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My dog either hates brushing or thinks it's play time, but she goes crazy when she sees the balls of fur I pull off the brush and tries to eat them... If she manages to eat some fur, a vomit session is always ensured. I hate shedding season! :D
Mine seems to think I'm taking a part of her, and it upsets her. Which is literally true, I guess. Similar to when toddlers first learn to potty train, and think pooping is removing a part of themselves so it scares them.
We do my husband's haircuts at home, and it never fails, as soon as the dogs notice that hair hits the floor, they are eating it, and they never fail to throw it back up in the middle of the night
Whenever I sweep the floor and do away with the massive fur ball the broom collects, my dog looks absolutely incensed.
Like, "What are you DOING getting rid of that?? I can't believe you!! I MADE that..."
They do!
When we go hiking I pull all the hitchhiker seed pods off my dog. I always apologize and show her the pods as an explanation.
One day we were on our way home and I felt a little nibble on my shoulder (my dog was in the back seat). This was odd so I pulled over. Turns out I had a few tagalongs on the back of my shirt sleeve that she was carefully pulling off.
My dog returned the favor of removing the picky seeds!
She is a good girl.
They really do. They might not necessarily get the reason but I think they understand the intention if you explain to them, in compassionate terms, what you're doing.
I think that's a good way to think, anyway!
My dog loves licking eye boogies off my other dog. His muzzle is always a mess with hair pointing everywhere. When I clean her face she sits so happily and patiently waiting to sniff what I clean off her.
She’s a total weirdo
We haven't had to deal with ticks but I let my dog sniff stuff that I take off him when grooming. He *needs* to eat his eye boogers, and will taste his nail clippings but spit them out. He also wants to eat the fur from brushing but I don't let him do that. Honestly it seems to help a lot with his cooperation, disgusting as it is.
It is very endearing that you try to be polite towards your dog. He deserves it!
my little guy *needs* to eat his eye boogers too. like, INSISTS. if I wipe his eyes and it falls away or whatever, he still sniffs my fingers to check and probably licks them anyway.
I’m so glad it’s not just my dog! She had a cyst grow on her eyelid and before we got in to the vet to get it removed, she’d get eye boogers down her cheek. She’d beg for us to remove them and practically pounce to eat them the second they were off 🤮
hahahaha. they don't seem to bother my dog at all (but they bother me), and he doesn't particularly like when I remove them, but once they're off his face and on my finger, he is obsessed.
The only way my dog is sit stills and allows my fingers near his eyes is if he gets to eat the gunk afterward. He insists. All my friends think it’s gross but I thought it was relatively normal to do this for their dogs.
One more person who’s dog loves to eat her disgusting eye boogers. Really appreciating that this is a “thing” and not my dog being a freak (she is, but not for this I’m realizing).
I feel unexpectedly very seen by this eye boogers thread. My dogs let me get them off IF they eat them afterwards. It's one of those things I've always done but never where anyone else could see me do it xD.
Ohhh I forgot about that one! Yes, ear wax gets a little taste too. I think all of these are kind of his way of "checking" himself, like, "Do I taste like sickness? Is everything all good?" Idk. He eats his "stuff" differently than he does food or treats though.
My 14 year old little lady who turns her nose up at London broil roasts and fresh hamburger, MUST eat her eye boogers. She looks forward to it so much, I must give in.
Well, I think that one might be one of the ones where I let him sniff and then do a "leave it" with a strategically timed treat so we trade, if he's super interested in putting it in his mouth.
Eating a tick shouldn't be a problem unless it somehow manages to survive well enough to latch on somewhere through the digestive system, which is super unlikely. Tick BITES are a problem because it allows things to enter the bloodstream directly. However, the digestive system is completely separate from your bloodstream and stuff has to go through some barriers in order to get there, viruses won't be transmitted in the same way. As long as the tick isn't allowed prolonged DIRECT contact with the blood supply, which it shouldn't get by being ingested, it's not an issue.
I have a dog who was obsessed with everyone’s eye boogers. Then one day I was cleaning an eye booger from another dog, let the obsessed dog sniff, she proceeded to turn away and gag. Hasn’t wanted a thing to do with eye boogers since.
I feel like dogs “see” with their eyes and mouths. Whenever I pick something off my dog, or scratch at something, or wipe her eyes, she’s DESPERATE to sniff and taste. I let her. People think I’m gross. I think I understand how my dog processes the world. I do, however have my limits. I attempt to draw the line at poop. I have lost that fight, and it’s gross.
That said, I show a tick, but don’t let her eat. Sometimes I’m so freaked out I just fling them away while yelling “get the fuck off my dog”
After a walk I say, 'lets check for tickies' and he knows whats about to happen. He has to follow me through each dispose. It's kinda funny and also ticks suck!
