Help! Why Does My Dog Eat Flies? Easy Ways to Prevent It!

Alright, so I’ve got this dog, right? A real good boy, most of the time. But lately, he’s been doing this weird thing – he’s been eating flies. Yeah, you heard that right. Flies. I mean, I saw him snapping at them, and I thought, “Okay, maybe he’s just playing.” But then I saw him actually catch one and, well, swallow it. Gross, right?

So, naturally, I started to get a bit worried. I mean, is that even safe? Is he gonna get sick? My mind was going a mile a minute. I started watching him like a hawk whenever we went outside.

First, I figured I’d try keeping him inside more. We used to have these long walks in the park, but I cut those short. Fewer flies indoors, less opportunity for him to snack on them, I thought. It kinda worked, but the poor guy was clearly not happy about less outdoor time. He’d just sit by the door, looking all sad. And my house is not completely fly-free. There are always some flies getting in my room.

Next up, I looked into those fly repellents. I got this spray that was supposed to be “pet-safe.” Sprayed it around the house, especially near the doors and windows. It smelled kinda weird, but hey, if it kept the flies away, I was all for it. It helped a bit, but I still caught him trying to catch a fly or two.

Then, I tried keeping him on a leash during our walks. The idea was to have more control, pull him away if I saw a fly buzzing around. That was a whole other adventure. He’s a strong boy, and let me tell you, he did NOT like being restricted like that. We ended up in a few tug-of-war situations, and I’m pretty sure the neighbors got a good laugh watching us.

A New Solution Maybe?

I also tried giving him more toys, you know, to keep him distracted. I got him this puzzle toy that you put treats in, and a couple of new chew toys. He seemed to enjoy them, but old habits die hard. The fly-eating didn’t stop completely. It feels like it does decrease his interest in chasing flies though.

Honestly, I’m still figuring this out. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, trying to curb this weird habit of his. I’m hoping it’s just a phase, something he’ll grow out of. But in the meantime, I’m gonna keep trying these different things.

• Keep him indoors more often.
• Use fly repellents.
• Keep him on a leash outside.
• Provide him with plenty of toys.

Maybe one of them, or a combination, will finally do the trick. If any of you have dealt with something like this, let me know. I’m all ears!