We are aware that dogs enjoy licking soft objects in the house, such as the carpet or the sofa, as well as their own paws, people, and peanut butter treats. They groom themselves, show their people affection, enjoy the flavor of our salty skin, or savor exquisite foods with their mouths. However, there can be more concerning factors if you observe that your dog is consistently and frequently licking the furniture. Does your dog lick things like the couch, your favorite chair, the pillows in your bed, and other things? The peanut butter-covered sofa suggests that it probably isn’t. A dog’s tendency to lick the furniture may be an indication of worry, stress, or even a medical ailment.
A bored dog might lick the furniture. He might simply be attempting to pass the time as there isn’t anything else to keep his mind and body active. Make sure he has toys, games, and treats to amuse himself with when you aren’t around if the behavior isn’t constant and if he can be quickly distracted from it.
A change in the dog’s environment or routine might cause anxiety and tension, which can lead to excessive licking. Is there a new resident in the house or a significant increase in activity, for instance? Dogs are creatures of habit, so changing their regular routine can worry them. Dogs use repetitive licking as a kind of self-soothing and endorphin release. Licking the couch is frequently a one-off reaction to stress, loneliness, or boredom. If left unchecked, it might develop into a habit, though.
Consider giving your dog additional opportunities for socializing, stimulation, and exercise. Increase your child’s playtime by bringing in new toys and hard puzzles, setting up playdates, or starting a new hobby like a dog sport. By the way, activity and exercise are well-known stress relievers that can benefit people. Even if the problem is not resolved, it is the most straightforward solution and has virtually no drawbacks.
Furniture Licking and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Some dogs actually exhibit true obsessive-compulsive behavior when they lick their furnishings excessively. Obsessive and/or compulsive behavior is displayed when your dog cannot be diverted from licking, licks intensely or aggressively, or appears to be almost dozing off. In people, it’s the difference between anxiously biting your nails and being unable to leave the house without making sure the door is secured seven times.
Canine OCD can affect any breed equally, however certain canines may be more prone to compulsive behaviors than others. This can be observed in dogs that have lived in extremely constrained, sterile conditions, such as being chained in a yard or housed without access to exercise or socialization. These canines might be exhibiting stereotypy, which is characterized as a single, recurring, non-functional habit, in this case, licking furniture. Moving to a kind, stimulating workplace could not even result in a change in the behavior because stereotypes can solidify into hard-to-break habits.
However, dogs raised in a reliable, caring, and healthy environment can also suffer from OCD. It’s possible that stimulation and diversion won’t help here. Discuss potential therapies, including as anti-anxiety medication and behavior modification therapy, with your veterinarian. You’ll eventually develop the ability to recognize triggers and foresee conduct.
The physical causes of excessive furniture licking are also possible. Due to their delicate digestive systems, dogs may exhibit symptoms of nausea or an upset stomach. Canine cognitive deterioration (dementia) in older dogs may cause compulsive licking.
So, Before Your Dog Licks the Sofa Threadbare, What Can You Do?
You have a decent probability of ending the habit if you can identify what’s driving it.
- Assume that the cause is boredom, and provide him with an alternative kind of entertainment like a toy or game.
- A new baby, visitors, loud noises outdoors, the doorbell ringing, or other stressors in his environment should all be kept in mind. Once you’ve identified the behavior’s origin, you might be able to either get rid of it or divert your dog’s attention with more suitable stimuli.
- Think of ailments like dementia or digestive difficulties.
- Speak with your veterinarian. She might suggest treatment for anxiety or obsessive compulsive disorder after ruling out any specific medical factors.
It’s not necessarily aberrant behavior if your dog occasionally licks the sofa and can be distracted from it. After all, dogs will lick a variety of objects to feel and learn about their surroundings. It’s also a typical method of coping with anxiousness. But when licking results in wet chair arms or sofa cushions and becomes so persistent as to border on obsession, it’s time to take action. You’ll prevent damage to your furniture and distress for your pet’s body or mind.
What can I do to stop my dog from licking the couch?
There are numerous explanations for why your dog might be compulsively licking the couch, as we’ve already covered. It’s up to you to dig around and see if you can identify the root of your dog’s behavior. You can start taking action to stop your dog from licking once you’ve determined why they’re doing it. You can stop your dog from licking the couch by using the following techniques. While some of these techniques are almost universal, others are exclusively suitable for specific underlying problems.
Bitter Spray
Regardless of the cause, using a bitter spray is one of the simplest and quickest ways to convince your dog to quit licking the couch. A training tool is bitter spray. This spray has a bitter flavor, so your dog won’t want to lick the affected area. Naturally, these sprays are completely safe for pets and won’t hurt your dog.
In all honesty, our experiences with bitter sprays have been hit or miss, but Grannick’s Bitter Apple Original Taste Deterrent Dog Spray has always appeared to work well for us. Simply mist it on the couch where your dog is licking to stop the activity. Nothing could be simpler!