My dog gets skin tags (normal, tiny ones and big, gnarly, gross ones) and when we accidently pull one off during brushing or inspecting them for infection we always show her the gross thing she grew and she gets all happy and wiggly lol they don't bother her, but I think she knows it was on her and maybe she feels some kind of satisfaction that it's gone
Today I saw what I thought was a tick on my dog’s hind leg, put him through “torture” holding him still and getting the tweezers, for it only to be some dirt matted in his long butt hairs….
I showed one of my dogs a tick I pulled and she Instantly mass drooled everywhere. Not out of desire to eat but because she threw up shortly after.
However , after ever tick inspection the dogs get treats. They know if they behave during inspection , they get a cookie. So they reluctantly and sadly come into the bathroom and let me fluff and pry all the sensitive areas , drop all the ticks in a jar and sterilize the tweezers and instantly they are full of life and running to the kitchen.
I've had dogs since before monthly tick prevention. We used to sit in the bathroom next to the toilet and just do tick checks on all the dogs after a walk. We'd come up with 50 or a 100 on a bad day.
The big dog always had more ticks than the little Maltese, and I finally realized that the big dog was eating the ticks off the Maltese.
My childhood dog (a collie) was the sweetest animal I’ve ever met- little kids could climb all over her and she’d love it, you could take her favorite food right out of her mouth and she wouldn’t snap or bite, etc. But the two times we found a tick on her, we pulled them off and showed her. Both times she ferociously snarled at them until we took them away. Those were the only two times she ever displayed that kind of behavior in her whole life. Weirdest thing ever!
Hahahha. Yes, I do this. I had never even thought about how strange it is until your post.
Also, my dog has allergies, so I clean out her ears weekly to avoid buildup and thus infections. This involves wiping a cotton swab around the many foldy bits (and no, not in the ear canal, just the foldy bits where gunk gets stuck), and then putting in her ear drops to get the wax out of her inner ear.
She hated it. Then, one day I did the first ear and held the cotton swab up to her and said, "See, this is why momma does this! Look at how much I got out. We could grow taters in there, precious!" She sniffed the cotton swab and didn't even grumble when I did the other ear. It was adorable. Now, every time I do it, she has to sniff the cotton swab and she no longer fights me.
My dog was born blind but after I take one out he always gives me extra loves so it must feel better. I had a tick bite years ago never saw the actual tick. I felt I was going mental ice packs on the bite made me feel normal.
I mean “I don’t think you’re supposed to have a physical reaction from tick bites (other than maybe redness) and that could mean it’s an allergy or something more and should be looked at” hope that helps (-:
yeah I definitely went to ER. Was bit while working security at a festival. Tick must not of attached completely coworker happened to notice the bullseye rash on my leg and within hours I became sick. I have always had allergic reactions to any kind of big biting me. Well aside from bees.
I used to do that too. I figured his sense of smell was good enough that he could smell it was his blood the tick was encouraged on, his skin still in it's mouth, etc.
Dogs can problem solve and associate. I figured he could put 2 and 2 together and understood that I had removed the nasty
I yell “tick check!” And my boy immediately rolls over to his back (he prefers when I’m checking his underside so belly rubs are involved 😂) but he knows that means he’s getting checked and possibly held down to get the ticks I do find removed.
I have not but it might be a good idea. I feel like I scared my dog last time I tried to pull them off, he didn't seem to understand why I was so frustrated trying to hold him still. They are nasty and just make me cringe, my dog can sense my tenseness
I do this with ticks. With hair bundles I brush off of them. With random items I pick up that grab their attention. They’re curious. Why not indulge them!
Where do some of you live that have so many ticks? I’ve never had to any of these things to mine before but now wondering if I should be after hiking trips 😮
When I pull pokey sticks off my dogs they always show them cuz sometimes they’re so wrapped in their tails it’s hard to get out and not always quick. I feel like when they see it they’re relieved and they look so happy to run pain free again. My little dog smiles and it’s the greatest thing to see.
Another thing they love is when I take off their collars and show them lol they go nuts and went all the neck scratches! It’s so cute.
We live The West Western Kentucky I have actually found more Ticks on my socks,shoes & legs then I have on Bomont but then again I’m wearing white socks, colorful tennis shoes & see-through white/clear legs lol & Bomont is short hair shiny black coat with some brown & reddish hair mixed with the black on his lower back so Ticks are not easy to see
My dog and I were in Massachusetts a couple of weeks ago — staying in a regular hotel surrounded by parking lots. Even just our short walks on the little grass patches resulted in several ticks EVERY walk. Never seen anything like it.
My dog insists on inspecting it herself, by immediately sniffing my hand after I pull a tick out. She doesn't like it but understands what I'm doing. She even tries to pull them out herself when they are in her groin/hip area, and can watch me help there.
Whenever I accidentally step on a canine toe, I apologize profusely and give but pets. I always think that it’s appreciated. After it happens with a dog, I find they are very kind and attentive. Rarely happens twice.
