My Dog Keeps Licking Metal

OldYellersGhost · #1 03/14/05, 10:26 AM

AND ROCKS.
WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH HIM?

WanderingOak · #2 03/14/05, 10:40 AM

I'm not a doggie shrink, but I can think of two reasons- boredom or some sort of dietary deficiency. Does your dog have any other canine companions? What type of food does he eat?

OldYellersGhost · #3 03/14/05, 10:44 AM

He Has Me.
He Also Has Another Dog Companion.
He Eats Iams And Other Snack Foods.

GoldenMom · #4 03/14/05, 11:11 AM

What kind of dog? How old? How long's he being doing it? Does he actually eat the rocks or bits of metal?

A lot of dogs (especially young or high energy dogs) do this and a lot of times there's no reason other than they like to. If he's not eating the stuff I wouldn't worry about it. If he is eating it you could maybe try putting tabasco on a few and let him figure out that it's not good to eat those things. Probably though he'd be smart enough to know which ones are treated and which ones aren't.

Given the diet, I doubt he's got a deficiency. Even with a playmate, if he's high energy he could still be bored. Maybe some more chew toys are in order? I like the either raw beef knuckle bones or sterilized bone stuffed with something (peanut butter is my dogs' favorite). If your dogs aren't used to real bones, start the knuckle bones slowly (only give them access for a little bit at a time) until they are used to them. Otherwise you could end up with a vomiting dog or a dog with blowout diarrhea!

I hope you live someplace warm so his tongue doesn't freeze to the metal!!!! :haha:

BTW have you called your vet yet? Sorry-I couldn't resist!!!!

Cindy in KY · #5 03/14/05, 11:55 AM

Has your dog just started this, or has he done this all his life? Was the metal and rocks there for him to lick before, or a new place? My goat girls like licking my arms because it's salty I guess. When I was a kid, I would lick cement, I though it tasted so good. Remember going to the public swimming pool, and laying on the hot cement after swimming, smelled so good. Maybe your dog just likes warm rocks & metal taste.

Steph in MT · #6 03/14/05, 01:32 PM

I have a husky mix that loves all thing cold. She loves licking ice, our glass door and cold metal objects. I'm afraid her tongue's gonna get stuck to something one of these below zero mornings.

Take care~
Steph

Jan Doling · #7 03/14/05, 02:17 PM

next he'll be into the library glue!

TedH71 · #8 03/14/05, 04:03 PM

Iams isn't good for your dog though. My dogs wouldn't touch the stuff and when I tried to make them eat it they wouldn't eat it for four or five days...and one of them is a pig who loves food. When they ate it they had problems passing it out the other end..took forever and they really strained. So no more Iams..I prefer Diamond or Black Gold.

Ted

Stickywitch · #9 03/14/05, 04:24 PM

Pssst....I advise buying Black Gold because it has the word Black in it.

WIPPdriver · #10 03/14/05, 04:36 PM

maybe your dog is iron deficient, be licking it's trying to put a little extra iron in the ol' diet. :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha:

Marlin

billyj · #11 03/14/05, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stickywitch

Pssst....I advise buying Black Gold because it has the word Black in it.

Sticky, :no: You need to take a nap and the sooner the better.

jillianjiggs · #12 03/14/05, 07:54 PM

This probably isn't the cause, but bbq's over rocks will cause dogs to eat rocks! Drippings fall down onto the rocks, making them taste like a big, fat steak.

longshadowfarms · #13 03/14/05, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillianjiggs

This probably isn't the cause, but bbq's over rocks will cause dogs to eat rocks! Drippings fall down onto the rocks, making them taste like a big, fat steak.

LOL! Yup! Our dogs LOVE the grill! Two of them came in COVERED with grease the other day when DH was grilling chicken! They've been known to clean off the grill, the cement under it...

Maura · #14 03/14/05, 10:33 PM

Iams used to be a good food, but it isn't any more. I'd look into trying a new food. The Whole Dog Journal runs articles on dog food. I agree that feeding him raw bones may provide him with both chewing exercise and minerals that he may be lacking. Make sure the bones are from young animals, not over the hill ones.

Stickywitch · #15 03/15/05, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billyj

Sticky, :no: You need to take a nap and the sooner the better.

Thanks billy...I needed my Ugly rest. :haha:
My Dog Keeps Licking Metal - Homesteading Questions