Odd behavior

[Kubbi]

We just became owners of our first Cairn, Kubbi, 10 months old. We purchased him from owners who had him since he was a baby. They did not have any specific reason for giving him up but they had never had a dog before and he was a handful. Anyways, Kubbi has an unusual behavior. Usually in the evenings he will go get this particular sleeping pad (was from a smaller cage which we received with him) and twist it up like a pretzel and then lay on it and put this mouth over a spot and it actually looks like he is nursing, however, he has his mouth open a couple inches and just sort of dozes and has littlel jerks at times from his head. The previous owners said he did this at their home too. He has come along way in the four weeks we have owned him and is learning very quickly how to be good and not destroy the house. We love him very much and he is adorable. Anyone have an idea what this pad things is? We think it is his pacifier.

[Carolinasmom]

I have a 6 year old cairn and my parents have a litter mate. My parents' dog does the same thing, except with a squeaky, stuffed pig. She'll nurse on the snout! She started doing this at 6 mo. old when we left both dogs with my then boyfriend, now my DH, for a week while we were on vacation. We think she missed my parents so much and being so young, did it to comfort herself. 6 years later, she still does it! You might not want to get rid of that pad b/c Kubbi might need it his whole life!

[Guest posting as: Joy]

Thank you very much for your reply. I was wondering if something happened to cause Kubbi to do this. I will certainly take good care of his pad. I wonder how long the little stuffed pig for your dog will last??? Makes me a little sad to see him do it because I feel he is sad, but perhaps not. Again, thank you. I will try not to worry about it, hope he is happy enough with us he doesn't feel insecure.

[wags]

Wes does the same thing. We got him at 9 weeks and he's been with us forever afterward.

I think part of the reason is sensuality. Wes has a lot of toys. Yesterday I had given him am expecially soft stuffed toy and, now that I am thinking about it, it feels like a mammary gland.

[Eliz222]

I had a Cairn growing up, and she liked a baby doll. She would carry the doll (which was naked) around the house and lick, and lick, and lick her. If the doll was tossed away (we were just kids), she would run after it and carry it back to her bed. It was the cutiest thing! We all thought that she was doing this because she wanted to me a mommie herself.

[kayharley]

I only wish Madison would find something to cuddle and not rip apart although she's quite cuddly with me and I do have all my fingers and toes!

[Scully'sMom]

Scully is a cuddler as far as lying next to us when we sit on the sofa, etc. but she isn't a cuddler of her stuffed animals. She goes for the stuffing. I feel your pain KayHarley, I'd love to see her have some kind of stuff animal that she'd keep around.