# Nibbling behavior



## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Didn't know whether to put this under behavior or grooming? Was wondering if any of your malts do this? Tyler nibbles on my husbands arm hairs! Tiny little nibbles (reminds me of Tom Hanks eating the tiny little cocktail corns in the movie Big). He loves to do it and it drives DH crazy. Wondering why? Is he preening DH? He rarely if ever does it to me (lots more to work with on DH) but will sometimes do it or even once in a while on a cotton shirt I'm wearing. Any ideas?


----------



## remy (Jul 9, 2009)

haha! aww that's so cute Sue. remy doesn't nibble but he loves to lick mike's arm and legs!! i think it might be preening :biggrin:


----------



## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

Yes Lola does this also  what is funny is that she also tries to nibble our eyebrows Lol.


----------



## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

QUOTE (Silverhaven @ Feb 4 2010, 12:59 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=881562


> Yes Lola does this also  what is funny is that she also tries to nibble our eyebrows Lol.[/B]


ROFLOL!!! :HistericalSmiley: :HistericalSmiley: :HistericalSmiley: And here I thought I was the one with the scary eyebrows!

I don't know why they do this but there have been tons of threads about nibbling, licking and sucking on things. Depending on the severity, there was a thread here recently about sucking on blankets that had some links about OCD in dogs. Really interesting.

But for the most part, I think it's a behavior that can be modified. Jett has just recently started to lick my clothes. He's always been one to want to lick for a long period of time. So I would tell him he can give kisses but not baths. lol I usually just turn his head so he can't reach the area he was licking, or gently moving him back so he couldn't reach what he was wanting to lick. Now that he's started to do this on clothes, I've started to put him down. He's learning pretty quickly now that I'm doing that because he wants to be held most of the time. :wub:


----------



## Katkoota (Feb 18, 2006)

awwh that sounds cute :wub: :wub: my malts don't nibble but Crystal is an extreme kisser


----------



## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

QUOTE (Crystal&Zoe @ Feb 4 2010, 01:17 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=881569


> QUOTE (Silverhaven @ Feb 4 2010, 12:59 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=881562





> Yes Lola does this also  what is funny is that she also tries to nibble our eyebrows Lol.[/B]


ROFLOL!!! :HistericalSmiley: :HistericalSmiley: :HistericalSmiley: And here I thought I was the one with the scary eyebrows!

[/B][/QUOTE]

Indeed :biggrin: a strong sign to get out the scissors.

Some of the nibbling/licking seems to be stress/boredom too. I put Lola on a towel to groom her on the counter, and she nibbles and pulls on the terry cloth.


----------



## remy (Jul 9, 2009)

QUOTE (Silverhaven @ Feb 4 2010, 01:25 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=881576


> QUOTE (Crystal&Zoe @ Feb 4 2010, 01:17 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=881569





> QUOTE (Silverhaven @ Feb 4 2010, 12:59 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=881562





> Yes Lola does this also  what is funny is that she also tries to nibble our eyebrows Lol.[/B]


ROFLOL!!! :HistericalSmiley: :HistericalSmiley: :HistericalSmiley: And here I thought I was the one with the scary eyebrows!

[/B][/QUOTE]

Indeed :biggrin: a strong sign to get out the scissors.

Some of the nibbling/licking seems to be stress/boredom too. I put Lola on a towel to groom her on the counter, and she nibbles and pulls on the terry cloth.
[/B][/QUOTE]

agree! i think it might have a lot to do with stress. when i'm giving remy a bath, he licks the kitchen sink and faucet!


----------



## totallytotontuffy (May 16, 2007)

Toto has been doing this for forever and he will be 10 years old this summer. He started out only doing it to me but now he sometimes does it to my Mom (his second most favorite person) and occasionally to other people but not often. He likes to do it to our fingers and we call it "corn-cobbing" for the very reason that you explained. I've never considered it a sign of boredom or stress but more some kind of weird display of affection. :wub: 

One time he crawled up onto my chest while I was watching t.v. and started doing it to the underside of my chin. It made me start pondering if I need a little nip and tuck LOL. :shocked:


----------



## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

Jodi aka Mr. Nibbles does this all the time. If my friend leans over to put on a shoe, he flys out of nowhere and stretches on his hind legs to reach her head, trying to hold on with his front paws. If he is anywhere hear your head he nibbles. It's cute until it hurts.

I saw this on a vet/pet care show a couple of weeks ago...it was asked by a viewer to a vet...so I thought finally we'd hear the answer...but the vet didn't know either.


----------



## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Phew :smheat: We're not the only ones. We joke about it because you know at a certain age guys get hair on their backs -- not a forest but some hair. Grosses my DS out that it's happening to his dad, so we were saying he was teaching Tyler to do it and he's starting on the arm and will work his way around to his back in time for swimsuit season. :smrofl: The joy of aging for guys. Tyler's never gone for the brows yet but we wear glasses so that might help B) It's really very cute and he never really hurts us. Easy for me to say.


----------



## sophie (Jul 9, 2006)

Annie is a nibbler, she will start with a quick little kiss on your face, lips, etc., and it quickly turns into nibbling. It really is kind of cute and so much less messier than those wet long licks that Sophie gives. Annie will nibble while she works her way around to your ears and then it's "hello" and in goes the tongue. I think she's actually reached my brain a time or two. That can be really gross. Although she does it to Sophie and Sophie loves its when Annie cleans her ears - Sophie gets a glazed look of euphoria. Cracks me up everytime.

And, Chrystal, you still haven't taken care of that eyebrow!!!!! ROFL

Linda


----------



## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

QUOTE (Sophie @ Feb 5 2010, 02:21 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=881923


> Annie is a nibbler, she will start with a quick little kiss on your face, lips, etc., and it quickly turns into nibbling. It really is kind of cute and so much less messier than those wet long licks that Sophie gives. Annie will nibble while she works her way around to your ears and then it's "hello" and in goes the tongue. I think she's actually reached my brain a time or two. That can be really gross. Although she does it to Sophie and Sophie loves its when Annie cleans her ears - Sophie gets a glazed look of euphoria. Cracks me up everytime.
> 
> And, Chrystal, you still haven't taken care of that eyebrow!!!!! ROFL
> 
> Linda[/B]




" And, Chrystal, you still haven't taken care of that eyebrow!!!!! ROFL "

Too funny...we're waiting...LOLOL


----------



## littlephoenix (Jan 7, 2010)

Tobi nibbles on shirts and cloth, i give him one of my shirts every month, he just bites it and nibbles it for a good hour every day, guess its OCD or something, i dont think it hurts him so im ok with it, will be taking a video of it soon.


----------

