Why does she nibble?
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Just curious about something that Bowpi does all the time…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyEqhIe_6uU
She's not gnawing to create a hole. Nothing is ever damaged by this behavior, so I'm not really concerned so much as curious. She only does this with towels, blankets, and sheets. Is she trying to groom the blanket? Or is this some weird, nonsensical tic that she developed somewhere?
My theory is that she's massaging her gums…
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wrote on 9 Aug 2010, 23:24 last edited by
This is quite comment in Basenjis… we call it "de-fleaing"... which it has nothing to do with Flea's... it is about a grooming and/or nesting behavior. I am surprised that she is not doing it with the humans in the house and the clothing they are wearing. She is not massaging her gums.. it is like a built in behavior... I have seen it in a few different pedigrees.
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wrote on 10 Aug 2010, 01:22 last edited by
Buddy's a nibbler. I appreciate him getting those imaginary fleas off me. :D
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Damn. So much for my theory!
De-fleaing – that's very interesting. She's done it once or twice to my shirt, which is how I could feel that she wasn't actually biting. It kind of tickled. I can't recall her grooming herself in this way. She usually does full tongue baths... maybe I'm just selectively forgetting something. Whatever the impulse behind this, it's cute.
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wrote on 10 Aug 2010, 02:01 last edited by
i've always called them love nibbles.
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wrote on 11 Aug 2010, 14:38 last edited by
Gemma does this all the time to her feet, her sides, and Shaye, when Shaye will allow it. I thought it was just a nervous habit. Huh - learn something new every day on here!
6/6