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Why is my poodle constantly licking the air and nothing else?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Miniature Poodle | Male | neutered

I have a 4-year-old miniature poodle who out of nothing began to constantly lick. He doesn't necessarily lick objects but will sit and look you straight in the face and lick ( even though he isn't licking anything but air). For example, at the moment I am typing on the computer and he is sitting right beside my face licking and licking and licking. Why did this odd behavior start?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

Published on March 19th, 2018

There are a few reasons that kind of behavior can start. Some are benign and do not cause any problems, but some are more serious. I would recommend keeping a journal of the frequency of the episodes and taking video of the episodes. Then I would recommend having Sharky's veterinarian examine him and watch the videos. We can sometimes see partial seizures occur as licking which your veterinarian may be able to determine from the video. They may also do blood work to look for other causes.
Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that your veterinarian can determine what is going on with Sharky. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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