Why does my dog lick my other dog's ears, and how to stop it?

Question

Our dog is obsessed with licking the ears of our other dog. How do we stop this obsession. Pet's info: Dog | Beagle | Male | neutered | 11 years and 7 months old | 40 lbs

Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH · Accepted Answer

Hi and thank you for posting your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ear licking between dogs is a normal grooming behavior dogs who are within the same family or pack do to one another. However, if you notice Charlie is doing this to one of your other dogs in the household more frequently to the point where it is starting to become obsessive, this can be a sign of a behavioral problem. It is possible Charlie wishes to lick the other dog's eat due to an ear infection in the dog, so you might want to have ears examined by a veterinarian to rule this out. However, next time you notice Charlie doing this to another dog in the house, get his attention immediately with another activity like an interactive toy or a session of play time. Try and do this consistently for best results. If however behavioral intervention is not working well and ear infections have been ruled out, it is possible Charlie may have an obsessive compulsive disorder that may require Rx medications from your veterinarian. Best of luck to you and Charlie and thanks again so much for posting your question!

Why does my dog lick my other dog's ears, and how to stop it?

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