Why does my dog lick the doors and fridge?
Dogs often compulsively lick cold surfaces like refrigerators, metal doors, and glass while panting heavily even after veterinary checks clear them of medical issues. This repetitive behavior prevents normal relaxation and leaves owners unable to redirect or distract them from the fixations.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 46.8× more often in r/dogs than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Playing with the dogDid this help you?
- 2Calling the dog into another room to distract themDid this help you?
- 3Opening the doors to see if the dog is focused on what is insideDid this help you?
- 4trying multiple allergy dietsDid this help you?
- 5trying different kinds of calming medications and prescription drugsDid this help you?
- 6changing litter to organic and natural optionsDid this help you?
- 7putting the cat in baby clothes to prevent hair loss progressionDid this help you?
- 8Redirecting the urge with a chew toy or a peanut butter lick matDid this help you?
- 9Consulting a veterinarian to rule out hidden pain, neurological disorders, or gastrointestinal issuesDid this help you?
- 10Consulting a human physician to rule out medical conditions like diabetes changing skin scentDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“She will lick my hand for hours if I let her, until her tongue literally runs dry. [...] It’s to the point where she will physically resist me if I try pushing her head away or moving my hand away from her, just so she can keep licking my hand.”source ↗
“My old dog did this same thing, turned out she had some weird fixation on the salt from my skin even after washing.”source ↗
“I recently adopted a beautiful border collie and I have noticed that when she is settling down to sleep she will know and chew on her claws.”source ↗
“Our girl used to do that all the time to my husband’s hand. She could easily spend 15 mins licking and when we tried to stop her she’d chase his hand.”source ↗
“My dog licks specific parts of the house like the front door, the fridge door and sometimes the oven door. He does this a couple of times during the day and he licks and pants excessively.”source ↗
“I tried distracting him by calling him in another room but he just gets back to it.”source ↗
“I just don’t understand what this means.”source ↗
“My dog does this too, specifically the cold metal parts of the fridge and the sliding glass door.”source ↗
“My dog started doing it in his later years, but to blankets mostly.”source ↗
“Now anytime she’s awake, she runs around every room looking for lights or shadows compulsively.”source ↗
“She doesn’t sit still ever and is constantly searching for it. Is there a name for this and is there anything that can be done for her?”source ↗
“I noticed my dog just licking the metal of the cage. He's not usually like this when I take him on walks though, only if I keep him in the cage and left him alone for a while and that's when I notice.”source ↗
“My dog also did this too, I hated it when she licked my face”source ↗
“It started exactly a year ago on her lower tummy and her inner front paws. Now it’s her tummy, left inner paw into her armpit going down to her tummy. She’s fully bald, not a single hair left in these areas.”source ↗
“3 vets, even a feline dermatologist are baffled. She’s healthy as can be.”source ↗
“So, we’re lost and not sure what else to do, but unfortunately her “receding” hairline is getting more and more by the day, so baby clothes it is.”source ↗
“Now the issue is that she wont stop licking! Its making me a little crazy. Any inch of skin, she will be licking nonstop. Even clothes.”source ↗