Why does my husky lick the carpet and floor?

If your husky has been licking the carpet and floor you might want to know why and what can be done about it.

In this post, I will show you a number of reasons why it might be doing it and what you can do to stop it.

So, why does my husky lick the carpet and floor? Possible reasons are that there is food stuck on the floor, it does it for the attention, it’s not getting enough food or water in its diet, there is a lack of nutrients in its diet, illness or it could be a compulsive behavior.

There are actually multiple reasons why your husky might be licking the carpet and floor and it could be a combination of multiple reasons. However, there are also some things you can consider that will help you in figuring out the exact reason. Once you have a good idea of the cause, it will become easier to get your Siberian husky to stop doing it.

Why your husky licks the carpet and floor

Each of the different reasons why your Siberian husky has been licking the floor will likely come with a number of clues.

Below, I will show you a number of reasons why it might have been doing it and what would make them more likely.

It’s thirsty or hungry

The cause could be that it is thirsty or hungry. This would be more likely if it does it more when it does not have access to water and it has not eaten for a while.

It could also be a sign that there is an issue with its diet. It could be that it is not being fed enough or it is being fed the wrong foods and it is not getting the nutrients that it needs.

It would help to discuss its diet with your local vet. You can also look here to see what you should and should not be feeding your husky.

It wants attention

It might be the case that it does it for the attention. This would be more likely if it starts licking the floor when you have not given it much attention and you normally give it more attention when it licks the floor.

Instead, try to recognize when it is likely to start licking the floor and to redirect its behavior before it starts doing it and to follow the tips mentioned below.

Compulsive behavior

It might be the case that your husky is doing it obsessively. This is where it has an irresistible urge to lick its the floor so it keeps doing it. This would be more likely if it has been licking the floor constantly for a few weeks now. In this case, the best option would be to get help from a vet.

It’s anxious

Anxiety could be what has been causing it to do it. This would be more likely if it has started doing it after something happened that could make it anxious or if it does it more at a time where it is likely to be anxious. Examples could be if it does it more when a certain person is around, when you are about to leave home or when there are loud noises coming from outside.

Illness

Illness could be what is causing it to do it since it might be licking the floor to try and soothe its stomach. This would be more likely if it has started doing it suddenly and if it has been showing other signs of being ill. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.

There is food stuck to the floor

It might be the case that it does it because there is food on the floor. This would be more likely if it licks a certain part of the floor more and it has not been licking random parts of the floor excessively.

Things to consider

Below are some things you can consider when trying to figure out why your husky has been licking the carpet or floor.

When it first started doing it

It would help to consider when your husky first started doing it since it might be the case that it has been doing it because an event occurred that caused it to start.

If it started doing it suddenly then it would make it more likely to be due to being anxious, ill or food being stuck to the floor. It would help to consider what else happened at around the same time that it started to lick the floor.

When it does it

The timing of when it does it would also be something to consider.

If it does it more at a certain time it would be more likely to be due to things such as being anxious, hungry or bored due to not getting exercise.

How often it licks the floor

It would also help to consider how often your husky does it. If it has been licking the floor constantly then it would be more likely to be compulsive behavior and something you’ll want to get help on from a vet or dog behaviorist.

If it does it less often then it would help to consider what is different when it does do it.

How to get your husky to stop licking the floor or carpet

Below are a number of options you have when getting your husky to stop licking the carpet and floor.

Make sure its diet is right

As mentioned above, it could be the case that there is an issue with its diet that has been causing it to do it. You can look here to see what you should and should not be feeding your husky. It would also likely help to consult with your local vet on its diet.

Take it to a vet

If you cannot figure out why it has been doing licking the floor, it has started doing it obsessively or it has been showing signs of illness, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so you will be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular husky.

Give it exercise

Huskies are a breed that is meant to get a lot of exercise on a daily basis. If your husky is not getting much exercise it might be looking for other ways to stimulate itself. Generally, it is recommended for them to get at least an hour of exercise daily. If yours is not getting that much and it is not injured, it would help to give it more exercise by walking it yourself or getting a dog walker to do it for you.

Avoid negatively reinforcing it

Negative reinforcement is where your husky learns to act in a certain way because it results in it getting things that it wants. If your method of getting your Siberian husky to stop licking the floor is to give it things that it wants such as treats or attention then it could have learned that licking the floor will get it those things.

Instead, it would help to reward it when it doesn’t lick the floor when it normally would and to reward it before it starts licking the floor and then to stop rewarding it when it does.

Give it distractions

In addition to the above, you could also give it things to be distracted with so that it is less likely to want to lick the floor. Things that you could give it could be toys, puzzle games or bones.