It’s an undeniable fact that all Pugs tend to lick, however, some tend to lick more than others. Some dogs like to lick their bed, sofas, couches, and cushions. Let’s look at what causes dogs to lick furniture and what you can to do to control this issue.
Why Do Pugs Lick The Couch?
The short answer is Pugs that lick excessively can be dealing with medical or behavioral issues. It could also be that they find the crumbs and spills on the cushion tasty, or they are intrigued by the smells you leave behind on the furniture. Bored dogs tend to lick and chew items around the house looking for ways to keep stimulated.
That’s a quick summary of why you find slobber on your furniture. Some dogs will only lick the couch after drinking water, others only lick leather.
Regardless of the behavior, your pooch is displaying, let’s take a closer look at the root causes.
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Compulsive Behavior
This is one of the most common reasons that cause couch licking. Compulsive behavior can cause dogs to bark excessively, lick excessively, tail chasing, spinning, chewing, fly biting, and excessively grooming a part of their body.
While some dogs may suddenly develop a disorder, most of the time it occurs slowly and overtime. The downside is that it can be hard to notice the behaviors until they have become a problem.
What Causes Compulsive Behavior?
The most common trigger of this behavior is stress or a major life change. Maybe you’ve just had a baby, got a second pet, or moved into a new home? These can all be stressful situations for dogs and can trigger unwanted compulsive behaviors.
Licking releases pleasurable endorphins which help calm your pooch, similar to how some people bite their nails when they are feeling stressed.
So now that you understand canines can become stressed and anxious. Let’s look at some other reasons they enjoy licking the couch.
Why Does My Pug Lick The Couch?
To stop your pup from licking the couch, cushions, sofa or any other furniture, you first have to understand why your dog enjoys doing it.
They Like The Taste
The easiest and simplest answer is your dog loves the taste.
Many people, like myself, eat their meals on the couch so they can watch TV. This can result in dropped crumbs and leftovers in the couch cushions.
Even though Pugs have a smushed nose, they can still smell crumbs and will eat lick them off the fabric of your couch. Some dogs will sniff and lick your couch as soon as they see you’re done eating hoping they can find something because they have in the past.
The best way to get them to stop is to keep your couch clean. As soon as you’re done eating, make sure you didn’t drop any crumbs that will tempt your pooch. Also, make sure that you wipe down or vacuum your couch 1-2 times per week to keep it clean.
Another thing that can make your couch taste yummy to your pooch is your body odors. That sounds disgusting to us, but dogs will sniff other dogs butts and the crotches of people they meet.
When you’ve sat on the couch, you’ve transferred your interesting body smells to the cushions.
Your Dog Is Bored
Dogs that don’t get enough exercise or stimulation have to find ways to keep themselves busy. It’s no different than when you get bored and you find something to occupy yourself.
If your dog has pent up energy, it’s time to start exercising them more often. A dog that receives enough exercise, will have less energy to bark excessively, lick, or chew the furniture.
While it’s true that this breed doesn’t do well with vigorous exercise. Like humans, all dogs should be getting at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity.
Your Pug Could Have A Health Issue
Dogs get sick days too, the biggest difference is your furbaby can’t tell you when they feel sick, in pain, stressed, or anxious.
As a pet parent, you should monitor your dog’s overall health on a regular basis. If you see them behaving unusual and you suspect they are sick, you should call your vet.
It’s important to ensure your dog gets regular checkups to ensure they are healthy and catch any illnesses before they become worse.
If your pooch has started licking the furniture all of a sudden, you should contact your vet.
How Do You Stop The Couch Licking?
Before you try to stop this behavior, it’s important to ensure your dog is not dealing with any underlying medical issues.
If your pooch has suddenly started licking the furniture, you may want to consider contacting your veterinarian. They will be able to perform a medical checkup to ensure they are not dealing with stress or anxiety.
If the couch licking is due to medical issues, your veterinarian will most likely provide your pooch with medications that help with anxiety and compulsion.
Once your dog is given a clean bill of health, it’s time to start dealing with the behavioral issues. You should be able to do this without hiring a trainer, how bad the licking is will determine if you will need the assistance of a trainer or not.
Here are some steps you can take to put an end to the behavior.
Redirect Their Attention
As soon as you see your dog start licking the couch, tell them “no” and give them a toy or take them outside for a walk.
This, of course, will be more challenging, especially, if your dog licks the couch when you’re at work or at night. After all, you can’t correct the behavior unless you see it.
Commands And Treats
Like all dogs, Pugs can learn to listen to commands. Teach them a new command such as “no lick” and when they stop licking, reward him/her with a treat.
All-Natural Dog Repellant
While most sprays work best for keeping your dog from chewing wood, many pet supply stores offer licking-deterrent sprays that leave a bitter taste in your dog’s mouth to discourage licking.
Most sprays are safe to use on various surfaces, even leather, microfiber, suede, and fabric. This spray leaves a bitter lemon taste in your dog’s mouth that will deter the licking problem. I found this product on Amazon that has great reviews.
Final Word On Couch Licking
You might think it’s funny or cute when your Pug licks the couch, however, this could be a sign of other problems. Monitor their behavior, because they may stop licking your furniture, but may start licking themselves more often.
While it’s normal for dogs to lick themselves as a way of grooming. Excessive licking can lead to hot spots, skin infections, and bald patches.
Whenever you see your pooch exhibiting compulsive licking behaviors, it’s important to nip it in the bud as soon as possible. It’ll be much easier to break a habit before it actually starts.
Don’t settle for a soggy couch, get your dog the help they need!
References And Further Reading
Rover – Why Does My Dog Lick The Couch?
PetMD – Can Dogs Have Obsessive Compulsive Disorders?