Spaniel obsessively licking the floor

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Arkmiido

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The silly cocker spaniel that lives with my mother is licking the tiled floor. Again. She does this all the time, in circles, wagging her tail joyously... She doesn't have vitamin/mineral deficiencies, she's had blood tests, she had lots of exercise and is rarely home alone, plus lives with another dog.
Any thoughts on why, and how to stop her?? She particularly likes hearth areas and in front of the raeburn (as well as sleeping there!)
 
Don't you just love Cocker Spaniels!
I would think that although she appears to have no vitamin/mineral deficiency that something in the ash from the hearths is tasty. Maybe there are minute traces left on the floor.

I wouldn't worry too much if she is otherwise healthy.

I wish mine would wash the floor - I have two that come to stay regularly while there mum goes overseas for work - they are such happy dogs and have the run of the garden and laundry and as they don't have a garden at home they spend all day running in and out of the house with muddy paws.
 
Its sounds like a bit of ocd, that maybe began with shadow chasing or shiney surface obsession (very common) in the more high energy breeds.
The best way to go about it is distraction at the time of displaying the behaviour, so something like a "loud noise" clap of the hands or shake of a tin, then calling his/her name and when they come "a positive" reward, with this you are trying to break the behaviour and otherwise distract the attention to somewhere else, even offering up a long lasting treat to otherwise occupy the dog.
 
I have a rottie just the same, only he licks the skirting boards. It's absolutely obsessive and he will do it non-stop :rolleyes:

I have to agree with Cayla about it being a bit ocd rather than a deficiency etc. My other rottie used to have obsessive behaviour and this one also gets obsessed about my tortoises, and I don't mean showing interest I mean total manic obsession!

I wonder whether it's something to do with breeding/genetics as the 2 we have had from the same lines have suffered some sort of compulsive behaviour yet one from different lines doesn't seem to do so.

Maddening isn't it :D
 
The quick fix is to let her sit on my lap (where she is now!)
I agree it's an OCD thing, we call her mad princess Poppy :):) She has an assortment of bones and a collie and dalmatian to play with and lots of attention - she will come away if called, and do some obedience tricks etc, but a bit later, goes back to her black tiles by the door, or wherever she has decided needs a good clean! I think she's just a nutty spangle.
The ash/grout thing is interesting though - although mum says she's pretty indiscriminate about her floor cleaning (except she prefers black tiles in the conservatory).
Incidentally, I know a rottie who likes to like the breezeblocks of her stable block (she doesn't live in a stable, just when she's out on "her" yard!)
 
Our JRT does this to the bottom of his cage when travelling in the car, we have an old piece of carpet in the cage which he shares with our staffy x lab.We think it's a stress related thing as he gets wound up in the car and always has done, he makes such a racket and if we tell him to stop he then licks and bites the carpet instead.
 
The key to distraction would also be not to use toys/bones already strewn around the house but to use a new "high reward" only used for distraction at these times then placed away again.
 
Agree it sounds more like OCD and distraction is the key.
Sometimes these behaviours, especially tail chasing, while they look cute and funny, can be quite destructive and should be nipped in the bud at an early stage.
Make her think, give her something to do with her brain :)
 
See I am overly sensitive to things like that, It would wind me right up lol!! My kids get shouted at if they crunch sweets, so imagine how wild that would drive me!! Can imagine the slurps and the franticness of it! lol
 
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