I’m sure every owner has a vivid memory spring to mind of their dog doing an excellent impression of grazing cows at the hedge. It’s amazing how much enthusiasm and determination they have to eat as much of the herb as possible! But not to worry, dogs eating sticky weed is actually far more common than you’d think.
Although they aren’t genetically made to be herbivores, eating this type of grass can bring them a whole load of benefits. Whilst sticky weed is good for dogs to eat and perfectly common, it can also present a health warning sign. If your dog is eating sticky weed a lot, it can indicate that their body is not getting enough vitamins. Read on to find out more and learn the benefits of clivers for dogs.
What is stickyweed?
Sticky weed is a common herb that our dogs love to munch on. The proper name is Galium aparine, but most dog owners will know this by the term ‘sticky weed’. It also goes by the names cleavers, clivers, goosegrass, or even, (as described in Culpeper’s Complete Herbal book), ‘bed straw’! Sticky weed tends to flower in the months of March to August and grows in both dry and waterlogged soil.
Why do dogs eat stickyweed?
Have you noticed your dog is eating sticky weed and not sure why? When all the new shoots are fresh and at their most nutritious, dogs seem so transfixed on this herb. It is possible that when your dogs are eating clivers they are giving themselves a bit of a spring clean. But what’s more impressive is that naturally, they know this herb is beneficial for them at this time of the year.
The downside of clivers for dogs is that to benefit from the nutrients, it needs to be well broken down or pulped. This means they need to chew it very thoroughly, which dogs don’t tend to do! With advancements in modern-day herbal remedies for dogs, you can now buy dog supplements that are made with sticky weed. These are the most effective way for them to ingest and receive all the nutrients.
What dog supplements contain sticky weed?
At Dorwest Herbs, we’ve formulated the perfect all-round dog supplements that offer the essential benefits of sticky weed. Clivers is one of the ingredients in our Dorwest Keeper’s Mix and Keeper’s Mix Sensitive products.
These both come in powder form so that they can get absorbed into the body easily. As well as this, these herbal remedies for dogs include seven other fantastic herbs. You can also use these as dietary supplements for dogs to add to their food.
What are the benefits of dogs eating stickyweed?
According to Culpeper, it is thought to be excellent for:
- Cleansing the blood
- Strengthening the liver
- Getting the body in good health ready for the change in season.
In more scientific publications, clivers for dogs is stated to possess mild astringent properties. It contains anti-inflammatory iridoid glycosides and anthraquinones, which are diuretic. Its uses include:
- Ointments for burns and ulcers
- (In France) As a poultice for sores and blisters
- Maintain and mildly increase the flow of urine
- Keeps the kidneys and bladder functioning well
- Helps to flush toxins from the system
In other words…
…clivers alone are like a dog supplement! And who wouldn’t want all that goodness for their dog?
So next time you see your dog eating sticky weed, why not boost their immune system with a natural dog supplement? If it’s either of our Dorwest Keeper’s Mix products, your dog will receive far more nutrition for their body! As Herbal experts, we offer a selection of veterinary approved dietary supplements for dogs and cats. These are all made with natural herbs and ingredients to help support their every health need.
From clivers for dogs to shampoos, anxiety support and more, discover how our range of herbal remedies for dogs can help and build their immune systems.
To find out more about our herbal dog supplements, get in touch with our friendly team and call 01308 897272. You can also use our contact form or email [email protected] for further expert advice. Don’t forget you can get free UK delivery on all orders over £50!
32 thoughts on "Why is my dog eating ‘sticky weed’ (also known as clivers or goosegrass)?"
I’ve never seen my dogs eat it, but one of them grazes on cow parsley leaves when it first appears, and snatches different vegetation as we go along ….
We have tons of this at the moment and I would like to give it to the dogs as a vegetable. Do I cook it lightly or just chop it up raw?
Yes! You can chop it up and add it raw to the food. Our dog’s love it!
I,m well in to herbs in animal always used it on my horses but i never knew dogs liked sticky weed my gardens full of it cant keep it away my rottie wont touch it but my 10 yr old staffie we rescued 5 weeks ago today has been going mad for it hasnt eaten breakfast just that so i had to come search n make sure its ok glad i found this thanks guys n gals i,ll let her clear the garden of it lol
This is great – my greyhound has been cruising the hedgerows for cleavers recently and I wondered what it was good for – I trust them to know! Also he and my Eurasia bitch are harvesting one particular type of grass – again in the hedgerows – they aren’t interested in any other, must be a special spring tonic. Thanks for the background information.
Thank you for explaining about the sticky weed I have been chasing my whippets away from it. I will leave them to eat it now I know. Wish somebody could help me stop my five month old eating other dogs poo!!!!! Horrible
Hi – our Whippets love sticky weed so much! Poo eating can be for two main reasons, lack of vitamins and minerals – our Keeper’s Mix is great for ensuring they have all the vitamins and minerals they need (including clivers!) so you could try adding that tho their feed. The other reason is out of habit – obviously when they are very young pups they are used to their mother’s cleaning up after them and this can cause a habit. Most grow out of it quickly but sometimes it can just be a case of ensuring they don’t have access to eat it in their garden, this can help break the cycle/habit. Hope this helps! Thanks for commenting on our article 🙂
That’s interesting, generations of my labs have eaten this and also baby elm leaves. Any ideas about why they eat the baby elm? Thanks. Bx
This isn’t one we’ve heard of before – but we will look into it and let you know. – Ben
I seriously wondered why my Peppy is so obsessed with stickyweed on a walk! Now I know he can munch on it ill leave him too it! Although he does have keepers mix every other day!
My dogs never eat cleavers but they are obsessed with the fresh green shoots of Dogs Mercury, which from my research is extremely poisinous! It certainly works as a powerful emetic……in spite of our vigilance on walks in the woods we soon know if one of the dogs has managed to snatch a bit as within minutes they are violently sick…….however this does not deter them and if we aren’t careful they will graze on it with gusto!
Any ideas why?
We have had the same problem with five dogs, different breeds all attracted to it like magnets all year round, but particularly in spring when the green shoots are fresh and clearly more potent, it grows in woodland often alongside wild garlic.