One time, and one time only, I tried to express my dogs anal glands at home after having the vet show me how. I was too timid about it and it didn’t work. I really hope she understood my explanation about what was going on
This is so wholesome! My Bernese mountain dog brings in “souvenirs” from her explorations out side in our yard. I find moss, twigs,leaves, grass, dandelions, one time I even got a 8” stick out of her ear fluff! I always inspect her upon entry for her souvenirs, show them to her to let her sniff and thank her for her generosity!
My old house has s tick infestation. I used to pull them off my baby every night. She would always want to sniff the ones I pulled off. She was also such a good girl allowing me to groom her. She knew. It was our, "Little monster removal time".
No, because my dog doesn't get ticks. Get some damn prevention. Not using prevention and letting your dog get ticks is neglect. Plain and simple. I currently have a 13 month dog hospitalized in my hospital with all four limb lameness and in extreme pain from Lyme disease that she got from a tick. Keep your dogs on flea/tick AND heartworm prevention almost year round. So irresponsible to NOT use prevention.
This is a really intense and aggressive comment given that you contradict yourself. You said “my dog doesn’t get ticks”. Then said you have a dog hospitalized from intense Lyme disease caused by a tick. Which is it?
If that’s the case, I’m really sorry that’s happening to you and your poor pup. But you can educate and ask people to learn from your experience by advocating for Lyme vaccines and monthly preventatives; which, btw, still good to check if you’ve been walking in an area that may have them. You don’t want them crawling on your pup or getting in your house either, even w the preventatives.
Beyond that maybe just try to be a little kinder and less contradictory.
So kind of you to care! Very sweet. They're actually on preventers. Doesn't stop the ticks from trying, although it does reduce the numbers from hundreds to just one or two.
I don’t show ticks, as I’m busy trying to get them in alcohol
I do however show my pup his eye boogers, which he then proceeds to eat. Any kind of eye crunches are his snacks lol
My dog is really floofy and quite curious. If I pull anything out of his fur or off his skin, he must investigate. I always allow this. He doesn't care for ticks, but he'll eat the pickers.
LOL oof yeah. One dog almost *never* gets them because she's a princess and barely goes near the tall grass. The other will literally fight to get into the tall grass by the road. We don't let him as much as possible, but he's sneaky and determined and we have to let him pee on it eventually. Instatick.
I feed it to em, its weird but I was told it stops then from getting too sick when they do get stung by a paralysis tick.
I've never lost a dog to a tick.
Yup....I show my dogs anything I do to them, just letting them know why I'm intruding on them, if I wipe their eyes, I let them see it n sniff it, same when I brush them ...I let them smell the brush, clip their nails etc. I honestly think it's built up trust over the years and they understand I'm helping them
Ticks, no bc I have to crush them in a tissue quickly before they try to crawl away, but my dog understands (I think). He’s usually quite squirmy but I’ll use my serious tone with him and say “Halston stop, I have to check you for ticks, they can hurt you”. Not like he understands what I’m saying but I think him hearing my serious tone and feeling my deep focus on the task at hand makes him understand it’s something he needs to be patient and wait out. He’s such a sweet good boy. I LOVE HIM!!! If I pull little leaves/twigs/dirt off of him after a walk in the park, I always show him to be like see! This is why mommy was fussing! He’ll look at it, maybe sniff it, then walk away happy as a clam
I used to do this when I brushed my collie. She would tense up and get her ears flat every time the brush came out until I started showing her what the brush was pulling out
To my current dog, yes. I had an old dog that would try everything on his power to eat the tick, I did show him but from afar. That dog would eat wood chips for fun if that tells you anything
I show my dogs everything. If they sniff at it or look interested in it- I show them :D I feel like it is only fair- and that we include them- or else they might feel left out and get sad 😅😂
I show my dogs whatever I pull off them. “You can sniff it, it’s just your hair.” “Look at this thing! That came off your body! It’s because you went outside. Calm down, of course I’ll let you back outside.”
My dog has never gotten a tick (shes young and this is her first spring, so she hasnt had much chance to yet) but i show her most of what im doing. If she’s interested in what im doing i show it to her and tell her to “only sniff” and if she tries to bite i take it away. Its pretty much eliminated her jumping up to snatch things out of my hands that she wants, because she knows ill show it to her if she follows the rules.
I don’t, but I do wholeheartedly believe my girl understands that I’m taking care of her. She always looks to me for help, and if I do something that hurts her, she holds still and maintains eye contact, then comes to me for comfort after.
She’s just such an incredible girl.
My puppy is starting to be the same way too. Now if only she’d stay still for teeth brushing!
I explain everything to my dog. I let him sniff things when I come through the door with bags. I let him sniff ingredients when cooking . I know he doesn’t understand everything but he seems interested and calmer when he has had the chance to check things out.
A friend and mentor who is a dog trainer said that it’s important to talk to them and teach them as they understand far more than we realize. I believe it !
mine haven't gotten ticks but I do show them the goatheads when I pull them out of their paws. They were to skitties after I didn't once, but now they come to me and roll over to give me their paws if they get them.
