# Excessive licking



## LitGal

I'm a little concerned about Haiku's excessive licking, not of herself or me, but of the floors and furniture. This started about six months ago, and I don't understand what it means. She has an excellent diet, acts normally, and she is a calm dog. Any ideas? Could this just be a habit she has (like the way humans chew fingernails?) Has anyone heard of this? Thank you so much.


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## camfan

I think sometimes they just develop weird habits. If it were me, I'd be following close behind with a bottle of bitter apple and giving the area that she's licking a tiny squirt with a small "no". That would do the trick for Ollie for sure. But every dog is different. As far as if there is something "wrong" I have no idea! I bet it's just a habit, though.


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## lynda

My Chloe does that. She'll lick my robe, the leather couch, a pillow. Anything she can get her little tongue on. I think too that it is just a habit.


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## sophie1

My Lil Sophie is a licker and always has been. I've asked her vet about it and was told that it is just a habit and nothing wrong. Some dogs are just lickers. She licks everything around her when sitting on my lap.....just can't keep still. Her licking is the reason that she doesn't sleep with us. She won't just curl up and lay down but keeps us awake by licking every inch of the sheets. We really don't like sleeping on wet, dog licked pillows. I've tried putting my hand over her mouth and telling her to stop but she's more persistant than I am and I've not broken her of it in over 5 years. I find it really interesting that other dogs do this too. Until I joined Spoiled Maltese just recently, I had no way of hearing from other Maltese owners on questions just like this.


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## lillady

Oh yeah, Kosmo licks my fleece blanket and Peter always says, "Can you imagine licking cloth like that, yuck!" I think some dogs just do this. :wacko1::smilie_tischkante:


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## starry

:smtease: Ya! Mine NEVER stops licking at night in bed it seems. Except that it's herself!!!
I even have tried washing her bajingo off :brownbag: and feet incase they have pee on them.
She goes all day w/out licking that much. :blink: 
My other malt liked to lick the floors and furniture, my Lhasa likes to lick the bedspreads. It's a bad habit especially when it's other people they like to lick, since I would only want? my own dogs slober.
Be careful if you have your house sprayed for bugs, she may lick the spray.


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## totallytotontuffy

Toto does it too. My vet said it could be a sign of stomach upset but I know that isn't the case with Toto. I think it may be something of a compulsive obessive disorder. He will lick the sheets, leather couch, people, and even the air.


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## louis' mom

Louis licks himself around the bed. It is like, he can't sleep someplace unless it is TOTALLY covered by his tongue. And he does it EVERY night. What can you do but wash the sheets and the covers? :blink:


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## carrie

massimo doesn't lick other things, he licks ME!! especially at bedtime! he likes to lick my arms and face...then i move so he can't do it and then he tries to get to my legs!! [i sleep with one leg uncovered, becuase i'm insane] i finally grumble and say "ok mass, enough" and he quits.

sir licksalot is his name, annoying licking is his game.


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## Cosy

I agree with Deb. I think it's an obsessive/compulsive disorder.
We live in a prozac world..even our dogs. lol
Toy licks our feet, arms, the air until we jostle her into reality
again. lol My older daughter's maltese will lick material too.
I believe she thinks she's a vacuum cleaner. Heh.


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## lillady

OMG-Kosmo does this too. Kisses are nice but not when they constantly lick you like crazy :HistericalSmiley: 


> massimo doesn't lick other things, he licks ME!! especially at bedtime! he likes to lick my arms and face...then i move so he can't do it and then he tries to get to my legs!! [i sleep with one leg uncovered, becuase i'm insane] i finally grumble and say "ok mass, enough" and he quits.
> 
> sir licksalot is his name, annoying licking is his game. [/B]


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## Lennabella

> Louis licks himself around the bed. It is like, he can't sleep someplace unless it is TOTALLY covered by his tongue. And he does it EVERY night. What can you do but wash the sheets and the covers? :blink:[/B]



Haaa just as I read your post - out came Louis's tongue in his signature pic .. lol
Cute !! - he's licking the screen too !!

We had a silky terrier that would like the door - non stop until all the paint was gone in certain spots .. eww ...
It was the weirdest thing ... all day long he'd lick the door :wacko1:


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## starry

> massimo doesn't lick other things, he licks ME!! especially at bedtime! he likes to lick my arms and face...then i move so he can't do it and then he tries to get to my legs!! [i sleep with one leg uncovered, becuase i'm insane] i finally grumble and say "ok mass, enough" and he quits.
> 
> sir licksalot is his name, annoying licking is his game. [/B]


 :smrofl: :smrofl: Holly licks DH when she goes to bed too.
He also say"enough Holly!" Or he calls her Lickamaid. :biggrin:


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## beckybc03

Lilly used to like to lick the sheets but the noise really annoyed me so I put a stop to it. My parents bichon does the same thing. I agree that it is an obsessive compulsive disorder. I don't let Lilly lick me either, for some reason it grosses me out. My boyfriend lets her though and she knows that it is ok to lick him but not me. The only time I let her lick me is right after a shower. She comes running sooooo fast around the corner into the bathroom as soon as the water turns off because she knows its ankle/leg licking time!

These crazy furbabies :wub:


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## Julie718

Both of mine lick different things. They both LOVE to lick my husbands' face and head! LOL. They also my legs after I put lotion on, the sheets, pillows, etc! It makes me crazy sometimes. :smpullhair:


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## LitGal

I'm glad to hear that this behaviour is more common than I thought. Maybe these malts should start a Malt licking support group . . . lol.

Seriously though, I don't use any chemicals on the floor or anywhere Haiku can reach. I think I'll spritz the sofa with bitter apple . . .


