Gratuitous neurotic pet blogging: Tag you’re it! edition
By Phyllis DeGioia
March 17, 2009
Dodger has issues. He’s a quirky guy who sometimes exhibits signs of an obsessive compulsive disorder. When he focuses on something of interest, like evil nothings in the corner ceiling, I could be Houston calling the space shuttle and he wouldn’t notice. But the most annoying sign is that he likes to lick and chew his tags. He likes it waaaay too much.
When Dodger arrived last August, I purchased my favorite kind of ID tag for him from Red Dingo. His new city license and park permit didn’t arrive until September. By December he had scratched off half the enamel on his ID tag, making it look like some kind of doggie ying yang symbol, and he’d chewed his park permit into a tag you could barely read. Houston, we have a problem.
Somewhere along the line he’d started making a screeching noise by chewing his tags, or scraping the enamel off with his teeth, that sounded like nails on a blackboard. The noise drove me crazy, so I took off his collar inside and he wore it only when we left the house. I realize that licking tags is a healthier quirk than licking an infection into your own foot, but I worry about his teeth. I got an embroidered collar with his name and phone number on for home use. I didn’t realize this was just Plan A.
Dodger started licking Ginger’s tags. He would walk up to her and go for it, and she would patiently just stand there. While it’s nice for Dodger to have a companion who doesn’t mind that, her chest and throat got so crusty I had to bathe her a few times, which she does mind. Plan B was that Ginger soon had a new personalized collar too. She didn’t need any neuroses-related baths after that.
At the dog park, I would see Dodger grab his tags in his mouth and just walk around holding them, like a kid sucking a thumb. By early February his new tags were showing signs of wear.
Plan C: transfer his tags to his Tug ‘n Hug harness so his tags are in the middle of his back. What a simple yet brilliant solution.
Not so fast, little optimist. The harness slides a bit to the side. The first time he went in the car with the tags on his back I could hear him chewing them. I gritted my teeth.
Plan D: get a tag bag for the tags. Ah, the sweet sounds of silence. I had tried a couple of tag bags at home that didn’t fit, but finally found one in a store that did.
Then one day at the dog park I looked up to see him moving in towards a large male greyhound we didn’t know, and obviously aiming for his tags. God no, do not be that stupid! Thankfully Dodger turned when I called him and we didn’t have to deal with a headline of “Annoyed Twice-as-Big Dog Bites Tag Licker in Head,” Or “Dog can’t hold licker. Film at 10.”
So far, he has left the cat’s ID tag alone. Dickens would undoubtedly not appreciate that kind of intrusion – “lick your own tags, dummy” – so that is one bit of luck we’re having here. I’d be happier if I didn’t worry about the possibility of a Plan E involving psych drugs. Clomicalm, anyone?
Boomerang tags has sturdy plastic ones…
Comment by mikken — March 17, 2009 @ 1:10 pm
“Plan C: transfer his tags to his Tug ‘n Hug harness so his tags are in the middle of his back. What a simple yet brilliant solution.”
interesting harness, awful website! And I think they stole their little dog animation from Microsoft Word. :O)
Kasey uses a little think called A “Tag It” hard to find but it lets us take the tags off his collar easily.
Comment by Original Lori — March 17, 2009 @ 1:17 pm
Can you put something else on his collar that he’s allowed to chew? Satisfy his neurosis without damaging his teeth or your sanity?
Maybe one of those tiny kongs for mini-dogs? (Don’t know how big Dodger is himself)
Comment by Lisa — March 17, 2009 @ 1:18 pm
I was going to suggest Boomerang tags too. They slide right onto the collar, so no dangling.
Comment by Jessie — March 17, 2009 @ 1:33 pm
Our dog likes to lick metal, too. Zippers, wrist watch, jewelry. What’s up with that? Is there something about the taste?
Comment by Susan Fox — March 17, 2009 @ 5:11 pm
Thanks for all the suggestions. He’s about 45 lbs.
I wish I knew what he liked about it, but I think it’s straight up OCD and doesn’t have anything to do with the metal itself, but probably the noise. He’s done it a lot less lately, so something is working out a bit.
Comment by Phyllis DeGioia — March 17, 2009 @ 5:14 pm
Pepper loves zippers! We have to put our coats in the closet or she will eat them. Same with my purse — I have to place it zipper down in the truck or while we’re driving, she will grab the zipper and start licking, too.
I’m with Susan Fox — I don’t get it at all.
Comment by Dorene — March 17, 2009 @ 5:33 pm
My younger Whippet, Peach, is a licker. I have had to put a plastic sheet under the sofa cover or she would completely soak the cushion. She gets in a zone and doesn’t hear me at all. If I lift her head, she just keeps licking air. She will slowly stop if I rub her neck but will go right back to licking when I let her go. Since she is not licking herself or Moose and causing sores, I figure it is harmless. Sometimes, though, the sound makes me a bit crazed.
Comment by Cate — March 17, 2009 @ 7:55 pm
Boomerang tags for ID, bolt the park permit and license on flat too.
A harness maker or any place that repairs horse tack or makes name plates for bridals and halters should be able to do it.
Comment by JenniferJ — March 17, 2009 @ 9:55 pm
Permanent e-collar? ;) Kidding! What a dufus that Dodger is… but we love him!
Comment by Natalie R — March 18, 2009 @ 4:58 am
I own 6 Yorkies and they are all fairly normal except for one. Abby licks a certain couch pillow (we refer to it now as being Abby’s pillow). It is harmless but I have often joked about her being OCD. I loved your story. Cute and funny while at the same time allowing your natural frustration to shine through. Good Job!
Comment by Dog Lover Boutique — March 18, 2009 @ 5:28 am
This answers a lot of questions I didn’t even know I had! Dozer, our Pembroke Corgi, loves to lick my reading chair, which I assumed was because it was leather. He has always been into licking his paws but is on and off about doing that. Our American Cocker Spaniel just eats paper as snacks (we assume because he is a rescue and may have survived on eating paper products at some point). Should I be checking in with the vet about the licking of the furniture? It doesn’t bother me or the chair but does it mean Dozer harbors anxiety?
Comment by Nancy E — March 18, 2009 @ 7:52 am
I have a tag chewer as well and use the Boomerang brand tag style that slides over the fabric of the collar; since I use limited slip collars (no clasp) I use the one that has an opening to work the collar in behind the tag. Just be sure you measure the collar width carefully; the first one I bought was a teeny bit too big and fell off, but they were nice enough to replace it. It’s been great - she’s 3 and still chewing tags (how she reaches them is beyond me) her city license is illegible!
Comment by Cleo — March 18, 2009 @ 8:42 am
I found that the Red Dingo tags were not engraved deep enough. After about 3 months, I found that the lettering was obscured due to the rubbing of the city tag.
Comment by eastofeden — March 18, 2009 @ 9:06 am
Ginger, almost 13, has always licked the couch and sometimes my desk, so it’s not just the fabric. Dodger also snacks on paper. I’m unclear as to what it all means also.
Comment by Phyllis DeGioia — March 18, 2009 @ 3:51 pm
He needs a microchip!
Comment by Newport Beach Vet Hospital — March 18, 2009 @ 3:55 pm
Have any of you with neurotic lickers or chewers tried Tellington TTouch on them? The mouthwork is great for helping puppies get through teething, and it might be worth a try (or several) on this type of issue, too.
Comment by Judi — March 18, 2009 @ 6:21 pm
Dodger has a microchip, not to worry!
Comment by Phyllis DeGioia — March 20, 2009 @ 3:17 pm