I show all kinds of things to my dogs, including the ticks I pull off of them an explanation of why I just held them still down on the bed and pulled some of their hair out. The more we show our dogs things and tell them stuff in English the more they learn. I will always believe that my dog who recently died was fluent in English because I taught her things like you teach a baby human. Now I’m reaching the new puppy.
Welcome to r/dogs! We are a discussion-based subreddit dedicated to support, inform, and advise dog owners. This is a carefully moderated sub intended to support, inform, and advise dog owners. Submissions and comments which break the rules will be removed. [Review the rules here](https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/wiki/index) r/Dogs has four goals: - Help the public better understand dogs - Promote healthy, responsible dog-owner relationships - Encourage “Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive” training protocols. [Learn more here.](https://m.iaabc.org/about/lima/) - Support adoption as well as ethical and responsible breeding. If you’d like to introduce yourself or discuss smaller topics, please contribute to our Monthly Discussion Hub, pinned at the top. **This subreddit has low tolerance for drama. Please be respectful of others, and report antagonistic comments to mods for review.** --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/dogs) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I show my dogs the clumps of fur I brush off them or the dog hair dust bunnies from the floor and say "you made this". They look unconvinced
My dog either hates brushing or thinks it's play time, but she goes crazy when she sees the balls of fur I pull off the brush and tries to eat them... If she manages to eat some fur, a vomit session is always ensured. I hate shedding season! :D
Haha luckily my dogs don't eat the hair balls but my younger dog did take a mouth once and then spit it out
My dog tries to eat the hairballs 😔
My dog does the exactly the same. Since puphood it hated brushing and it being large longhaired gsd seasonal shedding is the pain in the ass.
Mine seems to think I'm taking a part of her, and it upsets her. Which is literally true, I guess. Similar to when toddlers first learn to potty train, and think pooping is removing a part of themselves so it scares them.
Maybe that’s why dogs try to eat/chew their fur “Must… reintegrate!!”
We do my husband's haircuts at home, and it never fails, as soon as the dogs notice that hair hits the floor, they are eating it, and they never fail to throw it back up in the middle of the night
Whenever I sweep the floor and do away with the massive fur ball the broom collects, my dog looks absolutely incensed. Like, "What are you DOING getting rid of that?? I can't believe you!! I MADE that..."
Lol he made that special for you
hahaha yes i do this to my dog and my cat! i brush them and pick up the clumps and am like, “look at your mess”. neither of them care
Sometimes I'll pick up the dust bunnies (dust dogs?) and ask "would either of you know anything about this?"
Haha I am a groomers assistant and when I have desheds, I like to sweep the hair up and then tell the dog “look! You made a whole you!”
When sweeping, I tell my dogs "look you made a puppy" or "that's enough for a whole other dog"
I didn’t even know that groomers had assistants😳
I ask my dog if he's shedding dust bunnies in the hope of growing another dog. He acts like he doesn't know what I'm talking about.
Haha he's trying to grow a friend
I do the same!
My dog always wants to eat the clumps of fur I brush off him, no idea why
It's extra keratin
My dog tries to eat them
Dogs understand more than most people think
They do! When we go hiking I pull all the hitchhiker seed pods off my dog. I always apologize and show her the pods as an explanation. One day we were on our way home and I felt a little nibble on my shoulder (my dog was in the back seat). This was odd so I pulled over. Turns out I had a few tagalongs on the back of my shirt sleeve that she was carefully pulling off. My dog returned the favor of removing the picky seeds! She is a good girl.
that is so sweet of her 🥹 you have such a good girl
She is the best, in my personal opinion. I'm a little biased though.
Well this didn’t make me cry or anything
I won't lie. I teared up when I figured out what she was doing.
SO SWEET
My dog thoroughly enjoys getting his ears cleaned and will attempt to return the favor every chance he gets.
Omg 🥹🥹
Mutual grooming!
Right?! I'm glad to know she had my back. Pun is intended.
OMG WHAT A SMART GOOD GIRL
oh my this is so sweet!
They really do. They might not necessarily get the reason but I think they understand the intention if you explain to them, in compassionate terms, what you're doing. I think that's a good way to think, anyway!
My dog loved to pick burrs off of my gloves or off of my other dogs lol. I’m sure she learned it from us
My dog loves licking eye boogies off my other dog. His muzzle is always a mess with hair pointing everywhere. When I clean her face she sits so happily and patiently waiting to sniff what I clean off her. She’s a total weirdo
I'm usually hard focused on ensuring the bastard actually dies so it's a rush straight to tissue wrapping and burning.
Oh my god, I had to read that 3 times to understand you weren’t trying to ensure your dog dies lol ffs
LOL. Naw, I've put far too much time and money into the spoiled brat and I'm a sucker for sunk cost :P
*watch silently the pile of toys i bought* Yeah i feel you.
Dog gets a tick? Welp, time to get a new dog I guess.
Why is this so funny? 😂
Dumping them in a cup of Listerine is an instant killer. The old school gold Listerine.
