Why Is My Dog Rubbing His Body on Everything all the time?
Okay, so the other day I noticed my dog, Buddy, was doing something weird. He was rubbing his whole body against, like, everything – the sofa, the walls, even my legs! I was like, "What the heck are you doing, dude?" It was kinda funny at first, but then I started to wonder if something was up.
Figuring Out the Rub
My first step? Good ol' Google. I typed in something like "dog rubbing body on everything" and, boom, tons of stuff popped up. It could be anything from allergies to just plain old itchiness. Some sites mentioned something called "anal glands," which, I'm not gonna lie, sounded gross.
I started with the easy stuff. I checked Buddy's fur for any fleas or ticks. Nope, nothing there. Thank goodness, because dealing with those little buggers is a nightmare.
- Check for fleas/ticks: All clear!
Next, I thought about his food. Had I changed his food recently? Nope, still the same old kibble he's been eating for months. Okay, scratch that off the list.
Then I considered allergies. It's springtime, and everything is blooming. Maybe he's reacting to the pollen, just like I do with my sneezing fits! I gave him a good bath with some oatmeal shampoo I had, hoping it would soothe any potential skin irritation.
- Bath time: Used oatmeal shampoo, fingers crossed!
He seemed to enjoy the bath, but a few hours later, he was back at it – rubbing against the furniture like he was trying to become one with the couch. Sigh.
The "Gross" Possibility
That's when I remembered the "anal gland" thing. I'm not super squeamish, but the thought of dealing with that was… well, not appealing. But, hey, gotta do what you gotta do for your furry friend, right?
I used a tissue to have a quick exam. Bingo！
So, I watched some videos on how to express a dog's anal glands. (Yes, there are videos for everything on the internet.) It looked… messy. I geared myself up with some gloves and a whole lot of paper towels.
- After I finished,I gave Buddy lots of praise and a tasty treat.
It's been a couple of days now, and the rubbing has stopped! He's back to his normal, goofy self, chasing his tail and begging for belly rubs. I'm so relieved it wasn't anything serious.
I am keeping a close eye on him,just in case the issue happen again.
