaves, even if they’re non-toxic, can irritate your dog’s stomach, leading to symptoms like diarrhoea and vomiting.

While a few, small leaves probably aren’t anything to panic about, you should try to avoid making leaf-eating a habit; it’s a needless risk, and could indicate your dog’s struggling with a deeper problem.

Why is my dog eating leaves?

So, while leaves have barely any nutritional value, wild dogs and wolves still eat them when they can’t find meat, so there is an element that your dog may just be hungry.

But this is unlikely to be the case in modern, domesticated dogs, especially if you’re feeding yours a balanced diet.

Possible reasons why your dog eats leaves include:

Attention-seeking

If you give your dog a lot of fuss or attention when they’re eating leaves, or have played a game with them involving leaves before, then you may have accidentally positively reinforced the behaviour.

Even shouting or scolding may reward an attention-seeking dog, accidentally encouraging them. This all means your dog will eat or play with leaves for attention or play.

Boredom or anxiety

Eating things like leaves compulsively can indicate your dog is bored or has a deeper issue, like anxiety.

Interest

Younger dogs and puppies explore the world through their nose and mouths, so they can eat leaves as a way of “testing out” what they are.

Nausea

Much like eating grass, dogs will sometimes instinctively eat leaves in an attempt to reduce their upset tummy symptoms or cause vomiting.

Nutritional needs

Dogs may seek out the fibre and other nutrients in leaves that they’re not getting in food. This can be rare, though, especially if you’re feeding your dog a balanced diet.

Pica

This is where a dog obsessively eats non-edible items. It’s usually a sign of a deeper behavioural or mental health issue.

In short, there are lots of reasons why your dog may be eating leaves. It’s important to consider if they have any other symptoms alongside their eating. If they do, or if you can’t get them to stop, then visiting a vet is the next call.

Do most dogs try to eat leaves?

We wouldn’t say most dogs, but it’s certainly a common behaviour in both domestic and wild dogs. We wouldn’t panic if your dog has an occasional nibble - it’s when it becomes a habit that problems occur.

How to stop your dog from eating leaves

You’ll need a mix of basic command training, patience, and positive reinforcement.

Address potential boredom

If you think boredom is the reason for your dog’s leaf eating, you can try making your home life more mentally stimulating for them. Our enrichment ideas for dogs can help here.

Avoidance

Sometimes, dogs will be attracted to leaves in very specific places, like a specific woodland walk or park, but will ignore them elsewhere. You can try simply avoiding these areas or choosing pathways without much foliage.

Commands

Basic commands like a simple, confident “no” or “leave it” and removing the leaf or redirecting your dog’s attention will work. Consistency and patience are essential here - train your dog with the command when you’re not on your walk and then practice it during them.

Positive reinforcement

This is the most important part of training your dog. You should never punish them as this could create anxiety and accidentally make behavioural issues worse. Instead, always positively reinforce the behaviour you want them to do with praise or treats.

Whenever you successfully divert attention away from a leaf or when your dog isn’t eating one on your walk, you should praise or give them a treat.

This builds an association in their heads that not eating leaves brings about good outcomes, which means they’re more likely to repeat that behaviour in the future.

We explain how you can do it in our positive reinforcement training guide.

Redirection

During walks, redirecting your dog’s attention away from leaves, like giving the leash a light tug or using a toy, can break the habit of eating them.

When to see a vet

You should see a vet if you suspect your dog is dealing with a blockage, choking or poisoning.

Signs of a blockage or choking

• Abdominal pain or tenderness

• Blue or pale gums

• Collapse or erratic movements

• Constipation

• Diarrhoea

• Difficulty breathing

• Excessive drooling

• Lethargy

• Loss of appetite or refusal to eat and drink

• Panic

• Persistent gagging

• Persistent pawing at the mouth

• Restlessness

• Visible choking

• Vomiting

• Weakness

Signs of poisoning

You should see a vet or call the Animal PoisonLine immediately if your dog:

• Has continuous vomiting or diarrhoea

• Has a painful, bloated, or hard abdomen

• Is straining or unable to pass stool (a sign of a potential blockage)

• Shows signs of severe illness (like collapse, seizures, severe weakness)

If possible, keep a sample of the leaves they ate and take them with you - this is helpful if a vet suspects poisoning.

These aren’t exhaustive symptoms, so please see your vet if you’re worried and notice one or more concerning signs.

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