Older dogs start to focus on grooming.

And it definitely sounds like he is scared and needs more time around you.

Nothing wrong with him having a safe place however. 

And definitely sounds like you care about him quite a bit

I hope that he will get back to his normal self and I think you are doing all that you can, so only time will tell, hopefully very soon.
I wish we could know what they feel and what they need.

I don't have an answer for you about the floor licking or unexplained fear but that is super sad and sounds like it would be very challenging to witness in someone you love :(

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My dog gets what I call "licky lou" where she starts licking everything and won't stop, the only cure is to put her outside to eat grass, the vet said when they do that it's a sign of upset stomach. Is your dog on probiotics? 

My dog was chronically ill for a while when she was 9 after eating recalled food for a while and I thought she was not long for this world and I put her on a probiotic and nutritional supplement called Dinovite and she turns 14 next month.
I also started taking her to acupuncture. Acupuncture works better on dogs than people, the results have been great.  And CBD oil helped with her shitting the bed.

You're a good man, Rich, and Bruno is lucky to have a friend like you.  If you suspect he might be craving something, there may be a way to find out what that is.  Failing a blood test revealing a deficiency, perhaps offering a range of treats with each based on something a little different than the others might reveal more information.

Dogs lick their wounds, and pain he can't reach with a lick, or that is too painful to reach, might be soothed in his mind by just the act of licking.  Are there any tender spots in hard to reach places?  If he has chronic pain in his joints - not uncommon as we get older -  CBD oil and other analgesics may restore some spring in his step.  More than this I cannot realistically speculate about. 

I think you are just as lucky to have him as he is to have you.

Thanks!

Shame this is so sad - sometimes we just need to let them go. Neurological disorders, liver failure, Cushing's disease, and overactive adrenal glands can all cause licking behaviors. - it is maybe time to take him to the vet and ask what is the best course of action

It's good to have a update on Bruno just a shame is come in as bad news, I'm not sure exactly what the floor licking is all about but valued-customer maybe on to something with he's comment, also not saying you have done anything to Bruno but dogs can be often forgiving which nasty people exploit.

Rich, just got back from Maine... I read this with much feeling for him and you. About a month and a half ago my buddy was poisoned by the yard guys with some nasty crap and they left no signs... he was so very sick and I went through all that with him and he did pulled through.  And they they said well sorry but he is just a dog . .A dog? He is family assholes. So I'll  keep a good thought going for yah brother and Bruno...

![dog.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVFhdadRqhaLaDxKWEs1fnF343RnF4cwgbaxsiXuNMMRE/dog.jpg)

So sorry for Bruno, dear friend, I hope to know better news soon. About bathroom floor licking, it could means the need of calcium in his diet or other minerals. I hope it helps you. A warm hug to yu and Bruno, dear Rich!

I had a dog that had an anxiety disorder. Laugh if you want, I would have too.  He hid or sometimes he would get obsessive about things and lick or pace. 

We treated him with a hormone I got from his vet.  It helped.  If he got too far out of wack I would give him a lorazepam for dogs.

My doggos have never licked the bathroom floor obsessively yet, but it’s good that you keep an eye on Bruno to detect this kind of weird behaviour. Keep us updated and I hope you will find why he does it or he stops doing it by himself.

I came over to see if you had blogged out your NHL stuff yet and I am bummed, I was hoping he was doing better, I appreciated your e/m updates to me on this last week.

Feel better Bruno, you are a good....

### DOGE.  

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(:

It is hard to tell what this may be. I imagine some sort of chronic pain like arthritis may be the reason for this.

Have you tried giving him glucosamine?