Dog grooming each other?

lbequ4002 · 12-03-2008, 03:18 PM

One of my labs had a skin allergy this summer and licked his butt clean. The hair is almost completely grown back now. I've noticed one of my other labs licking the dog with the skin allergy where the hair is trying to grow back! Why is he doing this? It doesn't seem to be making it any worse. This same dog also licks the inside of the other dogs' ears sometimes too, which they all seem to enjoy. Is this normal and how do I get him to stop licking the other dogs!

BabyMay · 12-03-2008, 04:14 PM

My Corgi X does the same thing to my Yellow Lab. He is always licking her ears, face, paws. Drives me crazy but the dog seems to love it. Don't know why he does it. I just make him stop when I see him doing it, but he has been at it for over 10 yrs, soooooooo. Good luck getting it to stop. If you find a way to do it, let me know. LOL

breburtch · 12-03-2008, 05:02 PM

I think it's the whole pack animal thing. In the wild you will notice wild dogs that are in a close family group grooming eachother. Same as cats and horses share grooming time with there close friends/family

DackelMom · 12-03-2008, 09:56 PM

My boy dachshund gums and sucks on my littlest girl dachshund's ears regularly. Its kind of sweet and wierd at the same time. She'll jump in my lap and her ear is soaking wet. I worry that she'll get an ear infection from the bacteria in his mouth but it hasn't happened yet.

Jess6092 · 12-04-2008, 06:50 AM

Our aussie, Hank is a clean freak. He will lick mud off of your boots, as well as clean other dogs. He also HATES stickers, and will pull them out of other dog's hair, as well as his own. He kinda combs the hair with his front teeth! It is really cute and funny!

I wouldn't worry about yours grooming eachother unless it starts to cause more skin problems.

Gids_mama · 12-04-2008, 07:05 AM

Ok my dog does this too all the other three dogs..

Its a pack leader thing

Hes showing submission and letting them know hey im no threat i love you your over me!

but becarefulw ith the ears...it can lead to a yeast infection in the ears and can start to bug them.....

My big guy has yeast in his ears, and boris kept licking his ears and then got a yeast infection in his....vet says most likely comes from this....

and i think dogs like to lick butts in general lol

KatieMae · 12-04-2008, 07:10 AM

Our two male Chihuahuas clean eachother all the time...
Especially feet. They loooove to clean eachother's feet.
My older Chi has a slight grass allergy, and in the summer his eyes water more than normal... So my nearing 1yo Chi will lick them clean for him.
I don't mind it, so long as they don't start chewing eachother's fur off.

flexy · 12-05-2008, 10:54 AM

Try benadril that should stop it. I have a lab that does that every year. so i took him to the vet and they said give benadril to stop the itching.

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12-03-2008, 03:18 PM
lbequ4002 Yearling Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Central AL Posts: 959	Dog grooming each other? One of my labs had a skin allergy this summer and licked his butt clean. The hair is almost completely grown back now. I've noticed one of my other labs licking the dog with the skin allergy where the hair is trying to grow back! Why is he doing this? It doesn't seem to be making it any worse. This same dog also licks the inside of the other dogs' ears sometimes too, which they all seem to enjoy. Is this normal and how do I get him to stop licking the other dogs!

12-03-2008, 04:14 PM
BabyMay Started Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,779	My Corgi X does the same thing to my Yellow Lab. He is always licking her ears, face, paws. Drives me crazy but the dog seems to love it. Don't know why he does it. I just make him stop when I see him doing it, but he has been at it for over 10 yrs, soooooooo. Good luck getting it to stop. If you find a way to do it, let me know. LOL __________________ For the love of all animals.

12-03-2008, 05:02 PM
breburtch Started Join Date: May 2008 Location: Ennismore, Ontario Posts: 2,886	I think it's the whole pack animal thing. In the wild you will notice wild dogs that are in a close family group grooming eachother. Same as cats and horses share grooming time with there close friends/family

12-03-2008, 09:56 PM
DackelMom Yearling Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Penn Valley, CA Posts: 556	My boy dachshund gums and sucks on my littlest girl dachshund's ears regularly. Its kind of sweet and wierd at the same time. She'll jump in my lap and her ear is soaking wet. I worry that she'll get an ear infection from the bacteria in his mouth but it hasn't happened yet.

12-04-2008, 06:50 AM
Jess6092 Coming two Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,572	Our aussie, Hank is a clean freak. He will lick mud off of your boots, as well as clean other dogs. He also HATES stickers, and will pull them out of other dog's hair, as well as his own. He kinda combs the hair with his front teeth! It is really cute and funny! I wouldn't worry about yours grooming eachother unless it starts to cause more skin problems.

12-04-2008, 07:05 AM
Gids_mama Long Yearling Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ramsey, Indiana Posts: 1,365	Ok my dog does this too all the other three dogs.. Its a pack leader thing Hes showing submission and letting them know hey im no threat i love you your over me! but becarefulw ith the ears...it can lead to a yeast infection in the ears and can start to bug them..... My big guy has yeast in his ears, and boris kept licking his ears and then got a yeast infection in his....vet says most likely comes from this.... and i think dogs like to lick butts in general lol

12-04-2008, 07:10 AM
KatieMae Seasoned Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: C.FLA Posts: 4,195	Our two male Chihuahuas clean eachother all the time... Especially feet. They loooove to clean eachother's feet. My older Chi has a slight grass allergy, and in the summer his eyes water more than normal... So my nearing 1yo Chi will lick them clean for him. I don't mind it, so long as they don't start chewing eachother's fur off. __________________ You can only blame your problems on the world for so long Before it all becomes the same old song.

12-05-2008, 10:54 AM
flexy Yearling Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: china spring texas Posts: 678	dog grooming each other Try benadril that should stop it. I have a lab that does that every year. so i took him to the vet and they said give benadril to stop the itching.