Why does she want to do this???

[nicky]

Not sure if anyone can answer this but Betty has developed a strange attraction. I have two fushia plants in the garden and Betty keeps going up to them and sniffing them. Now the flowers are finishing and are leaving a kind of berry on the plant and I have caught her trying to eat these. I have stopped her from doing this and have removed all the berries but I just wondered if anyone could tell me what the attraction is and why she has done this.
Maybe I just have a budding gardener in Betty ;D

Nicky

[Ian]

See uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070806104725AARiNuU there are two links here which say the berries are non-toxic, however I'd go with caution and stop Betty from eating them. Sean only seems to have interest in plants if he has a spot of 'Gandis revenge' going on in his belly. But I think that's probably because some plants may have a soothing affect on the problem, any plants consumed just pass straight through harmlessly and he has no sickness, he seems to know what to eat. I would guess in this case though that Betty thinks the berries are a tasty treat, just like that bit of rotton old Pizza someones discarded on the pavement.

[nicky]

Thanks Mark. I have stopped her eating them but I was just intrigued why she wanted to. She usually ignores stuff when we are out and only eats grass in the garden occassionally. I know a lot of garden plants are poisonous (more than most people realise) through my floristry.
Maybe she's trying to tell me she wants more treats ;D

[davidbailey]

Mark Wilson wrote: " Sean only seems to have interest in plants if he has a spot of 'Gandis revenge' going on in his belly. But I think that's probably because some plants may have a soothing affect on the problem, any plants consumed just pass straight through harmlessly and he has no sickness, he seems to know what to eat."

I agree with Mark that dog's appear to know what to eat and avoid. My own dogs have eaten many different plants over the years, including Willow for its aspirin content, and a very sticky plant that Fonzie consumes with relish every time we pass by a little patch close to my house. ( I have no idea what it's called)

I go along with the thinking they know better than I so I have always let them go ahead and eat what they think will do them good. So far that plan has worked. Lol

[yvonned]

David I think the plant you are talking about is goosegrass or another of its names is sticky willy. Cassie loves it too. Apparently you can roast and grind the seeds and use them as a substitute for coffee so Fonzie beware you may have competition.
Two of our Dobies used to eat the orange flowers of Berberis Darwini a shrub with small dark green spikey leaves that I wouldn't cut without wearing gloves.

[davidbailey]

Thanks for that Yvonned. I looked up goosegrass and the title read: "Herbal Simples - Plants That Heal"

So it seems our dog's are a lot cleverer than we think.

[yvonned]

Yes I think our dogs are clever, I'm better trained than Cass is and she never took me to classes!