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My dog licks piece of clothing on the floor or within reach at night until it is soaked

If my husband or I leave a piece of clothing (any piece) on the floor or within reach at night, my dog licks it until it is soaked. She does not chew or damage it. She is neutered, 5 years old, well-behaved and healthy. She is totally attached to my husband and gets along well with our other dog (female, neutered). Both our dogs stay in the house in the evening and sleep in our room.

Well, first, thank your dog for inspiring you both to be tidy! If I could borrow her, she might work wonders on my teen-age daughters' "leave them where they fall" clothing credos in their respective bedrooms! When dogs suddenly and almost frantically begin to lick carpet, floors and dropped items of clothing, it may indicate a stomach or acute digestive problem. But when it occurs on a regular basis, especially during moments of repose, it more likely is a self-comforting behavior.

Similar to the dog in the previous question, your dog is demonstrating some obsessive-compulsive tendencies. But while the other dog expresses his energy in an extroverted manner, yours is more of an introvert. She is demonstrating oral tension out letting behavior, much like a thumb-sucking child. Luckily, she is limiting herself only to licking. Although it may be disgusting to wake up to the licking and especially to step on a sodden, slobber-laden item of clothing, the problem would be much more serious if she were destroying and ingesting pieces of clothing. In addition to being costly in terms of replacing wardrobe items, it can cost the dog its life if an intestinal blockage occurs. Self-licking is another manifestation of oral self-comforting, but with more harmful side effects. Some dogs lick themselves until they have terrible lesions, yet do not stop.

In fact, the painful sores may work to motivate even more self-licking, creating a self-destructive vicious cycle. While not terribly serious, the problem you describe would be annoying. There are several different approaches to resolving the behavior. One is total prevention, crating the dog at night and allowing her no options other than dog toys and bones for expressing her oral tendencies. The second is to provide her with toys and bones and to be very tidy, leaving no alternative licking materials around. Third, you could try giving her a "security blanket" of sorts that is her own; provide the dog with an old (preferably used and heavily Mom and Dad scented) hand towel to be her permitted licking item at night, if the sound doesn't drive you crazy.

While lights are on, discreetly observe her. "Set her up" by dropping a sock or two; if she moves to touch them, toss a "dog bomb" (plastic pop bottle with 10 pennies in it) near her, but don't scold her or react. Let her form her own conclusion, that your clothes no longer are things she wants to take her chances with. You even can go so far as to rig "booby traps" by tying fishing line to pieces of clothes strewn about as bait for the set-up dog, with the other end of the line tied to the "dog bomb" balanced above on a dresser or any higher surface. When she attempts to select an unsuitable licking item, she inadvertently will trip the precariously balanced bomb above, making the clothes look more threatening than tempting. Finally, if she seems unresponsive to any of my suggestions, seek assessment from a veterinary behaviorist.


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