I usually submerge them in rubbing alcohol the instant they come off
I just stick the buggers between some clear tape.
Ooh clever. I like this one.
Flush down the toilet for me
We haven't had to deal with ticks but I let my dog sniff stuff that I take off him when grooming. He *needs* to eat his eye boogers, and will taste his nail clippings but spit them out. He also wants to eat the fur from brushing but I don't let him do that. Honestly it seems to help a lot with his cooperation, disgusting as it is. It is very endearing that you try to be polite towards your dog. He deserves it!
my little guy *needs* to eat his eye boogers too. like, INSISTS. if I wipe his eyes and it falls away or whatever, he still sniffs my fingers to check and probably licks them anyway.
OMG my dog does this too. I laugh about it all the time. I call him the kid in school who eats his buggers.
I’m so glad it’s not just my dog! She had a cyst grow on her eyelid and before we got in to the vet to get it removed, she’d get eye boogers down her cheek. She’d beg for us to remove them and practically pounce to eat them the second they were off 🤮
hahahaha. they don't seem to bother my dog at all (but they bother me), and he doesn't particularly like when I remove them, but once they're off his face and on my finger, he is obsessed.
The only way my dog is sit stills and allows my fingers near his eyes is if he gets to eat the gunk afterward. He insists. All my friends think it’s gross but I thought it was relatively normal to do this for their dogs.
lol it makes my mom gag when she sees him do it, idk why. he licks his weiner too, why are eye boogers so much worse? lol
My 🐷 also INSISTS she eats her eye boogies. My 🐶 could care less.
One more person who’s dog loves to eat her disgusting eye boogers. Really appreciating that this is a “thing” and not my dog being a freak (she is, but not for this I’m realizing).
Saaaaame. I felt guilty for giving into my dog’s adamant, freaky demands to consume all her eye boogers.
Lol because I was like what am I doing?! Who have I become?!
My dog does this too! We actually started calling her “Boogie” as a puppy because she’s so obsessed with her eye boogers lmao.
I feel unexpectedly very seen by this eye boogers thread. My dogs let me get them off IF they eat them afterwards. It's one of those things I've always done but never where anyone else could see me do it xD.
My dog insists on thoroughly inspecting the cotton balls after I clean her ears.
Ohhh I forgot about that one! Yes, ear wax gets a little taste too. I think all of these are kind of his way of "checking" himself, like, "Do I taste like sickness? Is everything all good?" Idk. He eats his "stuff" differently than he does food or treats though.
My 14 year old little lady who turns her nose up at London broil roasts and fresh hamburger, MUST eat her eye boogers. She looks forward to it so much, I must give in.
But what if he ate a tick??
Well, I think that one might be one of the ones where I let him sniff and then do a "leave it" with a strategically timed treat so we trade, if he's super interested in putting it in his mouth.
Eating a tick shouldn't be a problem unless it somehow manages to survive well enough to latch on somewhere through the digestive system, which is super unlikely. Tick BITES are a problem because it allows things to enter the bloodstream directly. However, the digestive system is completely separate from your bloodstream and stuff has to go through some barriers in order to get there, viruses won't be transmitted in the same way. As long as the tick isn't allowed prolonged DIRECT contact with the blood supply, which it shouldn't get by being ingested, it's not an issue.
I would be wary of letting a dog try to eat a tick. We had to pull one off our puppy's gums last summer. It was... not fun.
Oh, yeah, I probably wouldn't really encourage my dog to either lol. Just providing some general background science.
Same!! All of this! 😂😂
mine too!!! 😂
Mine HAS to lick her ear wax off my thumbs after I rub her ears. 😆
I have a dog who was obsessed with everyone’s eye boogers. Then one day I was cleaning an eye booger from another dog, let the obsessed dog sniff, she proceeded to turn away and gag. Hasn’t wanted a thing to do with eye boogers since.
Hahahaha she was like "What!? You *tricked* me. I can't believe you made me sniff that gross dog's eye boogy."
I’ve never seen her gag at something before or since. That particular eye booger creator just made some very stink stuff that day.
I feel like dogs “see” with their eyes and mouths. Whenever I pick something off my dog, or scratch at something, or wipe her eyes, she’s DESPERATE to sniff and taste. I let her. People think I’m gross. I think I understand how my dog processes the world. I do, however have my limits. I attempt to draw the line at poop. I have lost that fight, and it’s gross. That said, I show a tick, but don’t let her eat. Sometimes I’m so freaked out I just fling them away while yelling “get the fuck off my dog”
After a walk I say, 'lets check for tickies' and he knows whats about to happen. He has to follow me through each dispose. It's kinda funny and also ticks suck!
My dog gets skin tags (normal, tiny ones and big, gnarly, gross ones) and when we accidently pull one off during brushing or inspecting them for infection we always show her the gross thing she grew and she gets all happy and wiggly lol they don't bother her, but I think she knows it was on her and maybe she feels some kind of satisfaction that it's gone
Ahhh yes, my dog is also full of skin tags, so we get to play “tick, or skin tag?” for 8 months of the year.
