The first snow fall is the sign that the fun winter activities of dog owner and pet is about to begin. The four legged friend will be comfortable in the near freezing temperature as it will be fully insulated by the thick fur. Sledding and tobogganing – the pet will be a most entertaining companion. Most dog owners though would be concerned about the pet’s inclination to eat snow. Although the habit to eat snow would be much better than eating rotting animals and feces, eating snow cannot be totally danger free. People love eating snow topped with brightly colored fruit flavored syrup.

Snow with fresh or candied fruit toppings is also a favorite dessert. Apparently dogs do have many similarities with their human friends as these animals love eating snow too. Dogs are not fastidious eaters as they would love to eat even unflavored snow. Haven’t you ever wondered why the dog loves to eat snow? Does the dog turns to snow because the water bowl is always empty?

By eating snow, dogs in the wild have survived the winter months when the rivers and streams are frozen. Modern day dogs don’t need to fend for themselves as the owners provide the pet with all its basic needs as well as all the comforts imaginable. Dogs though are very curious animals. The glistening snow would not fail to catch the attention of the inquisitive dog. The freshness of the snow on the warm tongue as well as the crunching sound will motivate the dog to get another mouthful. Because snow eating is not dangerous, the dog owner would not prevent a pet that seems to get so much pleasure from eating snow.

If the dog’s stomach is filled with snow, the dog’s body temperature will be lowered. This will trigger a shivering reflex that may lead to hypothermia. The dog’s habit of eating snow can have another dangerous effect – poisoning. Instead of being topped with brightly colored and fruit flavored syrup like the snow people love to eat, the dog may be eating snow topped with anti freeze or other toxic substances. Snow eating for the dog can result to poisoning.

A dog that has the tendency to eat snow may be suffering from a health concern. The dog’s propensity to ingest snow may be due to an undiagnosed health concern like kidney or thyroid disease. Dogs are voracious eaters but Cushing’s disease and diabetes will increase the dog’s inclination to eat. These medical concerns have to be addressed to curb the dog’s inclination to eat snow.

At Sarah’s Dogs you can learn more about why dogs eat snow as well as dog first aid and other common dog behaviors.