# Is this mean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



## jennifer (Mar 17, 2005)

Every night my pups have a lick fest for about an hour (ears, privates) i hate it :x especially when company is over so they really hate the taste of that bitter apple stuff so i dab a little on the right places don't worry it is made for the skin well no lick fest for about 3 weeks. :tongue3:


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## Chico's Mama (May 22, 2005)

i think thats just your pups trying to clean themselves and each other.


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## Jessica (Jul 11, 2004)

I know it may look weird in public, but I would be happy that your pups want to clean themselves.  Also, I notice that chihuahuas tend to "groom" eachother and other dogs. I think it's cute. :lol:


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## ilovekeiki (Jun 16, 2005)

they learned it from their mommy, its very natural and you should let nature take its course


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## mychisangel (May 6, 2005)

My two girls clean each other but mainly around the head and face. I think it's cute. :lol:


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## OzzyAndLilysMom (Mar 9, 2004)

Yes I think you are lol 

What they are doing is totally normally - they are having a wash and washing each other - if you have visitors over and they are offended by dogs cleaning themselves I wouldnt invite those visitors again :lol:


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## Cooper (Jun 15, 2005)

I'm confused ... are they licking each other or licking you and your guests?

If they're licking each other, I'd just put them in another room if you don't want your guests to see it. Like everyone else said, it's a natural behavior for them to clean themselves and each other. By putting the bitter apple on the dogs, you're not allowing them to do what comes natural.

I hope you're not dabbing bitter apple on your guests, either! :lol:


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## xfayex (Apr 4, 2005)

just leave them be, im sure your guests will understand. It nature after all even thought it makes you slightly red faced


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

i know as a kid i had to wash my fash my face and hands before i whent to bed...
as 'gross' as you think it is it is perfectly natural and safe behaviour, not only is it their evening 'bath' but its also a bonding exprience and is a way of them reestablishing pack dominance.
ive noticed people tend to belive that in a multi dog household once the alpha is picked thats the way it stays but this isnt the case, every movement made by each dog in some way is responsive to pack behaviour and they are constantly reminding eachother where they stand, this bedtime cleaning behviour is also part of that. by making it icky for them your also confusing them. and it can cause confusion in the pack which can cause rifts and fights... so your best bet is to 

get used to it...

if your guests have a problem with it just explain its their way of saying i love you. if they have such big problems with it...then why they in a house with dogs.

*NOTE: chihuahuas are NOT the only breed that does this, infact every species of animls that lives in groups will groom its pack/pride/flock mates. cats dogs birds monkey even humans...the only difference is we have opposable thumbs, they dont so they use the next best thing...their tounges.

sry im an animal behaviourist lol. does it show much?!


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## Boogaloo (Mar 27, 2004)

My two clean each other too, and I think it is very sweet to see them lick each others eyes and ears.


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## chimom (Apr 1, 2005)

Ozzy&Lily'sMom said:


> Yes I think you are lol
> 
> What they are doing is totally normally - they are having a wash and washing each other - if you have visitors over and they are offended by dogs cleaning themselves I wouldnt invite those visitors again :lol:


I totally agree - Hey, you don't like my doggie's perfectly normal behavior, then don't come to my house! :lol:


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## czarina (Oct 5, 2004)

It's not gross, it's natural. Yeah, I think that is kind of mean. :?


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## Rachael Polachek (Feb 19, 2005)

chimom said:


> Ozzy&Lily'sMom said:
> 
> 
> > Yes I think you are lol
> ...


Exactly! :wave:


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## JOLIE'SMOM (Jul 15, 2005)

jennifer said:


> Every night my pups have a lick fest for about an hour (ears, privates) i hate it :x especially when company is over so they really hate the taste of that bitter apple stuff so i dab a little on the right places don't worry it is made for the skin well no lick fest for about 3 weeks. :tongue3:


I agree with the majority here,,,that's kind of mean.  It sad to hear that you say "i hate it". What they are doing is very natural and very normal. I hope you will take to heart what everyone here has said and stop the bitter apple stuff....

Also, i think you already knew it was mean by the title you gave this post.


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## my3angels (Apr 15, 2004)

My three will lie in a big pile and groom eachother for a half hour...lol.
I also think its totally cute. They dont have the ability to wash themselves like we do so this is how they clean themselves...you cannot keep them from doing this because its just what dogs do. 

