It’s not unusual for Pugs to lick a lot. In fact, I’ve written an article that will explain why they do this obsessive behavior and how to stop it. If you’ve wondered “why does my Pug keep licking the floor,” it may be more than just trying to cat the food scrap you left behind, you’ll be surprised to find out the causes.
Why Does My Pug Keep Licking The Floor?
Some dogs are known to obsessively lick the floor because they are suffering from a diet deficiency, nausea or other underlying medical condition. This condition can also be linked to stress in your pooch.
Below, we’ll explain some of the several reasons your pooch is obsessively licking the floor. We’ll also look at why this can be a dangerous habit for Fido.
Related: Why Do Pugs Lick Their Paws And How To Stop It
But first, let’s take a look at why dogs lick surfaces.
Excessive Licking Of Surfaces
According to a study of this clinical study, dogs may have excessive licking of surfaces aka ELS. This condition causes them to look at different types of surfaces such as carpet, hardwood, and other types of flooring.
Some canines with ELS will even lick walls, doors, furniture, or anything in your room they can get to. Some Pugs excessively lick, and here’s an article to discuss why they do it.
As a Pug owner, you might think that it’s adorable and what harm can it do? Well, if your Pug is continually licking the floor, walls, and other surfaces, it can be an indication that something is wrong.
If your Pug is just licking the floor occasionally, it may not be a big thing. However, ESL is not an isolated condition, it’s a pattern of obsessive behavior.
When you start noticing repetitive, obsessive behavior it’s time to take note and pay attention.
Medical Issues
Excessively licking the floor can be a sign of a diet deficiency, nausea, or some sort of gastrointestinal problem. Thyroid problems have also been known to cause obsessive-compulsive behaviors such as excessive licking.
If you’ve noticed Fido suddenly licking your tile, hardwood, cement, or carpet surfaces. It’s time to take them to the vet to see if they have an undiagnosed stomach issue.
Obsession
Pugs love attention and maybe they’ve learned that when they lick the floor, they get your attention. If you notice your pooch licking the floor and you pet her, she’s associated the behavior getting your attention.
Before you contact the veterinarian, you need to know if it’s an obsession or a medical condition.
Set up a camera to watch your dog’s behavior when they are left alone. It’s best to put the camera where your dog favorite spot where they’ve been licking.
If the behavior is more than an obsession or a cry for attention, they will continue with the behavior even when you’re not home.
Related: Why Does My Pug Lick Me So Much?
Boredom
Some dogs will lick obsessively due to boredom. Other dogs will pick up bad habits such as chewing furniture, shews, digging and etc. If your dog is suffering from boredom, it could be a lack of physical or mental stimulation.
Pugs don’t need as much exercise as other breeds. If your pooch is suffering from boredom, you can find ways to keep them engaged and focused.
First, start giving your Pug more exercise. Get up an hour earlier and take them for a quick 30-minute walk around the neighborhood. They’ll be too tired to continue those bad habits. Not to mention, you’ll get in shape and feel better because you’ll get your muscles moving.
If they are alone in the house all day, get a pet door and fence in your backyard. Let them run around in the yard while you’re away. Mindy our black Pug loved spending time outdoors when we were away.
Give them some stimulating toys to play with. There are tons of dog toys available to help keep your dog busy for hours. I’ve put together some of the dog toys Mindy loved playing with you can check them out here.
If your Pug is bored, be sure to get some puzzle toys that offer food as a reward. These types of toys have an opening that release treats when your pooch aligns the opening correctly.
Pugs love eating, so use those types of puzzle toys to your advantage.
Stress
Just like people, dogs can suffer from stress. If they are stressed, you will need to address the issue that is causing the stress before dealing with the licking issue.
Start paying attention to your dog’s body language.
This will make it a lot easier to tell if they are stressed. When Mindy was stressed, she would pant a lot. She would also have trouble laying in her bed and couldn’t get comfortable.
She only became stressed once, when we moved to a new house.
Every dog is different. This is why it’s so important to know how your dog behaves when she/he is relaxed.
If your dog is stressed, find out what’s causing it. The most common reasons that dogs get stressed is due to housing relocation. If you’ve recently moved into a new house, try to make your Pug’s surroundings as familiar as possible.
Bring all their old toys, bedding, and anything else that can help her adjust quickly to the new environment.
If your Pug is still stressed and you haven’t relocated, it’s time to contact the vet. They will be able to diagnose what’s causing your Pug to stress. Once they determine the cause they will know what to do about it.
Safety Concerns For Dogs Licking The Floor
As I mentioned above, if your dog is licking the floor because you dropped some food, that’s okay. However, you don’t want them licking the floor due to the following safety reasons.
Cleaning Solutions
If you’re like me, we clean our floors on a regular basis whenever we clean the house. We also shampoo the carpets at least once a month, unless we have an accident in the house and it needs to be done more often.
The household products you use can be extremely toxic to your dog. You definitely don’t want your dog licking floors or furniture that have been cleaned with household cleaning products.
Pugs won’t normally lick harmful cleaning solutions to the point that it becomes fatal. However, you really don’t want your pug licking your floors after you’ve scrubbed them with a disinfectant cleaner. Unless you’re using pet-friendly essential oils as cleaners.
Nothing is worse than spending an hour cleaning your glass tables with glass cleaner only to have your Pug lick it. It’s happened in my house and it isn’t funny.
If your Pug just loves licking the floor occasionally after you clean, they should be fine. However, you may want to consider cleaning with Green pet-friendly household products that don’t contain harmful toxins.
It’ll make you feel safer knowing that Fido can’t get sick if they lick something they are not supposed to be licking.
Obstruction
Fido can come into an object that or carpet fibers that can cause obstruction. Dogs are like babies and they will put anything they can in their mouth.
This can lead to choking hazards or even be fatal if your dog swallows something they shouldn’t.
Conclusion
Remember, it’s completely normal for dogs to lick the floor every once in a while. They probably found a crumb or a piece of food, especially, if you have kids.
But if they continue to lick day and night, it’s time to pay attention. If after reading this and you still can’t tell why your Pug is licking the floor, it’s time to take them to the vet.
References and Further Reading
VetStreet – How To Tell If Your Dog Is Anxious or Stressed
Pet Health Network – Why Does My Dog Lick So Much
Lorrie Shaw – Excessive Licking Of Surfaces By Dogs May Not Be A Behavioral Problem, But A Clue to Something More