Sampson's obsessed with....soap?

[Marie410]

Hi all, and thanks for any help you can provide

I don't know whether to be worried about this or not. My Sampson, a rottweiler, is obsessed with the soap in the bath tub. I catch him in there several times a day just licking away at it like mad. I tried putting it up higher, keeping the door shut, etc, but he always finds a way to get at it. He's on the tall side for a rottweiler, and wiry because at just under 3 years old he's still thin. (just about 90lbs.) He's also very stubborn, typical for a rottie. I'm afraid one of these days he's going to hurt himself with the acrobatics he's willing to perform to get at the soap no matter where I move it to. I finally just leave it in it's holder and hope everyone remembers to keep the door shut. (Of course, they don't )

Is this something I should be worried about? It's not just soap: He licks EVERTHING. The rug, our pillows , the bedspread.... He has a laundry fetish, too. He's been known to actually swallow underwear and socks, whole, only to regurgitate them later.

I do try to keep these things away from him, but as everyone knows, dogs find a way to get things the minute you let your guard down.( although, I've gotten everyone trained pretty well now to keep all dirty laundry in hampers and behind closed closet doors.)

I'm just wondering, is this a sympton of something? Samspon is the first "pure bred" dog I've ever had, and unlike his breed's reputation, he is far from "laid back". He's actually quite high strung. None of my other dogs did things like this

[KYS]

Hello,
That is really weird how he licks everything.
Rocky will sit outside and lick the dog security screen,
Sheba will sometimes lick the carpet, but neither
dog is obsessed.
(paws maybe)

I am not sure if this is just a boredom behavior problem that
Samson just got used to a licking routine, or
possibly even a medical one.

I can't wait to hear some of the posts you will
be getting on this thread.

As for the soap, I would just put the soap in
a plastic container and put it in a draw.
It might not be convenient for you, but
it will keep Sampson away from it.

Karen

[primabella]

Hmm I'm not sure why he is licking your rugs or pillows or even eating laundry but I can't imagine that it is very good for him. If you ever catch him in the act, my best suggestion is to tell him in a stern voice, "No" and maybe give him a toy to lick/chew on.

Karen's suggestion about putting the soap in a container sound great to me. Good luck.

[Marie410]

Those are both great suggestions, thankyou!

The container for the soap is a very good idea. It will certainly solve the problem. even if I can't get my husband and daughter in the habbit of putting it in a drawer, I'm sure the cover will discourage Samspon enough to possibly break the habit.

I tried the stern "no" (he is just so stubborn ) , but I never thought of backing it up with an alternative. He certainly has plenty of toys I could offer, great idea!

Thank you both for the fresh perspective!!

[primabella]

Originally posted by Marie410
Those are both great suggestions, thankyou!

The container for the soap is a very good idea. It will certainly solve the problem. even if I can't get my husband and daughter in the habbit of putting it in a drawer, I'm sure the cover will discourage Samspon enough to possibly break the habit.

I tried the stern "no" (he is just so stubborn ) , but I never thought of backing it up with an alternative. He certainly has plenty of toys I could offer, great idea!

Thank you both for the fresh perspective!!

Anytime. Just remember that every time your dog seems to be listening to you (if he responds well to the toy, stops searching for the soap, ect) praise him a lot! If you like you could even reward him with a treat but make sure it's obvious that his good behavior is making you proud and happy. A lot of dogs will do anything to make their owner proud and this may just steer him away from these bad habits.

[stacwase]

When Jake used to eat our drywall (he chewed up all the corners on our walls!) somebody said it was probably from a deficiency of calcium or another mineral found in the drywall. We gave him vitamins and eventually either the vitamins helped or he just grew out of it.

Maybe you could find out what sort of minerals are in the soap and try supplementing to see if he'll stop. Are you feeding high-quality food?

[Marie410]

I feed them both (Reebok & Sampson) Purina Lamb & Rice. It's a food they both agree on and seem to like.

It certainly couldn't hurt to give them both a vitamin suppliment with their morning bowl.

[stacwase]

That's exactly the kind of food I used to feed Jake! Purina One lamb and rice. I don't know if that has anything to do with it though - he quit chewing the walls before I switched foods.