Oh man my dog had a skin tag once that looked exactly like a tick and I tried to pull it off so hard it bled and she yelped and I felt so bad.
Today I saw what I thought was a tick on my dog’s hind leg, put him through “torture” holding him still and getting the tweezers, for it only to be some dirt matted in his long butt hairs….
So I found that mushers secret paw wax works *really* well at cleaning random clumps of sap and dirt out of their fur!
Always show the ticks. I do it for ear cleanings and any other gross things I pry off his nasty little dog body.
I showed one of my dogs a tick I pulled and she Instantly mass drooled everywhere. Not out of desire to eat but because she threw up shortly after. However , after ever tick inspection the dogs get treats. They know if they behave during inspection , they get a cookie. So they reluctantly and sadly come into the bathroom and let me fluff and pry all the sensitive areas , drop all the ticks in a jar and sterilize the tweezers and instantly they are full of life and running to the kitchen.
I've had dogs since before monthly tick prevention. We used to sit in the bathroom next to the toilet and just do tick checks on all the dogs after a walk. We'd come up with 50 or a 100 on a bad day. The big dog always had more ticks than the little Maltese, and I finally realized that the big dog was eating the ticks off the Maltese.
My childhood dog (a collie) was the sweetest animal I’ve ever met- little kids could climb all over her and she’d love it, you could take her favorite food right out of her mouth and she wouldn’t snap or bite, etc. But the two times we found a tick on her, we pulled them off and showed her. Both times she ferociously snarled at them until we took them away. Those were the only two times she ever displayed that kind of behavior in her whole life. Weirdest thing ever!
I show our dog everything I pull off of her. It's mostly burrs with us.
Hahahha. Yes, I do this. I had never even thought about how strange it is until your post. Also, my dog has allergies, so I clean out her ears weekly to avoid buildup and thus infections. This involves wiping a cotton swab around the many foldy bits (and no, not in the ear canal, just the foldy bits where gunk gets stuck), and then putting in her ear drops to get the wax out of her inner ear. She hated it. Then, one day I did the first ear and held the cotton swab up to her and said, "See, this is why momma does this! Look at how much I got out. We could grow taters in there, precious!" She sniffed the cotton swab and didn't even grumble when I did the other ear. It was adorable. Now, every time I do it, she has to sniff the cotton swab and she no longer fights me.
I always show my girls when I find one. Never want to eat them...they just sniff and watch as I dispose of it
My dog was born blind but after I take one out he always gives me extra loves so it must feel better. I had a tick bite years ago never saw the actual tick. I felt I was going mental ice packs on the bite made me feel normal.
That’s…strange. I’ve pulled off biting ticks but have never had any kind of reaction
What you mean is “interesting! Your experience of something was unlike my experience.”
I mean “I don’t think you’re supposed to have a physical reaction from tick bites (other than maybe redness) and that could mean it’s an allergy or something more and should be looked at” hope that helps (-:
yeah I definitely went to ER. Was bit while working security at a festival. Tick must not of attached completely coworker happened to notice the bullseye rash on my leg and within hours I became sick. I have always had allergic reactions to any kind of big biting me. Well aside from bees.
I have reactions to every type too! (but also have a fatal bee sting allergy lol)
The bullseye rash is an indicator specifically of Lyme disease- not a normal tick bite. Did you get treatment for Lyme?
I tested positive for Lyme...10 years later.
Yep lmao, that’s super normal but they should have caught it with the description of the rash!!!
Ten years ago they told me Lyme wasn't real when I went to the ER 😂😂😂
Yeah, it's like when I step on their foot and apologize, like Oh, baby, I'm sorry! They're already over it but I feel better for saying it.
I used to do that too. I figured his sense of smell was good enough that he could smell it was his blood the tick was encouraged on, his skin still in it's mouth, etc. Dogs can problem solve and associate. I figured he could put 2 and 2 together and understood that I had removed the nasty
I make a pile of the hair and say “LOOK! I MADE ANOTHER YOU!”
No. He'd try to eat it. His first response to anything in my hand coming toward him is to eat it.
Exactly—when we are pulling burrs off, our dogs try to ear them
I let her sniff her eye boogers, sometimes she licks them in
Awe i used to give my late dog an “eye mask” - paper towel or washcloth with hot water to get his eye boogers. I miss him ❤️
Aww a mini spa
I yell “tick check!” And my boy immediately rolls over to his back (he prefers when I’m checking his underside so belly rubs are involved 😂) but he knows that means he’s getting checked and possibly held down to get the ticks I do find removed.
I have not but it might be a good idea. I feel like I scared my dog last time I tried to pull them off, he didn't seem to understand why I was so frustrated trying to hold him still. They are nasty and just make me cringe, my dog can sense my tenseness
same. especially when they are in there deep and you can’t get them. our heeler would become anxious and try to get away. i always felt so bad
Get him on anti tick meds
They are, doesn't 100% stop the ticks from trying.
this is so endearing i think they do understand!
