Why Do Dogs Lick The Floor And Carpet

Afflicted dogs don t limit their licking behavior to the floor they may lick virtually any surface in your home including the walls furniture and their own crate.

Why do dogs lick the floor and carpet.

Obsessive floor licking can also be caused by boredom. If your dog has excess energy stored with no way to release it many problem behaviors can occur such as chewing digging and licking. The origins of floor licking may be innocent enough your dog may have started it after meals when there were yummy crumbs on the floor but such purposeful licking isn t an obsessive or compulsive behavior. There are a few things you can do to help stop your dog s tendency to lick the floor or everything else they see.

While a snack may temporarily help if it s caused by acid buildup it s important to find the exact cause and address the underlying problem. Once it becomes obsessive your pooch s floor licking is considered a stereotypy. The only way to stop your dog from licking the carpet is to first work out the reason why they are doing it. You could also try giving your dog an alternative to licking the carpet.

Many dogs lick the occasional carpet but some dogs are such dedicated floor lickers that veterinarians have coined a term excessive licking syndrome for the condition. Once you narrow the problem down visit to your vet with whom you will be able to. So if your dog is licking the carpet floor fabric or walls consult with your vet especially if these episodes tend to reoccur or last for a long time. Try not to let any crumbs fall to the floor where your dog will be tempted to lick them up.

If you find your dog licking the floor all the time k9 of mine says you should first make sure the flooring is clean from food or cleaning product residue to ensure your dog isn t trying to lick something specific off the ground clean the area well with vinegar and water and be sure to rinse thoroughly with just water.