nancy in AZ Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 Minnie has exhibited compulsive licking behavior, mostly on whatever surface she happens to be lying on for a while, but recently it's gotten much worse. She wakes me up at night with her licking. She has done this since before I added Boo to the pack to I don't think that is the source. Has anyone found a successful method to decrease this type of behavior. My assumption is it's stress related. I don't know what I can do to reduce her stress levels. She comes to the office with me everyday and is quite comfortable here. We go for a mid-morning walk so she gets exercise. She's never confined at home and sleeps where she likes. She's never been a clingy girl, and is really quite independent and self-confident. I don't know where this is coming from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Oop Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 My husband calls it "Border Collie OCD". Allie has also exhibited periods of the compulsive licking of the bedspread, blankets or her own body. We haven't found a particular stress trigger for it, and generally it goes away after a few days or a week. She also has this issue with water - once she is in a body of water, splashing and catching the spray in her mouth, where she seems unable to stop herself and she whines and groans as if exhausted, but won't stop. A "come to me" or "Allie come" breaks the spell, but it can be eerie to watch. Allie gets plenty of exercise (both mental and physical), isn't left outside by herself, isn't left alone for all that long, and is crated when she is. I have heard others on the Board express similar stories of "OCD" behaviors. I would be inclined to just wait and see if it stops on its own. I would be interested in seeing if other folk's experiences have been similar or if they have a solution. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 Nancy, Talk with your vet. There are meds and behavioral modification you can try to break the cycle. I think ignoring it isn't likely to work. Usually such behaviors escalate rather than go away, and the longer it continues the more difficult it will be to stop (I have an obsessive circler). You may even want to consider a referral to a behaviorist. If it really is stress related, anti-anxiety meds might do the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 I have seen OCD behaviors get so bad the dog had to be put to sleep, not because the owner wanted to, but because the dogs were genuinely horrified and upset that they couldn't stop themselves. Get help now and be aggressive about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Oop Posted October 25, 2006 Report Share Posted October 25, 2006 I greatly respect the opinions of both Liz and Julie and agree that if the dog's obsessive behavior is extreme and is causing distress to you or Minnie, it is time to get help from a behaviorist or vet. However, while my own BC's occasionally bizarre behavior can be frustrating to both her and to me, I have not found it to be debilitating. I would seek additional help should the situation get worse. My vet -- who has a BC and BC/mix -- has been sympathetic, but did not feel medication was warranted. I respectfully interject here that you need to evaluate how severe this problem is becoming. A consult with your vet might help and they may have some modification strategies for you to try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrid Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 My female Border Collie goes through bouts of licking her right leg. I have a script for Prozac for her and if I give it to her every day for a few weeks she will quit licking for several months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhborder Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 My first Border Collie Gage went through a period of OCD Licking, to the point he licked the hair off his side. You need to interupt it, get her mind on something else, praise her when she stops and try giving her a toy or bone to chew/play with. Just interupt the process and, if possible, stop it before it starts. Watch her signals and really learn to read her and get her doing something else- God Bless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaseyGirl Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 I don't want to make light of a serious problem, but my brother refers to it as "OCBC" behavior. I'm sure everyone on this site can appreciate that to some degree! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhborder Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted October 26, 2006 Report Share Posted October 26, 2006 Oh yes, we can! And it sure can get annoying! Sometimes I have to make Fly go to his bed and stay still because he gets so worked up trying to herd the cats. He could actually benefit from medication, but he doesn't NEED it. A dog needs meds when you can't interrupt the OCD behavior, but you should try to stop the dog with training before you get to that point. One dog I know was PTS because her OCD quirk was spinning in circles. She would spin until she collapsed and if you tried to restrain her she would just keep thrashing until you let go. The poor thing wanted to stop and would get very upset and cry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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