The problem is that we take our human emotions put it on the dogs...fact is that what we consider inapropriate behaviors is totally normal in the animal word. Not only does this help keep them clean but it is a way for animals to bond (foxy stole my fire...lol) You are basically telling your dog its wrong to clean themselves and you are punishing them for totally normal dog behaviors. How would u like it if someone took away your toilet paper and told you that you werent allowed to clean urself after you go potty or clean ur ears if you get some wax in it. Better yet, how would u like to be punished for trying to clean urself after u use the bathroom or take a shower. Dogs licking themselves is just like us taking a shower....a shower is the human way and licking is a dogs way....doesnt matter how gross u think it is...its normal. 

I totally agree with foxy...I use to work for an animal behavorist and this is a very normal, very healthy thing your dogs are doing and it is very wrong for you to try to stop them. Dogs are in a constant state of establishing a pack order and this is one of the ways to do so. The less dominant ones will groom the dominant ones and so on...it establishes who is in charge, it also serves as a bonding experience....my oldest chi Tequila is the alpha, but she will still groom Ginger and Kylie because they are part of her pack. All three of them will try to groom me as well...lol. I will be sitting on the chair and Tequila will try to lick my ears, Ginger and Kylie try to lick my feet. I dont allow them to do this often because it tickles me but the reason the do this is not because they are showing effection...they are just letting me know that they see me as the alpha and this is a way to show their submissivness. 

Again, please stop punishing your dogs for cleaning themselves. Its cruel.


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## jennifer (Mar 17, 2005)

I am not saying they can't clean there selfs just don't spend allday cleaning each other.


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## my3angels (Apr 15, 2004)

Your not understanding us.....its normal. My dogs in a day groom eachother about 1/4 to 1/2 the day. I am also sure they are not doing this for 24hrs.

Please take our advise, especially since we have an animal behaviorist telling u its normal. We are not trying to be mean but you are being cruel. If your chi's are grooming themselves then it needs to be done.

Also, if they are doing it a lot maybe they have something wrong...like allergies. If what you say is ture and they are doing it ALL DAY maybe they have allergies...but i highly doubt they do this all day.

They are probably bonding...either way you punishing them is not right...its wrong and it will cause behavioral problems later. Again would u like it if you were punished for cleaning urself...just think in a day how often u spend cleaning urself in one way or another, either by washing hands, face, while in the bathroom, showering, etc.....


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## Alisha (Mar 11, 2005)

I have to agree it's normal and they're showing each other affection. My babies clean my hubby all about his face when he get's home. They're are some dogs that nervously lick I had a dog do that to his feet but I just let him he wasn't hurting anything. And exotic birds will pluck they're feathers out form nervousness but it doesn't sound to me like this is whats happening. You should just let them be and try not be annoyed by it  You probably do things they get annoyed by too and they forgive you


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## OzzyAndLilysMom (Mar 9, 2004)

Im sorry but some people :shock:


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## NaliaLee (Jul 16, 2005)

maybe if they seem to want to do that behavior, put them in a room so that they wont be seen, or in their crate. Then maybe they will get the hint that they can do it, just behind closed doors haha


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## chimom (Apr 1, 2005)

NaliaLee said:


> maybe if they seem to want to do that behavior, put them in a room so that they wont be seen, or in their crate. Then maybe they will get the hint that they can do it, just behind closed doors haha


Sorry, but I don't agree. I just don't think they should have to hide or be hidden to do what is considered normal behavior. Maybe I'm the weird one, but I honestly don't see what is so gross about them grooming each other. :?


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## Alisha (Mar 11, 2005)

chimom said:


> NaliaLee said:
> 
> 
> > maybe if they seem to want to do that behavior, put them in a room so that they wont be seen, or in their crate. Then maybe they will get the hint that they can do it, just behind closed doors haha
> ...



I don't think you're weird at all. My two don't do this to each other because Bella doesn't really like Poco all that much :lol: they groom themselves though and it has to be done before bedtime too or they keep me up dong it :wink: It's very normal.


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## Rachael Polachek (Feb 19, 2005)

jennifer said:


> I am not saying they can't clean there selfs just don't spend allday cleaning each other.


I doubt it's all day, just more often than you'd like. Please just let them be dogs and do what's natural and healthy. You've probably got them very confused. I don't want to be mean about it, but maybe you shouldn't have dogs if you find their normal behavior so appalling or disgusting.


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## my3angels (Apr 15, 2004)

> Maybe I'm the weird one, but I honestly don't see what is so gross about them grooming each other.


Thats because there is nothing gross about it. Its just not appropriate behavior in the human world but you cannot expect a dog to behave like a human...i mean we already expect them to potty outside or on a pad...something that is not in their nature but gosh at least let them bathe themselves.


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

lol, im so mean now i have visions of the chis pepperspraying their owner after she takes a shower or whipes her ass...BAD human how dare you clean yousrself go to your room!


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## KB (Apr 13, 2004)

I think the point has been made well enough, I am locking this :?


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