Licking the walls

[sammgirl]

Abby has taken to licking the walls in our house recently.

Does anyone else's dog do this? If so, did you find out the reason for this behavior?

[Pomp]

My dogs will lick anything if there's food residue on it. Have you been having food fights?

Are the walls painted?

[englishsp]

Do you have a pre-1970's house? I think the lead paint ban was '78. Just a thought.

[Beanie]

Happy licked the walls... and, uh, ATE the walls... and we're thinking that might be what happened to him (one of the things.) Like maybe it was a meth lab before my sister moved in? And there was stuff on the walls? I dunno.

Auggie chewed a hole around the door frame in the basement years ago, but that was annoying puppy boredom. He did it once, never again. Does she EAT the wall, or just lick it? I don't know that I'd be super worried unless she was actually chewing or eating it!

[englishsp]

Children are attracted to eating lead paint because it tastes sweet. Could be the same with a dog. One possibility.

[sammgirl]

Hi guys and thanks!!!

No, no food fights. No lead paint. (isn't that illegal now? our house was repainted 3 years ago)


I think it's just a nervous habit. She's on doggie prozac, so hopefully that helps.

Abby's a strange one, that's for sure. :-)

[colliewog]

What's the weather like? Higher humidity? Maybe they're cooler and feel good! (Hard to say, it's 90 degrees here, so mine don't get to test cold walls very often!)

[Giny]

Kassie used to lick and ate part of a wall in the bathroom. Come to find out later that this specific area had gotten wet, and probably moldy, we've fixed it since. I don't know if that's the reason she found that spot so intriguing, but she's never done it since.

Is she licking every wall or just one area?

[sammgirl]

Hrmm... Humidity... no its been cooling down for a month or two. We do get some lake effect here, but not nearly like cleveland does.

She only licks the wall around where her bed is. We nestled her bed in a corner, and she'll lick the wall while lying down.

As for mold, I kind of doubt it but I suppose it is possible. We do get alot of rain, fog and snow where we live. But, her bed is in the living room and the walls never get wet or anything like that, nor is there any steam that comes from anywhere.

Now, I do have a fishtank that is in another room and she doesn't bother that or even acknowledge that it's there. I would think that if there was any mold it would be where the fish tank was, but we clean that area alot.

Maybe I'll talk to the BF about that. Thanks guys!!! :-)

[smkie]

Mom's dog Trudy licked the floor for minutes at a time, tile by tile.covering whole sections. . Scamper licked the table leg the same way. I have no idea why either did this.