[KPoos]

I saw Mia in her crate sucking and kneading the end of a towel. It was so cute.

 

[spoospirit]

LOL....I have never seen a dog do that!! I have had more than a few cats who did it though. We even had a small black and white, long haired cat we called Figaro (of course!) and he even would suck on the long hair coming up between his toes. And what a noisy boy he was when he did it. He lived to be 10 years old and did it right up to the end!!

 

[KPoos]

My cat does it still when she starts purring she will try to knead something. I was really surprised to see her doing it. I told my husband it's like a pacifier I guess.

 

[Poodlepal]

You might want to keep an eye on that. I have heard that similar things relate to anxiety and can turn into OCD or seperation anxiety issues. Not saying that it will or anything, but it isn't your everyday behavior. Could mean nothing but keep your eye on other things.

 

[Mercury's Mom]

How old was she when she was taken from mom? Our cat, Apollo 2, does that and our vet said it's because he was taken from mom too young. Don't know if that's true or not though as we got him as a teen. He has major OCD for a cat and cries if left alone. He LOVES the spoos because he nurses on their long hair. Its actually kind of creepy looking but the cat loves it and the dogs just think Apollo 2 is petting them.

 

[Purple Poodle]

I agree that you should be aware its a coping behavior and can lead to other issues.

So not so cute...and kind of gross.

 

[KPoos]

I agree that you should be aware its a coping behavior and can lead to other issues.

So not so cute...and kind of gross.

Na, it wasn't gross.

 

[roxy25]

I think its normal for some pups to knead just like cats. except cats keep this behavior their whole life and dogs loose it. ( ALL of the cats I bred did this and still do it nothing is wrong with my cats its normal cat behavior)

Enzo used to knead his toys and he is fine. When Enzo did it it was cute ! he would get his toy chew on it and knead on it lol

 

[KPoos]

I think its normal for some pups to knead just like cats. except cats keep this behavior their whole life and dogs loose it. ( ALL of the cats I bred did this and still do it nothing is wrong with my cats its normal cat behavior)

Enzo used to knead his toys and he is fine. When Enzo did it it was cute ! he would get his toy chew on it and knead on it lol

Yeah I think she'll be okay. She's just fine in every other aspect of her temperament and I've seen her do that 1 time out of the 3 weeks she's been here so I doubt she's all screwed up.

 

[roxy25]

Yeah I think she'll be okay. She's just fine in every other aspect of her temperament and I've seen her do that 1 time out of the 3 weeks she's been here so I doubt she's all screwed up.

She will be fine trust me we received Enzo at almost 15 weeks old !

 

[KPoos]

She will be fine trust me we received Enzo at almost 15 weeks old !

I got her at 10 weeks and she was the last to go so she was with her littermates the entire time. Not to mention that both mom and dad lived in the house with them.

 

[wishpoo]

Kpoos- there are many articles on the net addressing that behavior in dogs.Since she did it only once, I also think it will not be a problem for her !!! Was today's day any different than previous ones - had some visitors for example or was she too tiered etc. ? Just a thought.

 

[KPoos]

Well, for all of you that are worried about this being some strange behavior that could mean something negative down the line, there has been NO research into this so there can't be a lot of peer reviewed articles on the subject. So if your puppy has done it, don't worry, they are probably just a sweet puppy that enjoys the comfort of an object that smells like their pack and it's not a big deal. Here's an article I found on it but it's not researched, just written.
http://www.dogbehaviour.com/articles/dogs/objectsucking.htm

 

[Harley_chik]

I wouldn't worry about it too much, lol! Harley does it on rare occasions. He's almost 6 and was 10wks when he left his mom and littermates.

 

[Poodlepal]

Yeah, I probly wouldnt worry too much about it at this point. I would watch it though, like I said. It did say in that article about comforting and potential for separation anxiety. I would probly start practicing some independence exercises tho. I have seen some dogs that started out as being cute cause they loved their mum so much and now the person can't leave her home without putting a diaper on her dog. Not a pretty thing. Interesting about it maybe genetic. I would wonder if any of the others in that line do it. Never seen it in poodles before thats for sure. Cats, sure annoying as it is when they are doing it on your chest!

 

[Poodlepal]

Heres a more *scientific* look at the kneading and sucking with real studies
http://books.google.com/books?id=-aAhFDeAHrkC&pg=PA143&lpg=PA143&dq=dog+sucking+and+kneading+behavio&source=bl&ots=3oYz43rCX6&sig=lxplH7AT6cXyLjGqfpQoZMnXCV0&hl=en&ei=xV1HS_OnMc2glAfDitgP&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBYQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=&f=false

hope that link works it looks awful. anyway says it is frustration and/or boredom and links to inadequate nutrition as a pup or something like that. Interesting.

 

[KPoos]

Yeah, I probly wouldnt worry too much about it at this point. I would watch it though, like I said. It did say in that article about comforting and potential for separation anxiety. I would probly start practicing some independence exercises tho. I have seen some dogs that started out as being cute cause they loved their mum so much and now the person can't leave her home without putting a diaper on her dog. Not a pretty thing. Interesting about it maybe genetic. I would wonder if any of the others in that line do it. Never seen it in poodles before thats for sure. Cats, sure annoying as it is when they are doing it on your chest!

Roxy just said that Enzo did it. It said that it's common in sporting breed dogs and even though spoos are listed in the nonsporting group in AKC (what is nonsporting anyway) they are a sporting breed so it doesn't surprise me. I figured she might have just wanted to soothe herself to sleep because she did go to sleep afterwards.

 

[roxy25]

Roxy just said that Enzo did it. It said that it's common in sporting breed dogs and even though spoos are listed in the nonsporting group in AKC (what is nonsporting anyway) they are a sporting breed so it doesn't surprise me. I figured she might have just wanted to soothe herself to sleep because she did go to sleep afterwards.

I again i will say Enzo is fine he use to do it for months I think up until 5 months ? Only to a certain toy. This same toy he will not rip up and its his favorite. He does not knead on it any more either.

IMO I think its normal because my GSD did the same thing and she turn out to be the best damn dog I ever owned.

 

[spoospirit]

I don't remember ever having a dog who did that but I have had more than a few cats who did. I never take a kitten before it is old enough to leave its mother. I have always thought of it as a comfort thing.

And, one of my kittens I got during the summer did suckle on Taffy's fur and Taffy licked him and cared for him like he was a puppy. I did interfere with that and stopped the activity. They both seemed to be confused as to why this behavior was not acceptable to me but the cat has finally stopped doing this.

I don't mind kittens finding a favorite blanket or toy to 'love' but I don't want them doing that to my poodles coats!!

Although I didn't want the behavior I have to admit I did laugh occasionally to see this half grown cat kneading and suckling on my poodles belly!! LOL

 

[riopup]

I saw an episode of the Dog Whisperer where a pit would let a cat nurse from him every morning... I had no idea. I'm sure Kpoo's pup is perfectly sound and healthy And it doesn't sound "gross" to me at all.