Why does my dog lick the furniture, floors and me?

Our question this week was:

Dr Debra,

I have a Mix Breed dog (Corgie?) He will lick the furniture, rugs floor and even me. Is this normal for the type of dog?

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David Macor

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email. Many dogs lick for a variety of reasons. Most veterinarians believe that most dogs like to lick and some licking can be normal. It can be a way of exploring their environment and cleaning themselves. Many dogs have an instinct to link wounds in attempt to clean an area as a natural response.

Some minor licking is normal however some dogs will lick excessively causing skin problems such as lick granulomas. Boredom and behavior problems can result in obsessive licking, resulting in injury and inflammation to the skin.

An article that might be helpful to you is How to Stop Your Dog from Licking.

Best of luck!

Dr. Debra

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