sasha's licking habit

noticed for a while now she been licking the carpet,the sofa,her bed,our bed,its really weird she starts off licking her paws and then when she thinks we're not looking,starts licking what ever it is she is laid on,we tell her no and she pretends to stop then carries on when she thinks she can get away with it any one else's dogs do this and why would they

Not sure, Moo does it sometimes, I just assumed I had spilt something and not cleaned it up properly! Maybe they get into some sort of rhythem as she will stop if I see her!

i catch her peaking out the corner of her eye at me,like she knows she should'nt be doing it,but just cant help herself

Samson is a serial licker!! His tongue is always going, we have to lift his head (gently) and tell him to stop.

Walls, carpets, doors, furnature, beds, shoes and us.........slurp, slurp, slurp

I was told once that dogs lick out of boredom ?? dont know if there is any truth in this or not.

Moo's isn't boredom, she'll be licking her feet, normal, and then move onto whatever is beneath her!! She is almost in a trance, I only need cough, she'll look up and then lay her head down! Odd little thing!

I wonder if it might be an anxiety issue? Jethro sometimes starts licking his blanket or his paws and the sound drives me bonkers! I stop him but he doesn't seem to even know he is doing it... but then again Jethro is not your average staffy!

Dempsey does it - he'll even lick the air if you stop him from licking something else. I think with him it's OCD. EBTs are known for OCD.

Diesel is a licker too, usually paws, then sofa, bed, blankets, towels, feet ! Anything remotely lickable then shes there... We tell her 'stop licking ' abd she will give us sad puppy eyes lOok.

Funny Brutus does the same, but as some of you know he is a rescue dog that we only have just over two weeks so his past life would be very different than some posters dogs that have had loving homes from day 1.

His first few days he would get into a trance like state and he would lick everything and anything but gradually he has slowed right down, bar licking your leg once he does that next phase is he is trying to get it on with your leg which is something we are trying to sort out .

We have had him with a dog behavior "expert" and she observed him doing it she was saying licking from a rescue dog especially one thats badly treated like he was can be an anxiety release something he might have done in a passed life to release his stress, excitement or bad treatment.
So basically he sees it as a pleasurable release of the pressure/tension because he has never experienced natural comfort eg being rubbed or played with etc.

Also she said the same about they can naturally have some ocd temperaments.

How ironic - I also have a Sasha, who used to lick like crazy! During some research, I learned that licking herself could be due to an allergy & licking objects could be due to anxiety. So, I changed her over to a raw diet, bought a Kong ball & filled it with some peanut butter & offered it to her (or a raw bone) when she began to lick excessively. Also, weather permitting, I take her for a stroll or play a game of catch in the yard. This has helped her immensely! Especially the extra exercise!