Licking the furniture?

by Leigh
(Utah)

My 5 year old, Daisie, recently started licking my furniture! She won't stop licking and it is getting really annoying. I try to distract her with things (such as toys, treats, attention) and nothing seems to be working. Has anyone else had this problem? She seems to favor my couches, and I don't know why. Help?

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Jul 21, 2015
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Licking furniture, scratching carpet NEW
by: Reenie & CoCo

Anxiety disorders mentioned here http://pets.thenest.com/dogs-lick-couches-carpet-beds-11276.html

Yet, I think of myself. When do I feel anxious, scratchy, irritable? When I'm ALLERGIC to something - asprin, anti inflammatories, perfumes, detergents. . . sometimes I want to scream from the inside out.

Dogs are perhaps even more sensitive since their smell instinct is so much stronger than humans.

I babysat a dog that chewed his leg hair raw after each grooming visit. I pleaded with the owner to stop the toxic flea powder applications. The owner thought I was crazy. I pleaded with the owner to stop commercial dog foods filled with rancid oils and invasive preservatives. The owner thought I was crazy. The dog died of liver failure.

For my puppy, CoCo, I make my own flea powder with jojoba oil, 5 drops sweet orange essential oil & one drop of pure lavender essential oil. I apply on hair after a bath. No toxic flea powder, no hair or skin biting, NO FLEAS!

ALLERGIES also can come from foods. CoCo eats what I eat and of course he loves those butter yams, peas and roasted CHICKEN with olive oil! Yet, mommy gets tired of cooking each day & reverts to holistic dog foods for balanced nutritional needs (?). What I notice is that as soon as I feed CoCo dry dog food he gets aggressive and also eats bamboo baskets and scratches the carpets & couch surface.

I return CoCo to freshly cooked CHICKEN meals (no perservatives) and the irritating behaviors stop. Go figure!

I choose not to use harsh detergents, toxic ammonia, hot pepper or other strong scent tricks on CoCo's areas only because his sense of smell is so sensitive that strong odors actually hurts him. For carpet and couch cleaning I use no commercial products - just cool water, mild soap & baking soda if/as needed.

CoCo doesn't like wet dog food or doggie treats either. He prefers wholesome FDA approved meats fit for humans, freshly cooked, and fresh treats like cheese and apple chunks.

As soon as I revert to commercial products CoCo adds aggression to his behavior, scratches the carpets/couch and makes pee/poo errors. As soon as I return to FRESH HUMAN FOODS all such adverse behaviors stop.

Coton's are naturally hypo-allergic dogs within their own hair and skin pores. . . Only makes sense they would be sensitive to harsh cleaning chemicals on floors, furniture, couches, bedding, toxic commercial flea powders, artifical perfumed shampoos, food perservatives and sub-par utility grade meat mixes with stuffers.

When CoCo reverts to behaviors that do not make sense I look for allergy prone stressors in foods, treats, shampoos, detergents and environment.

I also caution on vaccines & drugs as potential adverse behavior stressors. Little dogs seem to get the same dosage as bigger dogs. Now that's not fair!

If there's a natural alternative I try that.

Finally, dogs sense of hearing is much greater than our own. I check the tones in the house, the TV level, music choices, motors, fans and shelter CoCo's ears from vacuum cleaner noises and fire alarms.

CoCo loves bathing, he wants to be "clean"! Coton's with hair, rather than dog fur, can be bathed weekly. If I let his baths go three weeks he bites his skin, my skin, the carpets, the couch & begins irratic toilet behaviors. CoCo reverts to a happy puppy when he is fresh & clean!

Oh, when he starts scratching the carpets compulsively CoCo usually wants his nails clipped!

Jul 20, 2015
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licking stuff NEW
by: Iris

Tuffy is 7 years old and has always licked the edge of doors inside the house usually on the edges, he also licks his lips. I'm surprise from what I read here, everyone so far is trying to make the dog stop by making it taste bad. Hasn't anyone tried to find out why dogs do this?
From the research I've done,the lip licking is a nervous reaction to stress. Has anyone watched the TV show Long Island Medium? She also does a lot of nervous lip licking.
The best thing is to distract the dog and give them something to do, play or a good walk. As for all the distasteful applications, I would rather take a soapy sponge with water and wash down the door or furniture legs just in case there's something that seems tasty to their sense of smell but could be harmful ie:furniture polish. Also, sometimes they may just be trying to wipe something off their tongue like hair or lint from a toy, etc.. I hang wet hand towels over the edge of the bathtub to dry. Tuffy goes into the bathroom and pulls one down then rubs his face in it.I don't know if he's copying me drying my face or he likes to add his scent to it. Maybe both. I personally would just remove your dog to another area and give him some attention, not bad taste in his mouth. It's not the same as a child biting nails or thumb sucking. (I wouldn't do the bitter taste in that case either). I love my Coton. ♡

Jul 20, 2015
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licking NEW
by: Vicky & Jonah

You can also use deodorant which I used once my clear unscented when Jonah was young, I can't remember y. If vinegar & lemon works actually vinegar is good for dogs in their Water for teeth & breath & other stuff that I can't remember now. Also less chance of staining furniture. I think deodorant could stain scotchguarded fabrics which most furniture is.

I know bitter Apple works on wood b/c I used it for my Silkys when they attempted to chew my dinning room wood set w/no damage to wood.

Good luck

Jul 20, 2015
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furniture licking NEW
by: sherry cotton candie

I have one that started licking then chewing the wicker outdoor furniture and the wood on my sofa table. I rubbed pepper juice on the legs and it stopped real quick. Have heard lemon juice or vinegar works as well......

I hated doing that but there was no way to catch her, she knew better and would do it while I was doing laundry or cooking. Very clever but that is no longer an issue. Good Luck

Jul 20, 2015
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licking the furniture NEW
by: Vicky & Jonah

Maybe try spraying some bitter apple on the areas she starts to lick. The taste should be a deterrent.

Jul 20, 2015
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Furniture Licking NEW
by: Anonymous

Mine too. Izzie licks the dining room chair legs when I want her to do something and she doesn't want to do it. I tell her No and she stops...for now. She is almost 5 years old and has done it for a couple years.

Jul 20, 2015
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Mine too! NEW
by: Beth

My Zoey does this too. She licks our microfiber couch and the bedding on our bed. She stayed doing it about a year ago (she's 5 1/2). I have no idea why she does it but we stop her when we notice. She will then lick the air like it is a nervous tick, but there is nothing to be nervous about. I don't understand why she does it.

Jul 20, 2015
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Licking NEW
by: Anonymous

My coton used to lick the legs of my dining chairs. I thought"hmmm that's strange" until one day when she chewed it up. Put a stop to it earlier by enticing her with PB or a treat to kick/give kisses to you and her toys while shoo ING her away from the furniture.

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