Up the Exercise
Dogs frequently lick furniture when they are bored or have too much stored up energy. It’s understandable how this occurs considering that many of these canines spend the most of their days confined to the home. Fortunately, it’s an easy problem to solve by simply giving your dog more exercise and physical activity.
You can begin by taking your dog for one or two daily walks or runs. Try giving your dog extra time outside if you have a yard. Aside from preventing boredom, getting your dog some new toys might help him burn off some of his excess energy. It’s a good idea to buy your dog engaging toys like puzzle boxes that need him to work for treats because they will keep him occupied both cognitively and physically, completely removing his ennui.
You have a lot of options for toys. Certain toys can be used to conceal rewards, and your dog will work to retrieve them.
Try using a tool like the iFetch Mini Automatic Ball Launcher Dog Toy if your dog needs more exercise but you lack the time or energy to provide it to them. With the help of this fantastic gadget, you may play fetch with your dog. Your dog only needs to learn how to throw the ball into the deep hole. The ball will then be launched by the iFetch for your dog to catch. To stay in your yard, you can change the launching distance. This will provide your dog with hours of wonderful entertainment that is both cognitively and physically taxing.
Have the Vet Check for Underlying Conditions
It can be challenging to detect hidden issues with your dog because of its limited ability to communicate with you. Children can communicate their discomfort to you. Dogs can only communicate with you by their behaviours, which are frequently difficult to interpret.
You may require expert assistance if you are unable to identify the reason why your dog keeps licking the couch. You most likely won’t be able to identify the underlying medical condition if it is the cause of the issue. But since your veterinarian is a professional, they ought to be able to identify the underlying issue and recommend a course of action.
Behavior Modification Training
Sometimes issues like excessive licking are just behavioral ones. Since they are modifiable, behavior modification training can be used. Undoubtedly, there are a variety of approaches to behavior change training. You could use some sweets and encouraging words. You might also try giving your dog something else to lick instead of the couch.
It might be challenging to traverse the training process to change behavior. For this one, you might want to seek the expert assistance of a dog trainer. While watching videos about dog training online can teach you a lot, nothing compares to the experience a professional dog trainer gains from years of dealing with a variety of dogs. A qualified trainer will have a variety of resources at their disposal to help alter your dog’s behavior.
Why do dogs lick carpets and furniture?
Dogs occasionally exhibit odd behavior. And as dog owners, we frequently know about their peculiar small behaviors. Licking the carpet is one of the strange things that dogs occasionally do. Although it can be weird and inconvenient, there are a number of reasons why dogs do it.
Even if it’s an odd behavior, it’s critical to be able to distinguish between a single incident of licking the carpet or floor and excessive licking syndrome, a real medical illness marked by persistent licking of home objects including walls, furniture, carpets, etc.
What could be the cause of your dog’s licking the carpet, then? The fact that something delicious was spilled on the carpet is one of the most evident causes. You might have unintentionally left some food crumbs on the floor if you were dining in the living room. The dog will be able to detect the fragrance of any food particles we might not be aware we’ve left behind thanks to their excellent sense of smell.
Emotional reasons might also be a factor in a dog licking. Dogs will occasionally lick as a way of expressing their anxiety, depression, or tension. Your dog may have started licking the carpet out of boredom or another factor. Physical discomfort, neurological issues, or canine dementia may also be contributing factors for persistent floor licking.
Strange behavior might also be caused by other medical conditions, such as digestive problems. In fact, a 2008 study found a significant link between digestive problems and excessive licking. IBS, giardiasis, delayed stomach emptying, foreign bodies, and chronic pancreatitis are just a few of the illnesses and conditions that have been linked to excessive licking in dogs.
Although licking the carpet isn’t inherently harmful, there is always a slight possibility that your dog could swallow something harmful by accident, like a long carpet fiber, bacteria, or any unfavorable residue. But if your dog merely licks the ground on occasion, the likelihood of it happening is low. If your dog licks the floor constantly, they get worse. The size of your dog can also make a difference, as a little Chihuahua may experience a bowel obstruction if they consume lengthy carpet strands, as opposed to a Great Dane who may be able to pass the same fibers with no issues. Similarly, as larger canines are less likely to be harmed by modest amounts of germs or cleaning agents, Granted, you need to use floor cleaner that is non-toxic with extreme caution if you have a dog that is regularly licking the carpet or the ground to prevent your dog from accidently ingesting harmful substances.
You can attempt a few easy fixes if you want to convince your pet to stop excessively licking the ground. Try spraying licking deterrents like Grannick’s Bitter Apple Spray or Bohdi Dog’s Bitter Lemon Spray, for instance. Additionally, you might be more cautious when removing crumbs or spillage. Increase your dog’s exercise schedule to see if their increased licking is simply the result of pent-up energy. Additionally, take them to the doctor for additional advice on how to deal with your dog’s licking behaviors as well as to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
Have you ever had this problem with your dog before? What were your tactics? Inform us!
