Has anyone experienced foreleg thrusting?

[Lisa Mossy]

Izzy - now 9 months - has started a new behavior. When tired - ready for bed - she lies down with a stuffed toy or blanket between her paws, closes her eyes and begins to rhythmically move her fore legs/paws forward and back. I've seen puppies nursing using that rhythm - cats, too. Is this behavior akin to thumb sucking in children? A method for soothing them? If so - why suddenly NOW at  9 months

?

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

I have no idea, but your guess sounds good and it sounds incredibly cute.

[Kimberly Keenan]

Lisa I think this is normal behavior. Both my girls Bindi & Bailey do this regularly. They usually do it with a duck or a goose & it is usually before they go to bed. I do think it is soothing for them Here's a picture of Bindi with her duck.

[Lisa Mossy]

Exactly how Izzy sets up. Between her paws - but lying on her side. She closes her eyes  - and it right before bed!

Precious Bindi.

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

Charlotte does something similar when she's tired in the evening. She'll take a stuffed toy, hold it between her front paws, and rhythmically open and close her mouth on it, repeatedly. We have started to say that Charlotte is chewing on her binky, as the repetition appears to soothe her.  Take a look.

[Lisa Mossy]

That is adorable!! She WAS soothing herself! That is my opinion, too. It's a soothing mechanism. Soo precious!

[Debbie & Gibbs]

I had a Westie that would get ready for bed and go get his stuffed carrot and would hold it between his paws and bite it and rock back and forth and would put himself to sleep, it was very sweet. He did it every night until he passed away at 11 years old.

[Julia Janzen]

We had a Havanese do this for her entire life. She actually did it until her last few breaths before passing away.   It really was a way she soothed herself I think.  I often wondered if she just was weened a little early.