Licking Others

If dog licking is driving you and/or your family members crazy, you'll want to work on eliminating the behavior. Before you can do that, you'll have to discover the underlying cause of the licking.

Licking is a natural way for dogs to communicate, so take it as a compliment; he really loves you. Simply pushing him away may renew his determination to deliver his loving kisses. And don't discount the fact that you may have inadvertently reinforced the licking. He's probably figured out that he gets lots of attention from you when he jumps up for some sloppy smackers. Always remember that even negative attention is still attention.

Also consider whether that expensive new face cream or body lotion is serving as a canine appetizer for your loving pet. You might just smell irresistible.

Steps to Stopping

If your dog is going overboard with licking simply because he craves attention, try giving him lots of calm, positive attention for a few evenings. Let him sit in your lap or at your feet, pet him and talk to him but don't get him too excited. With enough calm attention from his master, Rover may decide that the tongue lashings are no longer necessary to communicate his enthusiastic affection.

If he begins licking you, yelp to indicate your displeasure. Your dog doesn't want to hurt you and will soon figure out that licking seems to cause you pain. One of the easiest ways to control excessive licking is to teach your dog the Kiss command. That way he can satisfy his need to lick you with your permission.

Dog Licking Himself

If your dog's excessive licking is directed at him, especially one specific body part, it's time for a trip to the veterinarian. This type of behavior is often a sign of an underlying medical condition or a skin condition.

If you have a nervous dog, he may lick or bite himself to get rid of nervous energy. Discourage this behavior by paying him lots of attention whenever possible. When you see him begin to lick, make a sharp, loud noise to distract him and then engage him in some playtime or take him for a walk. Dog licking is a terrible habit that can be hard to break, so be patient.