please stop licking me!

I need some advice, please

Missy will NOT stop licking me, or anyone else. Sometimes it's a walk by assult, a thank you for adopting me, thank you for petting me, thanks for food, attention, talking to me, looking at me. Yea, I can't even look at her without her big tongue on my arm or face!

She also does it apologetically, so any reprimending only makes it worse.

I can't get her to stop!
It's to the point that I have to take her outside or lock her in the kitchen when company comes over, because she won't stop licking (and not very many people appreciate that as much as I do I guess )

Roxy's a licker, she licks to demand attention. A lot of people think it's cute and nice, but really it's dominant behaviour. They are DEMANDING your attention. This is my house, your going to pet me NOW!

Have you tried putting a leash on her, and putting her in a down stay if company is over? Perhaps, than when she's behaving herself she can get some attention, if she licks the attention stops.

A lick her or there never hurt anybody, but I know what your going through, a dog that thoroughly bathes anyone that comes through the door! LOL

It's just annoying when it gets to the point "okay, I get your point, that's enough licking", its like she's obsessive

She's so submissive about it, when you say "no" "stop" or "leave it"her she folds her ears back and leans back to show her belly, and the licking increases.

I'm annoyed because when my Dad comes over he is okay with it, and when he gets fed up he YELLS at her, and one time he even hit her (long story, I flipped out on him. He won't hit My dog again )

They want to pet her, but can't do so without the tongue. I want to teach her that she'll get a lot more attention if she stops licking, but I don't know how lol

This is just an idea i dont know if its a good one or not. You could try putting a substance-lemon (or any other taste she doesn't like) on your arm-when she goes to lick she won't like the taste-just a thought.Eventually she might stop licking.

This is a PERFECT thing to use a clicker for.

Put the dog on a leash. Have SOMEONE ELSE hold the end of the leash, from behind the dog. (use a buckle collar).

have tasty treats in your pocket, and something with which to make your desired behavior. You can use a clicker, or you can use a verbal marker. I use the word YES!.

Let the dog come up to you and begin licking. Let her get in a couple of licks, and then have the person behind her pull her back just far enough that she has to stop licking. The instant she stops licking, mark and treat.

Then allow slack in the lead. If she goes back to licking, have the person behind her put enough pressure on the lead to stop her again. Mark and treat.

Goal being she will sit there on a loose leash and not lick. End the session when you get even a few SECONDs of her sitting there on a loose leash not licking. End the session with a jackpot of treats.

Once she will sit there for a few seconds without licking, you can start giving this a name. I like to think of cute names for behaviors that I'm going to be using around other people. You could say "zip it", or "stow it" or whatever you like. Just make sure she ONLY hears these words when she is NOT licking.

I bet if you are diligent and practice this for a couple of nights, you will have her up to a minute of so of not licking. Once you get to this point, start proofing a little. Move closer to her. If she does not lick, mark and treat. If she does, move out of her reach. ONce she is not licking any more, mark and treat.

I would bet money that in a short time too, you could shape her into "air licking", now THAT would be a cute trick. Think of a different word for that. Like "Raspberry". In seperate sessions, mark her for any showing of the tongue. You will be surprised at how fast she will learn to do these things if you just stay quiet, and mark the behaviors you want.

Puppy kisses are sweet!

Thanks Red!!!

I was hoping for some of your advice!

Chip was a terrible licker when I first got him at 4. With company he soon learned " no lick " .... it was ( and is )a lotion thing with him ! No wonder Grammy looks like an old prune !!! Lotions attract him like a bee to honey nectar !

My dog does the same thing...it is so annoying...he is an inside dog so he gets a ton of attention (spoiled) sleeps on our beds! But, he will lick constantly! We usually just say "no" and lead him to a different area until he stops licking... we've tried only giving him attention when he licks and telling him good boy and giving him a treat... that doesn't work... maybe they are born lickers and will never stop... I am still gonna try to teach him to stop! I am gonna try some of the things people posted

Kahki is a licker too. My Dad calls her "the lickingest dog he's ever seen". It does get annoying, but she only really licks people she knows. After she gets to know someone though, they better look out.