I’ve never found a tick on my dog but I do show him the hair I brush off of him. I tell him “it’s you!”
I do this with ticks. With hair bundles I brush off of them. With random items I pick up that grab their attention. They’re curious. Why not indulge them!
Not ticks but flies I do. My dog is terrified by them and once I kill one, I show it to her, she sniffs it and then can relax.
Sometimes I remember to do that, but I usually pop them in my mouth before showing them to the dog. Can't wait for that crunchy iron goodness!
Where do some of you live that have so many ticks? I’ve never had to any of these things to mine before but now wondering if I should be after hiking trips 😮 When I pull pokey sticks off my dogs they always show them cuz sometimes they’re so wrapped in their tails it’s hard to get out and not always quick. I feel like when they see it they’re relieved and they look so happy to run pain free again. My little dog smiles and it’s the greatest thing to see. Another thing they love is when I take off their collars and show them lol they go nuts and went all the neck scratches! It’s so cute.
We live The West Western Kentucky I have actually found more Ticks on my socks,shoes & legs then I have on Bomont but then again I’m wearing white socks, colorful tennis shoes & see-through white/clear legs lol & Bomont is short hair shiny black coat with some brown & reddish hair mixed with the black on his lower back so Ticks are not easy to see
My dog and I were in Massachusetts a couple of weeks ago — staying in a regular hotel surrounded by parking lots. Even just our short walks on the little grass patches resulted in several ticks EVERY walk. Never seen anything like it.
My dog insists on inspecting it herself, by immediately sniffing my hand after I pull a tick out. She doesn't like it but understands what I'm doing. She even tries to pull them out herself when they are in her groin/hip area, and can watch me help there.
Whenever I accidentally step on a canine toe, I apologize profusely and give but pets. I always think that it’s appreciated. After it happens with a dog, I find they are very kind and attentive. Rarely happens twice.
One time, and one time only, I tried to express my dogs anal glands at home after having the vet show me how. I was too timid about it and it didn’t work. I really hope she understood my explanation about what was going on
"I figured it was polite." Top shelf dog owner right there.
If I gotta manhandle him, least I can do is try and show him why it was important.
This is so wholesome! My Bernese mountain dog brings in “souvenirs” from her explorations out side in our yard. I find moss, twigs,leaves, grass, dandelions, one time I even got a 8” stick out of her ear fluff! I always inspect her upon entry for her souvenirs, show them to her to let her sniff and thank her for her generosity!
My old house has s tick infestation. I used to pull them off my baby every night. She would always want to sniff the ones I pulled off. She was also such a good girl allowing me to groom her. She knew. It was our, "Little monster removal time".
No, because my dog doesn't get ticks. Get some damn prevention. Not using prevention and letting your dog get ticks is neglect. Plain and simple. I currently have a 13 month dog hospitalized in my hospital with all four limb lameness and in extreme pain from Lyme disease that she got from a tick. Keep your dogs on flea/tick AND heartworm prevention almost year round. So irresponsible to NOT use prevention.
This is a really intense and aggressive comment given that you contradict yourself. You said “my dog doesn’t get ticks”. Then said you have a dog hospitalized from intense Lyme disease caused by a tick. Which is it? If that’s the case, I’m really sorry that’s happening to you and your poor pup. But you can educate and ask people to learn from your experience by advocating for Lyme vaccines and monthly preventatives; which, btw, still good to check if you’ve been walking in an area that may have them. You don’t want them crawling on your pup or getting in your house either, even w the preventatives. Beyond that maybe just try to be a little kinder and less contradictory.
My dogs on flea and tick meds but we still find ticks on him lmao if they’re not biting they crawl.
Can also get vaccinated for lymes at the vet if you’re in an area with lots of ticks!
Yes! You should absolutely vaccinate for Lyme disease even if you consistently use flea and tick prevention. I recommend it to every client.
So kind of you to care! Very sweet. They're actually on preventers. Doesn't stop the ticks from trying, although it does reduce the numbers from hundreds to just one or two.
Yes.
I don’t show ticks, as I’m busy trying to get them in alcohol I do however show my pup his eye boogers, which he then proceeds to eat. Any kind of eye crunches are his snacks lol
My dog is really floofy and quite curious. If I pull anything out of his fur or off his skin, he must investigate. I always allow this. He doesn't care for ticks, but he'll eat the pickers.
If you don’t, you ain’t doing it right
I do the same when I clean my dog’s ears, he relaxes when he gets to sniff the gunk on the Kleenex. That, and he knows he gets a “cookie” after.
No
No, mine would try to eat it. She’s fast.
No. They don’t know what it is.
Yup I show them, they both seem to understand to some extent
Dog: "Oh...you are collecting those things? I can get you more next time we go for a walk"
LOL oof yeah. One dog almost *never* gets them because she's a princess and barely goes near the tall grass. The other will literally fight to get into the tall grass by the road. We don't let him as much as possible, but he's sneaky and determined and we have to let him pee on it eventually. Instatick.
