My dog won't stop licking me

As soon as your dog arrives to beg for your attention, he finds it appropriate to lick you. Some people will not necessarily be bothered by this contact, while others will see it as a lack of hygiene and a major embarrassment.

First of all, how to understand the reason for this contact and especially how to make your dog lose this habit, which, according to you, has become bad, unpleasant or even downright constraining on a daily basis. Indeed, any behavior can be tolerated, good or bad, but as soon as it enters an extreme, systematic and sometimes even unmanageable process, it is important to intervene.

 

Why does my dog keep licking me?

First of all, even if it becomes excessive and therefore unpleasant, licking is initially a natural behavior in dogs. Mostly observed in puppies, and being rather attached to a juvenile period and attitudes, adult dogs can also adopt this behavior.

- My dog licks me because I taught him to
Dogs learn by conditioning, which means that they will be receptive to the repetition of an action pattern. Repetition means reinforcement and therefore validation. And sometimes, unconsciously, we reinforce and therefore validate the repetition of action patterns which, in the end, do not go in our direction. The dog being an opportunistic animal, it will always go towards what has allowed it to obtain satisfaction. And for the dog, a simple look, a simple touch, a simple social interaction (even if you consider it as "negative" from your point of view) will be a form of satisfaction, a reward and therefore a validation for your dog.

Thus, if systematically when your dog comes to lick you, you give him special attention (even if it is to "scold" him), you validate this behavior and your dog will repeat it to get your attention once again. Your dog then understands that licking his master allows him to get all his attention, because, once again, even if it is to "scold" him, you look at him, you talk to him and you touch him.

- My dog licks me by mimicry
When he was still with his mother and siblings, the puppy could learn by mimicry that licking was a sign of appeasement. Indeed, his mother, to clean him and reassure him, took the habit of licking him. The dog learning also by imitation and even by social facilitation, could then reproduce this behavior that his mother had towards him that he considers as soothing.

- My dog licks me out of appetite
As well as learning by mimicry and imitation, the puppy may also remember that when he was still with his mother, all he had to do was lick her so that she would understand that he was hungry and therefore feed him. Although this reason for licking may be quite rare, it may still be present and your puppy may repeat this behavior in hopes of being fed.

- My dog licks me to relax/soothe himself
Generally speaking, you will have understood that licking is a behavior in the puppy that gives him a certain serenity and a certain appeasement: either he gets the attention of his master, or he reproduces a maternal behavior that reassures him. Thus, the fact of licking his master can mean to calm a situation in the puppy or the dog. In addition to wanting to soothe a situation, licking can also allow the puppy or dog to soothe itself when it is in a stressful situation. However, this behavior, in the case of stress, will often be accompanied by other "symptoms" that may point to an anxiety state.

 

 

 

How do I get my dog to stop licking me all the time?

Tip #1: Accept occasional licking
As mentioned earlier, licking, if not excessive, is not abnormal and can be present. However, you may very well not want your dog to engage in this type of behavior, so follow these tips.

Tip #2: Ignore Licking
If your dog is constantly licking you to get your attention, you will quickly see a change in his behavior if you start ignoring him completely when he does this. Ignoring your dog means: not looking at him, not touching him, not talking to him. If you can completely ignore him, by turning your head and not talking to him, you will quickly find that if he stops it is because he simply wanted to get in touch with you. In many cases, dogs that are ignored (overnight) find other ways to get their owners' attention! So it's up to you to be consistent and systematically ignore them. However, I recommend that you follow the following advice:

Tip #3: Initiate contacts
Ignoring your dog when he comes to you for attention is not only valid for licking, it is valid for all other forms of attention requests, whether it is barking, crying, jumping, chewing, etc. The goal here is to eventually get your dog to understand that you are the one who decides when to start and stop each activity and interaction he has with you. And since the interruption of a social contact (voice, look, touch) will be the worst "punishment" for your dog, he will quickly understand that it is by giving up that he will win. Indeed, as soon as he stops his request and gives up on making contact with you, at that moment: call him to let him know that he can come and make contact with you. Your dog understands here that when he begs for attention, he doesn't get it, whereas when he gives up, he does. You then set up a new action pattern.

Tip #4: Have a consistent attitude
This tip is very important, the good attitude of the master, but also of all the members of the family is essential! And when I say "good attitude" I mean of course coherence because it is not a question of making your dog go crazy. If you really want to make this behavior disappear in your dog, then systematically ignore and/or forbid all licking of your dog.

He will clearly not be able to understand if sometimes they are accepted and others not. Hence the importance of always initiating contact as a master so that you don't have to tolerate or not a request for attention from your dog. A little aside: if your dog is constantly demanding attention, whether it is through excessive licking or by some other means, ask yourself some questions: why is he always demanding attention, is he sufficiently spent, does he have a consistent attitude with all the members of the social group, etc.

Tip #5: Anticipate the behavior
This tip applies especially to dogs that will engage in licking behavior at certain times. Identify these times and offer your dog an activity just beforehand, such as an occupying toy, a tracking game with a treat toss in the living room, etc.

Tip #6: Divert to another behavior
You can also use your dog's obedience to ask him for an indication such as "to the basket" or "stop" or "you leave" when he starts to lick you. For this to work, you must have positively and firmly taught your dog these directions without stimulation, with the right technique adapted to his learning pace and above all with a positive attitude and dynamic.

Tip #7: Seek professional help
Finally, if despite all these tips your dog continues to adopt this excessive licking behavior, seek professional help by consulting your veterinarian on occasion and/or by calling on a professional dog behaviorist to adapt to your situation, to you but also and especially to your dog. Bonus tip: Wash your hands (or the parts of your body that your dog systematically licks) with a lemon-based product. Dogs are not very fond of this substance and will no longer lick the area impregnated with lemon-based product.