Wall obsession

[DianneGajewski]

My year old yorkie is obsessed with licking...then scratching...then biting random areas of drywall.  This behavior is only exhibited in the late day and evening.  She has been doing this for several months and I now have barriers up on virtually every place she can get at.  First I want to make sure she doesn't eat anything that is dangerous... But I also would like to get my house back to normal.  Any ideas appreciated!

[FrederykBlot]

Hello 

 

If that can help, ours also had its share on the wall, it was most of the time related to insects or critters on the wall, or in the wall, more to walls themselves

Increase of activity on the evening can concurs with that

 

I'm sorry I don't think I'm knowledgeable enough to advise on your case

But in ours, redirection was the most efficient : it was easier because it occurs during the evening session, so he didn't have too much time to focus on it, as we finished work, so then we were able to play with him, some physical and mental, then evening long walk, then nap in pen while we have dinner, then evening chill with an edible chew, a night walk if too excited, and it's bedtime

 

Hope it will help though

[Adrienne]

Yorkies are very attentive as they were selectively bred to hunt down rats. I concur that it could be triggered by some type of insect, especially considering that the timing coincides when there is an increase activity of bugs. If you notice your pup continuing to stare at the same spot on the wall or ceiling, have a listen for yourself. You might just pick up the tiny scurry of mice or other unwanted creatures sharing your living space. Some dogs are even capable of detecting termites!

If your Yorkie has detected such pests, make sure to get an appropriate exterminator out to take care of whatever might be hanging around in a safe manner (considering that several pes products are toxic to dogs). This should tackle the underlying problem at the root and reduce her searching for the pests over time.

Being bred to be ratters, Yorkies can also get bored when there is not much going on in their lives. Their minds and bodies were built to detect the slightest sounds and hunt. A bored mind can cause them to look for a "job" and therefore get into a mission to hunt down critters. Helping her find an alternative "hobby" that can be equally if not more rewarding may help.

For instance, increase her brain games and find some activities that allow her to "hunt things down" such as the ball pit game:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/elementary/the-ball-pit-game/

Organize treasure hunt games done with her kibble:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/elementary/the-treasure-hunt/

Create a sand pit where she can hunt down her toys or engage her in "earth dog" trials and barn hunts. 

Finally, if she's obsessed by the wall, in a way that she cannot be distracted by it, consider discussing this behavior with the vet. There may be some other medical concerns if your dog is staring off into space or snapping at things that aren’t there, they might be having a neurological issue going on. In particular, staring at walls can be a sign of focal seizures, vision problems as well by other medical conditions such as metabolic disorders and therefore require an in-depth veterinary assessment. Also, if she's very intent to lick and eat drywall that can be a sign of some nutritional deficiency. 

Grab your phone the next time your pup is interacting with the wall and record a video to show your vet to help them give a clearer diagnosis if a medical issue is at play. A video is worth 10,000 words.