Rubbing Against the Wall - Should I Be Concerned?

48975 Views 18 Replies 16 Participants Last post by Augustus McCrae's Mom, Nov 5, 2009

jtaylor9382

Discussion Starter · Nov 4, 2009

Hello All,

I have an almost 2 year old Golden Retriever that we got at 8 weeks old. She has developed (in the past 3 months or so) an interesting habit of whenever we walk past one hallway of my apartment building, rubbing her entire body, including her head - up against the wall paper. She then will rub her back (with her belly up) against the carpet on the floor. She does not do this type of behavior anyplace else. Often, she makes these grunting noises when she does it.

I thought that it was harmless at first, b/c it looks as though she's really enjoying herself (kind of like when she rolls around in freshly cut grass for some odd reason only known to her) - but when I looked online to see if there were similar stories about other goldens, I noticed a few postings about dog hematomas, which can occur in dog's ears, and one of the symptoms is that they rub their ears against the wall.

My golden has only ever had 1 ear infection, and we check and clean her ears once a week. The insides look completely normal and feel normal. So basically, I was just wondering if anyone's Golden has ever exhibited this type of behavior - and should I be worried? I've asked my vet about this and they assure me that it's just a "texture" thing that she does because it feels good.

Any thoughts/experiences that you can share would be appreciated!

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

AquaClaraCanines

· #2 · Nov 4, 2009

All three of my Goldens, and my husband, rub their backs on the walls. IMO, if the ears and skin look good, as they do on all four of my hairy beasts (husband included) I don't think it's a problem.

timberwolf

· #3 · Nov 4, 2009

Ryder used to do that in my dining room

He would leave a mark on the wall from the oils in his fur.
He really enjoyed doing it, and we let him!!!

Augustus McCrae's Mom

· #4 · Nov 4, 2009

I have no experience with hematomas, but it seems like if it were one, she'd be rubbing her ear on all different surfaces, and not just that one wall in particular. Maybe another dog rubs up against that spot on the wall, and she likes to come along and replace their scent with hers? When Gus is itchy, sometimes he'll run up against the wall to scratch his back/booty. Maybe she gets exposed to something she's allergic to when you're on your walk, and when you're coming back in, she uses that spot to scratch herself?

fostermom

· #5 · Nov 4, 2009

Every night when we get home from our walk and I take the dogs' harnesses off, they rub up against the wall or the sofa. When we are up at the lake and we get back from a walk (no harnesses), Danny will rub back and forth along the wall of the house. I think it's just because they are itchy.

Blaireli

· #6 · Nov 4, 2009

Luke used to do this when he was younger. With him, it was allergies. Could she be coming into contact with something while you're out walking?

Willow52

· #7 · Nov 4, 2009

If she had a hematoma, you would know it. The ear flap fills with blood, it would look like she had a "fat ear" (think "fat lip").

sharlin

· #8 · Nov 4, 2009

She's just leaving a little perfume in the air is all!!!
Eau de Golden - sooooooooo nice!!!!
KrazzzzyKady won't play with a toy unless she's dragged it outside and rubbed and rolled on it for 5 minutes!!

NuttinButGoldens

· #9 · Nov 4, 2009

My Hallway wall has a racing stripe down it. I gave up on getting rid of it

Gilmour also likes to scratch his back on the edge of the coffee table. It's funny as hell to watch

PB&J

· #10 · Nov 5, 2009

Every morning, without fail, Lily goes down the stairs to the landing and rubs against the wall, then flops and keeps rubbing against it. She can't start her morning without doing it; it's her wall! The funny things they do eh?

Jo Ellen

· #11 · Nov 5, 2009

Willow52 said:
If she had a hematoma, you would know it. The ear flap fills with blood, it would look like she had a "fat ear" (think "fat lip").

That's exactly what I was going to say, you beat me to it. No mistaking a hematoma, impossible to miss, no guessing. When Daisy got her hematoma, she wasn't rubbing it against anything ... she didn't want anything to touch it. They're painful, I believe.

Daisy does like to rub up against things though, the walls, the carpet, my bedskirt. Especially after a bath but a lot of times just because she's excited.

missmarstar

· #12 · Nov 5, 2009

I would imagine the reason dogs do this is because much like humans getting a backscratch it just feels good..

Mine don't rub on walls but they frequently will roll around on the wood floor and I think its the same basic idea.. it's scratching all those hard to reach places on their backs and just feels goooood!!

I wouldn't worry about it... as you can see, its a fairly common silly dog thing

Daisybones

· #13 · Nov 5, 2009

Oh!! Hudson does this too! In the house it's always under our window sill in the bedroom and outside it's against the house (but only one part) because of the texture of the siding I think. We live in an old building and its very textured. I always just thought he was itchy.

Iluvmygoldens

· #14 · Nov 5, 2009

Mine does this too - favorite time right after breakfast - then straight down to the hall wall for a little rub. I think of it as the "dessert" after the meal. Nothing better than a little body rub to make one feel relaxed

egcc

· #15 · Nov 5, 2009

We live in an apt. and Ellie does the same thing against the walls in the hallway. She throws her entire body into the wall and usually falls to the ground. She's such a nut. It always cracks me up.

mainegirl

· #16 · Nov 5, 2009

mr clean eraser is great for cleaning off their "racing stripe". my avatar golden sandy who lived to 14.5 did this on the hall stairs. she loved the feel.
beth, moose and angel

Willow52

· #17 · Nov 5, 2009

mainegirl said:
mr clean eraser is great for cleaning off their "racing stripe". my avatar golden sandy who lived to 14.5 did this on the hall stairs. she loved the feel.
beth, moose and angel

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is the best! Maggie had a special place in the bump-out area of the kitchen, the oil from her coat left a "racing stripe" on the wall. The Mr. Clean Eraser cleaned it right off.

NuttinButGoldens

· #18 · Nov 5, 2009

Are you using it dry or wet?

I don't know how they work, but they are great for cleaning:

Neglected Microwaves
Neglected Window Sills

Willow52 said:
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is the best! Maggie had a special place in the bump-out area of the kitchen, the oil from her coat left a "racing stripe" on the wall. The Mr. Clean Eraser cleaned it right off.

Augustus McCrae's Mom

· #19 · Nov 5, 2009

I spent hours one day scrubbing my walls with the magic eraser. I don't know if it's really dog snot on my walls, but it sure looks like it. Little specks of stuff all along the bottom foot or so of the wall. Anyway, scrubbed it with the magic eraser--now if you stand just right and look down the wall, you can see where I scrubbed it. I think it just takes off some of the paint. Whenever I've used it, it always turns the color of my wall.

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

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