Bed and wall licking.

I am doing some research into the drivers behind bed licking, wall licking and similar things.

If anyone can tell me if their dog bed or wall licks and if so, how often and for how long, then I would really appreciate it.

I remember when I was at primary school, the gardener's dog used to lick the walls - for the salt that was in the bricks.

Thanks for that. Did you KNOW it was for the salt? Or was that just what people thought?

It's what the gardener used to say. I don't know whether you have ever seen old, hand-made bricks, with lots of white powdery mouldy looking stuff on them, which you can brush off quite easily with your hand? If you taste it, it is quite salty, I don't know whether this is pure salt, but there is certainly a lot of salt in there.

Maisie is currently sat next to me licking the sofa cushion.

She has been doing it a lot recently as she is experiencing a phantom pregnancy. Her symptoms had eased but she is panting and licking again today

She can be a licky dog at times particularly if she gets stressed. If I argue with the OH she licks the sofa.

Oww. Hope her phantom is over soon for you all. Not much fun I remember.

Thanks for that info. So you think it is when she is stressed? Does she ever seem to do it when totally relaxed or sleepy

Rupert licks the couch for about 3 minutes if he gets up just after eating. Leather sofa if that info is necessary. Not seen him lick his bed or the walls though.

I don't think so. She could appear to be relaxed but I think it is usually following something that has upset her. Maybe she finds it comforting.

Tassle will do it as a stress behaviour.

She goes into mad cleaning mode, each time I have looked or checked there has always been a leakage of some kind there...

She has always been a very clean dog, but when she first developed her spinal issue, she lost a bit of bladder control - and she used to get really (really) upset about it.

BTW,.....it does not have to be her leakage...

One of mine is doing this (bed licking) but I don't know which of mine is doing it.

It only started about a week ago.......

When I get up in the morning there's a wet patch on the dog bed at the top of the stairs..... As both Lennon and Mya use the bed, it's difficult to know who's at it.....