Incessant licking

Recently, our pug has started licking everything. And i mean everything. She would, if we let her, walk about licking the floor.

We say no to her, and she stops, but then she's straight back at it. Seems to me like its some sort of comfort thing, like the actual act of licking makes her want to lick more?

But anway, im really trying to find out maybe why she does it, but really how to stop it. We give her a toy instead, which keeps her going for a while, but quickly loses interest and darts back to lick the floor.

Maybe try washing the floor with a lavendar detergent, seemingly lavendar puts them off licking things, I used lavendar oil on Inka when he had the op on his toe and it worked for him.

My dog Daisy is the same with hands, will not stop licking hands, sometimes I have to sit on them.

I have read abit about excessive licking because Missy would and still continues to lick our hands at every opportunity. Unfortunately this doesnt help you because I cannot see why your pug would be showing love/comfort to a floor!!

Do you think she could have a deficiency of some kind and that is why she licks everything. I have heard some dogs who say eat mud do it to get the nutrients out of it. We suspected Missy was lacking in salt hence why she licks us all of the time but the vet doubts it.

Hey I am absolutely no expert but maybe something to look into.

Hi there AJL

Is she licking the floor etc or is she licking her self or you and your OH?

It can be a comfort thing - has anything changed at all in your house, routine, neighbours, etc?

Any change in an adult dog, without a known cause, should be checked by a vet as it could have a medical cause, sometimes compulsive behaviours can be due to a medical cause, although it sounds odd, so my advice would be to think if there have been any changes in her environment or anything to concern her at all, (food changes, all that sort of thing, too) and then take her to the vet

The sort of questions the vet should ask would be like:

How easily is the dog interrupted?
What are the contexts in which it occurs?
What triggers it?
How much time is spent doing it?
Over what period of time has it progressed?


Lots of luck

Wys
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