# Doesnt lick herself clean?



## Iannotti

Sorry if this sounds stupid....But my pup never cleans herself...I have to constantly clean her bum hole everynight with wipes to get off the bits on her fur, and her genital area as well is dirty..I never seen her once try to clean herself!!! Again is this normal?? Sorry if it sounds crazy, but I always had dogs that cleaned themselves and am a bit worried if she knows how to take care of herself...


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## Lauri & The Gang

I've never had a dog that "cleaned" themselves ... not like a cat would.


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## Lucy Dog

Does she have constant diarrhea and she's getting it on herself? Why would you even have to clean either of those areas?


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## Iannotti

My last dog was a springer spaniel, she always licked her genital area to clean it...Or maybe she enjoyed it? I dunno, 

So no worries then


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## Iannotti

> Originally Posted By: Lucy DogDoes she have constant diarrhea and she's getting it on herself? Why would you even have to clean either of those areas?


No but at some point throughout the day, one of her poops will be softer and looser than the first log...


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## HeidiW

HA!!!!!!HA!!!!!!! 

Iannotti, You mad me burst out in laughter!!


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## aubie

I worried about Anna's "hoochie" when she was a little pup, it didn't seem clean, but now it's not a problem. I think it has something to do with their size/ability to pop a squat properly. 

Didn't have the bum problem though...


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## Rhena

When she was younger, Juno used to have some dark discharge around her vulva that would stain her fur. The vet said that she had vaginitis and that it's pretty common in puppies. Apparently they're sloughing off all these cells as they're growing and this leads to the dark discharge. The vet said there was no reason to treat it and she'd grow out of it. It's pretty much cleared up now -- but when she DID have it, it looked like she was always dirty even though she was fastidious about cleaning herself. Perhaps yours has something like this?

Never had any problems with Juno's rear end not being clean, though...


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## triordan

our guy licks himself every time he comes in from doing his business


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## Lucy Dog

Not too sure how to help in the cleaning area since i've never had to, but you mentioned that your pup gets runny poops later in the day... 

Lucy had that same problem so i started to give her a couple tablespoons of canned pumpkin and the problem was fixed. Pumpkins loaded with fiber so it helps in that department. I usually stuff her kongs with the pumpkin and throw them in the freezer (she has a couple kongs that i use). I'll give her one kong per day and it works great plus it keeps her busy for about 20-30 mins which is always nice. You could also mix it in with her dinner if you don't want to use the kongs.


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## Iannotti

> Originally Posted By: Lucy DogNot too sure how to help in the cleaning area since i've never had to, but you mentioned that your pup gets runny poops later in the day...
> 
> Lucy had that same problem so i started to give her a couple tablespoons of canned pumpkin and the problem was fixed. Pumpkins loaded with fiber so it helps in that department. I usually stuff her kongs with the pumpkin and throw them in the freezer (she has a couple kongs that i use). I'll give her one kong per day and it works great plus it keeps her busy for about 20-30 mins which is always nice. You could also mix it in with her dinner if you don't want to use the kongs.


Just some regular old canned pumpkin from the supermarket? Never tried that...Is there anything I should avoid while using the canned pumpkin??


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## Iannotti

> Originally Posted By: Heidi WHA!!!!!!HA!!!!!!!
> 
> Iannotti, You mad me burst out in laughter!!


So she did ENJOY IT!!!!


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## Iannotti

> Originally Posted By: dresdenour guy licks himself every time he comes in from doing his business


I knew I wasn't crazy, I do remember my last dog I had when I was a child doing the same...Maybe since she's a pup..

To clarify, its just looks a lil dirty...Almost like the kind of dirt that can get built up in her ears (which I clean out with ear wipes)...But its a little bit harder to get off in her gential area...


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## Lucy Dog

> Originally Posted By: IannottiJust some regular old canned pumpkin from the supermarket? Never tried that...Is there anything I should avoid while using the canned pumpkin??


Just regular canned pumpkin from the supermarket's what i use. Do you have any kongs that you can stuff? I usually stuff with about 2-3 tablespoons and give once a day. 

I use this kind, but use whatever you can find...

http://www.usafoods.com.au/uploads/887_Libbys%20pum.jpg


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## Iannotti

> Originally Posted By: Lucy Dog
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted By: IannottiJust some regular old canned pumpkin from the supermarket? Never tried that...Is there anything I should avoid while using the canned pumpkin??
> 
> 
> 
> Just regular canned pumpkin from the supermarket's what i use. Do you have any kongs that you can stuff? I usually stuff with about 2-3 tablespoons and give once a day.
> 
> I use this kind, but use whatever you can find...
> 
> http://www.usafoods.com.au/uploads/887_Libbys%20pum.jpg
Click to expand...

Yeps sure have a few kongs laying around....Its weird with her...Some of her stools all hard, than others start hard and get softer towars the end..I'll try that pumpkin..


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## Lucy Dog

> Originally Posted By: IannottiTo clarify, its just looks a lil dirty...Almost like the kind of dirt that can get built up in her ears (which I clean out with ear wipes)...But its a little bit harder to get off in her gential area...


What are you feeding her? I'm not positive, but i think dirty ears may be a sign that she's allergic to something she's eating. How often are you cleaning her ears? I don't think i've ever seen Lucy's ears dirty once, but i remember reading somewhere that dirty ears are a sign of allergies.


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## southerncharm

Isla just recently decided to start cleaning her vulva area, and she's 18 weeks now. Up until this point, I've had to use baby wipes on her. She'd have a bit of discharge after going out to pee...and if I didn't clean her, it'd get all nasty and stinky. I had the vet run a urinalysis on her to be on the safe side, and it came back normal. He though perhaps she was just lazy...but I think the cleaning instinct just hadn't kicked in yet.


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## Iannotti

> Originally Posted By: Lucy Dog
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted By: IannottiTo clarify, its just looks a lil dirty...Almost like the kind of dirt that can get built up in her ears (which I clean out with ear wipes)...But its a little bit harder to get off in her gential area...
> 
> 
> 
> What are you feeding her? I'm not positive, but i think dirty ears may be a sign that she's allergic to something she's eating. How often are you cleaning her ears? I don't think i've ever seen Lucy's ears dirty once, but i remember reading somewhere that dirty ears are a sign of allergies.
Click to expand...

They dont get dirty, dirty, just a very slight build up.... I want them spotless..I just switched to orijen for her, she was on buffalo blue and did seem to scratch more....


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## Lucy Dog

> Originally Posted By: IannottiYeps sure have a few kongs laying around....Its weird with her...Some of her stools all hard, than others start hard and get softer towars the end..I'll try that pumpkin..


Yep.. Lucy had that same exact issue when she was a pup... well a younger pup at least. A couple days after trying the pumpkin and it firmed that poop right up. I still give her a stuffed kong every day even though theyre still nice and firm.


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