Somchai Keeps Licking Cookie's Ears

[Mobi]

Since my 2 new Shih Tzus have been here, (about 5 months), the the two dogs have bonded well with my 2 year old Golden (Cookie) and the 3 of them spend much of their day playing and sleeping together.

Recently, I have noticed that one of the Shih Tzus (Somchai), who is now coming up to 12 months old, frequently licks the inside of Cookie's ear, when she is lying down.

He almost sits on Cookie's head and has a right old lick inside the ear.He does it for several minutes at a time and looks as though he is trying to lick it clean.

Is he:

• Cleaning Cookie's ears?
  

• Finding something in there that's tasty to eat?
  

• Imposing some kind of ritual 'leadership' pecking order?
  

• Something else entirely.
  

Any dog behaviour experts out there?

Neinke?

Thanks

[Nienke]

It's a pecking order thingy, although sometimes it can be pure care. My GSD females always licks the sore spots on my male's GSD skin, who has a skinproblem as a result of vaccine damage.

If it is not excessive to the point that Somchai licks Cookies ears raw or too much saliva comes in her ear causing an earinfection and Cookie has no problems with it, I would suggest just let it be. It also saves you the job.

Nienke

[Mobi]

It's a pecking order thingy, although sometimes it can be pure care. My GSD females always licks the sore spots on my male's GSD skin, who has a skinproblem as a result of vaccine damage.

If it is not excessive to the point that Somchai licks Cookies ears raw or too much saliva comes in her ear causing an earinfection and Cookie has no problems with it, I would suggest just let it be. It also saves you the job.

Nienke

So does that mean that Somchai is establishing himself as the leader? It wouldn't surprise me as Cookie is so gentle, even if she is 4 times the size.

Cookie seems to tolerate it the licking, although she did playfully try to bite Somchai this morning, but he just carried on and ignored it and Cookie gave up.

Now Cookie's licking my feet - so where does that put me in the pecking order?

[Nienke]

Cookie seems to tolerate it the licking, although she did playfully try to bite Somchai this morning, but he just carried on and ignored it and Cookie gave up.

The fact that he ignored her and carried on with what he was doing, indicates where he thinks he's standing in the pecking order.

Now Cookie's licking my feet - so where does that put me in the pecking order?

It means she thinks you should wash your feet more often

[MsFigure]

I've always thought the licking of ears was just a natural thing that dogs just do as part of their grooming. We've always been a two dog home and our dogs have always done this to each other, so I've never thought this behaviour unusual. I just don't appreciate it when they try it on me , and our female also has a thing for bald heads - she'll always try to lick my husbands head or any other of our baldy friends when they are in the pool.

[elfe]

this is just social grooming, many of my dogs do this.

you should have a look into cookies ears, if there is black smear it is yeast infection and some dogs find that tasty... you can also smell it if your other dog has already cleaned up the black stuff

you should get treatment for that at the vet, it can lead to serious ear infection in the long run. goldens are prone for that due to their long hair around ear and few ventilization.

Edited January 1, 2008 by elfe

[bina]

foofoo the lhasa has a thing for "oral sex' with nala... but will also drink her saliva... for long long licking sessions. she's old, and will warn him off and if that doesnt work, then she either gives up or moves away from his mouth. and he has moustaches...so i have to shampoo his face frequently......

he doesnt groom us thankfully given where his moustaches have been....

she (the boxer bitch) grooms us especially after we put on body lotion (what is it with dogs and body lotion any way?)...

and she used to groom nero (rip) in his droopy eyes, his ears and a good ball lick too...

she also grooms my son (17 yrs old) who allows her to clean his nostrils......blechhhhhhhh...

but then she will do anything for a used tissue also and will run when she hears someone blowing their nose.....yichhhhhh....