Edible John Innes no 2

Sorry may be a bit off topic, but my husband brought home some John Innes no 2 which I re potted plants in and started bulbs off in. I placed the pots on the floor and my elderly dog Molly has started to seriously eat the soil.

Does anyone know of anything that may be in the soil that may be attracting her? I am worried that she may have some dietry difficiency. I have known dogs to go for blood & bonemeal when I put it round shrubs, but never actual soil.

thanks
Janet

 

our westie eats all soil!! and she's elderly too - maybe it's just a conicidence about the JI no 2! :rolleyes:

 

I found this analysis-
"JOHN INNES POTTING COMPOST No.2

for general potting of most house plants and vegetable plants into medium size pots or boxes. Contains double the amount of nutrient in JI No 1 to suit established plants.

7 Loam
3 Peat
2 Sand
To each cubic metre of mix is added

0.6kg ground limestone
2.4kg hoof and horn meal
2.4kg superphosphate
1.2kg potassium sulphate "

So it might be the hoof and horn that's attractive- my dogs love chewing treats made from hooves. [Smelly, but not as bad as their all-time favourite, dried bulls' private bits!!! :eek: ]
Don't know about the soil, though, dendrobium!
:rolleyes:

 

i think you should get a nice fat bone for dog

 

Thanks All - pleased to hear about Westie, if she survives soil then it can't do her any harm, strange how it seems to be older dogs.

Very interesting about contents of JI, especially hoof and horn. When my farrier comes to horse he always leves hoof scrapings and the dogs love it however it makes them very sick - yuck!

Now as to the big bone I am sure both dogs would utterly be in agreement with you.

 

Waco, as it's not uncommon for dogs to eat other dogs poos (there is a website on this, but can't remember the link; they manage to recycle something that they need!) then after that, John Innes sounds quite savoury!

:D :D :D

 

Molly has had 21 puppies - the only poo she has eaten is puppy poo which is quite normal. Once the welps have eaten anything other than milk from her then she will not clean up after them let alone any othe dog however I have heard about this problem and quite agree that JI sounds much more savory.

 

Both my cavs would eat the spilt compost from my potting up of things. I think dogs like children try new textures in their mouth - if it tastes OK they will continue. Not a dietary insufficiency.