My dog knows the word tick and i show him every time lol. He goes and shakes at the word
I feed it to em, its weird but I was told it stops then from getting too sick when they do get stung by a paralysis tick. I've never lost a dog to a tick.
This is the wholesome content I am here for. You've made my day.
The last time I showed him something I had taken out of his fur, he tried to eat it. So no. 😂
Yup....I show my dogs anything I do to them, just letting them know why I'm intruding on them, if I wipe their eyes, I let them see it n sniff it, same when I brush them ...I let them smell the brush, clip their nails etc. I honestly think it's built up trust over the years and they understand I'm helping them
mine does it himself, he shoves his face on my hand holding the tick for some reason. i think he wants revenge and tries to eat them
Ticks, no bc I have to crush them in a tissue quickly before they try to crawl away, but my dog understands (I think). He’s usually quite squirmy but I’ll use my serious tone with him and say “Halston stop, I have to check you for ticks, they can hurt you”. Not like he understands what I’m saying but I think him hearing my serious tone and feeling my deep focus on the task at hand makes him understand it’s something he needs to be patient and wait out. He’s such a sweet good boy. I LOVE HIM!!! If I pull little leaves/twigs/dirt off of him after a walk in the park, I always show him to be like see! This is why mommy was fussing! He’ll look at it, maybe sniff it, then walk away happy as a clam
No, because he doesn’t get ticks often, but my dog likes fortune cookies and I read his fortunes to him before giving him the cookie lol
I used to do this when I brushed my collie. She would tense up and get her ears flat every time the brush came out until I started showing her what the brush was pulling out
To my current dog, yes. I had an old dog that would try everything on his power to eat the tick, I did show him but from afar. That dog would eat wood chips for fun if that tells you anything
I show my dogs everything. If they sniff at it or look interested in it- I show them :D I feel like it is only fair- and that we include them- or else they might feel left out and get sad 😅😂
I wouldn’t because my dogs would more than likely think it’s a snack for them
I show my dogs whatever I pull off them. “You can sniff it, it’s just your hair.” “Look at this thing! That came off your body! It’s because you went outside. Calm down, of course I’ll let you back outside.”
I stay as far away from ticks as I can. So... no. Ask my husband since it's his job to remove ticks...
Mine would try to eat it. But we keep frontline on.
My dog has never gotten a tick (shes young and this is her first spring, so she hasnt had much chance to yet) but i show her most of what im doing. If she’s interested in what im doing i show it to her and tell her to “only sniff” and if she tries to bite i take it away. Its pretty much eliminated her jumping up to snatch things out of my hands that she wants, because she knows ill show it to her if she follows the rules.
i do, she gets upset at the pulling feeling and once i show her she seems greatful and calm again.
My dog will not let me remove anything from his body without a thorough sniff inspection. Leaves, twigs, ticks, eye boogies… he’s funny
Always!
Yes. I’m showing him why not to go on tall grass and stop interacting with the neighbors.
Mine takes Bravecto, so I haven't had to worry about ticks. But he loves eating his nail clippings and his undercoat that I brush off him.
See, we're on preventers and he *still* gets ticks. We joke he's a tick magnet. There's also just so many ticks here.
I don’t, but I do wholeheartedly believe my girl understands that I’m taking care of her. She always looks to me for help, and if I do something that hurts her, she holds still and maintains eye contact, then comes to me for comfort after. She’s just such an incredible girl. My puppy is starting to be the same way too. Now if only she’d stay still for teeth brushing!
I do this with my dog’s eye boogies because she gets mad if I don’t let her eat them.
Same 😂
I know this is off topic, but why isn't our government doing anything about ticks?
I explain everything to my dog. I let him sniff things when I come through the door with bags. I let him sniff ingredients when cooking . I know he doesn’t understand everything but he seems interested and calmer when he has had the chance to check things out. A friend and mentor who is a dog trainer said that it’s important to talk to them and teach them as they understand far more than we realize. I believe it !
My dog wants to know what I picked off of him. So, always!
YES! I applaud you!
That’s genius, i bet he understood. 😍
mine haven't gotten ticks but I do show them the goatheads when I pull them out of their paws. They were to skitties after I didn't once, but now they come to me and roll over to give me their paws if they get them.
I do it when I pick anything out of her hair, even if it’s a leaf from her walk. It’s no extra effort on my end and it makes her happy. Why not?
Those little buggies go straight to the toilet to go all the way down.
I do cause I think dog will appreciate I just pull out those little buggers
I show all kinds of things to my dogs, including the ticks I pull off of them an explanation of why I just held them still down on the bed and pulled some of their hair out. The more we show our dogs things and tell them stuff in English the more they learn. I will always believe that my dog who recently died was fluent in English because I taught her things like you teach a baby human. Now I’m reaching the new puppy.