Dogs like licking everything, including the couch. While it is normal for them, you may find it annoying as your dog locks the couch all the time. You may be wondering if something bad happens to your dog that’s why you are here. So, why does your dog lick the couch all the time?
There are a number of possible reasons why your dog licks the couch all the time. Some of them include:
- Your dog is bored and has nothing to do
Just like you, your dog may be bored, especially when it has nothing to do. It normally happens when it finds the things that it used to love are no longer entertaining. Everything looks and feels boring and there is nothing that is exciting anymore. The worst part is that the time is stuck. When no one excites your dog, it may start doing something unusual and weird, such as licking the couch. If your dog does it all the time, it means your couch has some appeal.
- Your dog likes the taste of the couch
While it may sound weird, it is possible that your dog likes the taste of your couch. Your couch may be made of the material that appeals to your dog. For instance, some sofas that are made of natural fibers may have some flavor.
- There is a something in your couch
Instead of your couch, your dog may lick something that is stuck in your couch. One of the possibilities is food. You may drop it when you watched a movie a night before and you have no idea about it. As your dog has a strong sense, its nose may smell the smell of that food and its tongue may start to lick it. The smell and the taste of that food are probably nice, which explains why your dog seems to lick the couch all the time when in fact it likes the food that stuck in it.
- Your dog has a health issue
Licking behavior can be caused by suffering from pain, dental issues, pituitary gland diseases, or a myriad of other health concerns. The chance of your dog to have one of them is high if it has recently increased in intensity. If you want to find out what actually happens, it is better for you to take your dog to a vet. If there is a health issue, do not wait and ask your vet to help you.
- Your dog is curious
Dogs are curious creatures. Most of them are smart and they love to find something new. They tend to look for something out of the blue. They love to explore and find the information around them. They have a tendency to taste and lick objects when they are curious. If the couch that your dog keeps licking is new, it is possible that your dog is just curious when it keeps licking it all the time.
- Your dog has a bad habit
If there are no signs of health issues, it is possible that licking behavior is just habitual. You may not notice how it started because you are not always with your dog.
- Your dog has a stomach pain
While you may be confident that you give your dog the best food, it may eat something else while you are not around or while you are not aware, resulting in your dog having stomach pain. Try to think about the food that it eats. If you remember that your dog eats something that it should not have to, couch licking behavior may be caused by stomach pain.
Actually, stomach pain is not always about the food. Besides, it can also be about a bad habit. For instance, your dog likes to play and runs a minute after having a meal. For your information, eating in a fast way can cause indigestion as well if your dog is too excited.
According to a study, 14 out of 19 dogs (59%) with gastrointestinal disorders develop excessive licking behavior. Some experts say that some causes of this disorder include spoiled foods, food allergies, ingesting toxins, intestinal parasites, gastrointestinal ulcers, ingesting foreign bodies, liver and kidney disease, certain viruses or bacteria (such as parvovirus), and so on.
- Your dog has obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD
Obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD is defined by APA as a neurological disorder brought by obsessive thought and sensations. This kind of thing can be caused by stress and anxiety. As the owner, it is important for you to try and figure out what environmental stressors could be causing the excessive licking.
- Your dog suffers from separation anxiety
If your dog licks the couch all the time when you are not around, there is a high chance that it suffers from separation anxiety. As you probably know, most of the dogs like to spend time with their owners. When they are left at home, especially when there is no one around, they may feel lonely and stressed. In order to cope up with the separation anxiety, they might start licking the couch.
Actually, being left alone is not the only possible reason that causes the separation anxiety. Aside from that, some other ones include change of ownership, change of environment, loss of a family member, change in family routine or schedule, and so on.
Not only licking the couch, a dog that suffers from the separation anxiety usually howls, barks, pants, paces, drools, and whines a lot. Besides, it may also chew items, scratches the doors and or windows, digs holes, and tries to escape from home.
Whatever the reason that makes your dog licks the couch all the time, there are a few methods that you can try to fix it. These methods include using a deterrent spray, exercising your dog, keeping the couch clean, positive reinforcement, teaching your dog the basic obedience tricks, bringing your dog to a vet, and so on.