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## totallytotontuffy

A few years ago my Dad finally came to terms with the fact that he pretty much lost all of his hair. For many years prior, he was doing the comb over thing with one long strand of hair which looked like a long tail when the wind caught it right and blew it to the side of his head. When he finally cut the silly strand off he said that when he looked in the mirror he thought he looked like Uncle Junior from the Sopranos.

So, back on topic. Toto likes to walk on the back of the couch being the little acrobat that he is. One day my Dad was visiting and while he was sitting on the couch Toto walked behind him and began licking his bald head. My Dad went crazy because I guess it really tickled and he said "no one's ever licked my head before". I wonder if bitter apple would work lol.

[attachment=26237:TOTO_AND_DAD_4.jpg]


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## LitGal

What a cute story and a sweet photo! Maybe bitter apple is an unknown hair tonic . . . lol.




> A few years ago my Dad finally came to terms with the fact that he pretty much lost all of his hair. For many years prior, he was doing the comb over thing with one long strand of hair which looked like a long tail when the wind caught it right and blew it to the side of his head. When he finally cut the silly strand off he said that when he looked in the mirror he thought he looked like Uncle Junior from the Sopranos.
> 
> So, back on topic. Toto likes to walk on the back of the couch being the little acrobat that he is. One day my Dad was visiting and while he was sitting on the couch Toto walked behind him and began licking his bald head. My Dad went crazy because I guess it really tickled and he said "no one's ever licked my head before". I wonder if bitter apple would work lol.
> 
> [attachment=26237:TOTO_AND_DAD_4.jpg][/B]


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## msbean

> I'm a little concerned about Haiku's excessive licking, not of herself or me, but of the floors and furniture. This started about six months ago, and I don't understand what it means. She has an excellent diet, acts normally, and she is a calm dog. Any ideas? Could this just be a habit she has (like the way humans chew fingernails?) Has anyone heard of this? Thank you so much.[/B]


hi there! my brie does that sometimes too - but i started noticing a pattern. she would start licking things, particularly metal things like chair legs and stuff, when she was having an upset tummy. usually now i notice that her little tummy is gurgling somewhat when she starts to lick things. and then sometimes she will have diarrhea but sometimes not. ordinarily she does not lick things like that, just during these times. i'm not sure why though, it's strange.


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## jadey

> index.php?act=findpost&pid=429378
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> I'm a little concerned about Haiku's excessive licking, not of herself or me, but of the floors and furniture. This started about six months ago, and I don't understand what it means. She has an excellent diet, acts normally, and she is a calm dog. Any ideas? Could this just be a habit she has (like the way humans chew fingernails?) Has anyone heard of this? Thank you so much.[/B]
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> hi there! my brie does that sometimes too - but i started noticing a pattern. she would start licking things, particularly metal things like chair legs and stuff, when she was having an upset tummy. usually now i notice that her little tummy is gurgling somewhat when she starts to lick things. and then sometimes she will have diarrhea but sometimes not. ordinarily she does not lick things like that, just during these times. i'm not sure why though, it's strange.
> [/B]
Click to expand...

what can you do to help with an upset stomach?smhelp:


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## harrysmom

Wow...I'm glad to hear that Harry is not the only obsessive licker (lol)...he licks the sofa, the bed, the floor....anything!


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## Suz & the Fluffs

I feel your pain. Many of times when I'm trying to fall asleep I hear slurp, slurp, slurp, slurp. Then I say Poptart thats enough. He is so kind that he stops for a mere 4 seconds. Then slurp, slurp, slurp, slurp. He loves licking the air. He is sooo cute he need to be sleeping right next to me so I just have to deal with the slurp noise.


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## Maidto2Maltese

Quincy licks the bottoms of his front paws... not the top just the pad area. His mom said he had this habit. I find he doesn't do it during the day...or rarely..but does it at bedtime... and is he ever noisey! If I distract him like by tickling his belly he'll stop and doesn't go back to it so I don't think it is allergy as I felt it might be at first.
He also does always want to kiss your ears when you hold him.. I mean to excess!! if he can have access to our ears he'll really go to town! LOL


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## kodie

> I feel your pain. Many of times when I'm trying to fall asleep I hear slurp, slurp, slurp, slurp. Then I say Poptart thats enough. He is so kind that he stops for a mere 4 seconds. Then slurp, slurp, slurp, slurp. He loves licking the air. He is sooo cute he need to be sleeping right next to me so I just have to deal with the slurp noise.[/B]


My Kodie does that too!! licking the air and nose a just a habit?? I dont understand why he does it.... :huh:


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## saltymalty

> Quincy licks the bottoms of his front paws... not the top just the pad area. His mom said he had this habit. I find he doesn't do it during the day...or rarely..but does it at bedtime... and is he ever noisey! If I distract him like by tickling his belly he'll stop and doesn't go back to it so I don't think it is allergy as I felt it might be at first.
> He also does always want to kiss your ears when you hold him.. I mean to excess!! if he can have access to our ears he'll really go to town! LOL[/B]


V'doggie loves to "clean" my son's ears...I know that sounds really gross, but she loves to lick his ears. He thinks it's hysterically funny and can't stop laughing when she's doing it.


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## Joan Diener

LitGal said:


> I'm a little concerned about Haiku's excessive licking, not of herself or me, but of the floors and furniture. This started about six months ago, and I don't understand what it means. She has an excellent diet, acts normally, and she is a calm dog. Any ideas? Could this just be a habit she has (like the way humans chew fingernails?) Has anyone heard of this? Thank you so much.


Im not sure either but my baby girl does the same and it is continuous and can be very anyoing. she even does it when we are trying to sleep i havent found a thing that helps. good luck


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