Red's advice is good. I taught my licky Chihuahuas "enough." And I rewarded when they stopped. I didn't say, "No" because to me, it's not always a no no, but when I've had enough, they now understand, "enough kisses." LOL. If you have a scolding sound, they just lick more. It is not dominant behavior, but submissive behavior. The dog is saying that he acknowledges that you are "da bomb" and that he is ready to be lead. So, if you scold, he just licks more, saying, "I know...you're da boss, you're da boss." LOL. So, it's not easy to train out that way.

I don't think in this particular situation it's dominant but I do think it's wrong to say that licking in general isn't dominant.

Several books my coach has given me has said that excessive licking is dominant behaviour. The dog is demanding your attention. It's very clear that Roxy's licking is dominant, if the people stop petting her she will growl. (she is now on the leash whenever people come over)

Everyone thought it was cutesy at first. "aww, the doggies licking me!". So they would pet her, but once they decided to stop petting was when the very clear aggressive behaviour would come out. My dogs don't lick me, but when people enter the house, Roxy subtley tries to show her dominance over the guests by demanding attention when SHE wants it.

I never would have thought that licking would be considered a dominent behaviour.

JFrick I never would've thought that either. Offhandedly one day I had mentioned to my coach that Roxy is very annoying when she constantly licks guests. She looked at me like I was crazy for allowing it to continue with a personality like Roxy's. She gave me a handful of stuff to read on "dominant behaviour" and low and behold licking was I believe number four on the list.

As I posted above it's not always dominant behaviour but it can be. What has to be made clear is by licking constantly (in a dominant situation) the dog is demanding attention. Demanding of course being a key word. If guests stop petting Roxy she will growl and push them to pet her more. That is clearly dominant behaviour. Hades is very submissive, if you want him to go away, he goes away, immediately to his kennel.

If I hadn't have gotten that reading material I imagine Roxy would've bit a guest by now. Because I, and everyone else always thought it was cute. Aww, she likes me soo much! I didn't believe it until I read it though.

Tira will lick on Tony when he comes home on the weekends. She'll lick him for a good 5 minutes before stopping and just wanting to be petted. He'll sit in his recliner or be on the floor with her and she'll rub all over him and start licking until she's satisfied.
She'll put her front paws in the recliner when I'm in it (and Tony's gone) and want to lick my face or arms/hands. Sometimes I let her, but only after having her wait until I want her to.
She doesn't lick everybody, but if she's seen someone a few times and knows they will pet her (especially kids....mostly kids actually) she will lick on them.
Gunner doesn't lick as much. He licks a little if you pet around his neck or if you've been gone awhile but that's about it. Sometimes, with kids, he'll lick more if Tira's licking...but that's it.

Yes, I suppose it could be looked at as demanding attention....agreed. I don't call everything a dog does where he is trying to get something his way dominant, however. Naturally, any dog...any child is going to try and get what he wants. Whatever works, works. But anyhow, normally, most of the time...licking is a submissive gesture.

Roxy's, thanks for that post. After reading that I don't think that Khaki's licking is her demanding attention. She never has demanded petting. I know this sounds funny, but I don't think she really likes to be petted . She just wants to play, "throw the ball, throw the ball"......She mostly licks when she's excited to see someone. It goes on for a while then she will quit. It's not hard to get her to quit, but after a while she'll try again, I say "stop licking" and push her away, and she stops....it does go in circles like that though about every hour or so. I'm kinda confused now, haha....

Doberluv thanks for the agreed. LOL

I don't really think it's a common thing, but the problem is when it is an "agressive" behaviour (is that better than dominant?) and it get's passed off as submissive or cute, it can become a big problem. As I said, if I hadn't have begun to curb that habit, I imagine one of our guests would've been bit by now.

lol@ jfrick Roxy doesn't really like to be touched too much either. I think it's a "princess thang" LMAO

I just have one basic rule of thumb that works across the board. If you don't like a certain behavior, don't reward it. In addition you can offer an incompatable behavior in place of the bothersome behavior and reinforce that. Soon the behavior you don't reinforce will fade away. It really doesn't much matter whether the dog is being "dominant" or "submissive" or pushy for attention. Reward pushy and you get pushy. I ought to know. ROFLOL. I have a couple of little pushy behaviors going on here. Gee wiz. I must either be reinforcing them or they don't bug me enough to bother with.

I do allow Chip to lick my the palm of my hand when we go to bed....and then I rub it over his face and head .... like a dog licking. My goldens always washed each other's heads and ears... and there's no one left to lick or be licked by.