Self-Soothing?

[Dana]

does anyone else have an animal that self-soothes? is this odd behavior?View attachment self-soothing.mp4

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Yes Dana, there are lots of pets that self-soothe and essentially suck their thumbs by sucking on blankets, toys, etc.

This common, and not necessarily normal, symptom is an indicator of "who" the individual pet is and which homeopathic remedies they may need.

I often see it in timid and anxious pets but once in a while a well-balanced pet may have some self-soothing behavior.

As with any other symptom, the 4 Ps are the way to determine how strong of a clue the symptom is. In this case it's especially useful to know how persistent and prominent?

Is this a boredom or bedtime behavior?

Also, @Dr. Sara or @dr_ judy herman may have different interpretations for this symptom.

 

[Dana]

Yes Dana, there are lots of pets that self-soothe and essentially suck their thumbs by sucking on blankets, toys, etc.

This common, and not necessarily normal, symptom is an indicator of "who" the individual pet is and which homeopathic remedies they may need.

I often see it in timid and anxious pets but once in a while a well-balanced pet may have some self-soothing behavior.

As with any other symptom, the 4 Ps are the way to determine how strong of a clue the symptom is. In this case it's especially useful to know how persistent and prominent?

Is this a boredom or bedtime behavior?

Also, @Dr. Sara or @dr_ judy herman may have different interpretations for this symptom.

Thank you Dr. Jeff! They symptom is not Problematic (for me) it is Persistent, Prominent and Peculiar... I have never seen it in another dog EXCEPT my last Berner, Otis. Otis started sucking his blanket after elbow surgery when he was 1 and continued the behavior the rest of his life. Murphy does it at all times of the day for no particular reason and he always does it when we have company.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

You're welcome Dana.

My bet is that this, like other emotional symptoms (such as the banging of the teeter), will reduce and maybe even resolve as he proceeds with his homeopathic care.

However, the degree of improvement will partially depend on the prominence in his relatives. @Dr. Sara?

 

[AliceR]

Hi Dana,

My dog, Apollo, sucks on his mat on top of his bed, usually in the morning. I guess I have thought of it more like a displacement behavior. I taught him impulse control while I am playing with the cats, cleaning their boxes, and getting everyone's food ready. He usually stops on his own, perhaps after I have fed the cats and he knows he is next? He also likes to mouth soft toys. He used to tear them apart, so I am happy he is just mouthing now.

Alice

 

[Dr. Sara]

It is pretty common for dogs to do something with their mouths when they are excited, or seeing people. After all, we humans like to hug or shake hands (in the before times), and many of us wave our hands about when we talk. A dog's mouth is analogous to our hands in many ways, and some breeds and individuals are more mouth oriented than others.
Murphy's mum and great-grandmum like(d) to carry a toy when excited, dropping it after they calmed. Both will / would hold a toy and lick it at times when they are settling down for a nap.
Murphy's grandmum would get a toy and throw it around when she was excited.
Murphy appears to be showing a more sedate version of these behaviours.
His tail is wagging, and he is gently mouthing the blanket.
Some dogs destroy toys when excited, or suck hard on cloth when anxious. Others jump about, and pester people. These behaviours are not desirable, as the pup can injure themself or someone else.
I think Murphy has learned that this mouthing feels good, and it is acceptable to his people. I imagine you respond to him positively when he is doing it (it is really cute) so that will also perpetuate the behaviour.
If it became excessive or destructive, then I would consider it abnormal. Otherwise, I think it is just a relaxing ritual for him, like me having a cup of tea!