Licking Problem
Licking: affectionate, disconcerting, or
just plain disgusting?
For
us humans, it can be a bit difficult to identify with
the doggie habit of licking one another in greeting.
We don’t do it, after all, and though our tongues
come in handy for things like ice-cream eating and
sucking that last dollop of peanut butter off the
knife, we certainly wouldn’t welcome a visitor
into our home by giving them a long, lingering lick
on the cheek (unless you were brought up to embrace
certain social mores currently unheard of in Western
society).
Dogs use their tongues to explore the world. A dog’s
tongue is as important (and useful) to him as our
eyes and hands are to us: it’s a multi-purpose
utility tool, used to taste things, explore the presence
of new people and animals, express submissiveness,
and to let you know that he values your companionship
and friendship.
Licking is a completely natural behavior for dogs,
and most of the time, the experience isn’t something
to worry about: the odd lick from a warm, moist tongue
on your hand or ankle is, at worst, tolerable (and,
I must admit, I actually find it pretty adorable when
my dog licks me – but then again, he’s
trained not to overdo it, so I don’t have to
worry about the smothering capacities that a 100-pound
male Rottweiler’s tongue possesses!)
Some dogs just take things too far though, and this
is where problems can set in. It’s not pleasant
to be persecuted in your own home by a far-reaching,
agile, mobile, and slobbery tongue: some won’t
let you get a moment’s rest, but will pursue
you from bedroom to hallway to lounge to kitchen,
making sporadic dive-bombings of affection on your
toes, ankles, calves – anywhere that flesh is
exposed and available. And for a tall dog, the available
terrain is much more varied, and thus, enticing –
ever had a long, wet dog’s tongue lathering
your bellybutton as you stretch up to those elusive
top shelves? When unexpected, the resultant shock
is more than a trifle unbalancing!
Plenty of dogs won’t restrict themselves to
your skin alone, either, and owners of these dogs
will attest to the always-visible consistency of dog
saliva on clothing: whether your outfit is black,
white, or any of the myriads of shades in between,
there’s nothing like a viscous patch of dog
slobber on a freshly-laundered hemline to advertise
your ownership status (and your dog’s personal
level of demonstrativeness) to the world at large.
And once it’s dried, it’s there ’til
the next laundry run: the physical evidence of a dog’s
friendship is like egg white. It’s there, it’s
dried on, and it’s not coming off until a combination
of suds, hot water, and vigorous effort is applied.
And all this because your dog wants to say “I
love you”!
But there’s often a bit more to it than just
plain affection. As with all animal behavior, the
logic behind licking is usually more complex and subtle
than you might think, and the same gesture can have
multiple meanings dependent on circumstance, your
dog’s state of mind, and the other behaviors
being exhibited at the same time. So, although we
can postulate until the cows come home (or until your
dog stops licking – whichever comes first) as
to why your dog’s licking you, such generalizations
aren’t always 100% accurate: it’s partly
up to you to determine the reasoning behind the actions.
And, since you know your dog better than anyone else,
you’re the ideal candidate for the job.
If your dog is licking you because he’s feeling
affectionate and wants to let you know, it’ll
be pretty easy to figure out whether this is the case
or not. His body language will be relaxed, and although
the circumstances will be variable, the surrounding
mood will generally be stress-free and happy: for
example, when he licks you on the shoulder or ear
from his vantage-point in the backseat as you’re
driving him to the park, or lathers your hands and
wrists with goodwill and devotion when you return
home from a hard day at the office. “Puppy love”
is by far the most common cause of licking: it isn’t
anything to worry about, and it’s simple to
‘cure’ him of the habit if the behavior
is a problem for you. (We’ll get to that further
down the page.)
Another not-infrequent reason for repetitive, owner-targeted
licking is that your dog’s feeling anxious and
stressed. If there are things happening in your dog’s
life to cause him unhappiness or tension, he’ll
often show it through obsessive-compulsive behaviors,
and licking is a pretty common manifestation of these.
Some dogs will lick themselves, others will lick you
– it’s really a case of individual preference.
It shouldn’t be too hard for you to pinpoint
the cause of your dog’s less-than-relaxed mindset:
is he getting enough attention and mental stimulation,
or is he cooped up inside for long hours each day
by himself? Does he get enough exercise and outdoors
time for sniffing, exploration, and general exuberant
tomfoolery? Do you pay him lots of attention when
you’re at home, or tend to greet him hurriedly
before rushing off to your next commitment?
These are all things that you’ll need to consider,
before adapting your lifestyle to address the issue
accordingly. Depending on the circumstances surrounding
the licking, and the overall quality of your dog’s
life, you may need to make some general adjustments
of your own to ensure that, when the licking does
stop, it’s because you’ve treated the
cause, not the symptoms – otherwise, you’re
just trying to take away a valuable outlet for his
negative emotions, which is unrealistic (and unfair
on your friend, too).
Perhaps you need to come home more often during the
day. Perhaps you need to get up half an hour earlier
in the morning to give him a more substantial pre-work
walk (it varies from dog to dog, but as a general
rule of thumb, most dogs function best and are at
their most relaxed with an hour and a half’s
exercise each day). Or maybe you just need to spend
more time with him in the evenings, playing, grooming,
training, and just hanging out together.
Make sure you’re paying attention to his demeanor
(does he seem content?) and his activity levels before
you try to get rid of the licking behavior as a stand-alone
problem: even though he can’t talk, he can still
use his tongue to try and tell you something, and
this might be what’s happening here.
Having said that though, most of the time excessive
licking is simply due to excessive exuberance in your
dog: he’s happy, he loves you, and he has to
let you know right now.
When you want to get the point across that his licking’s
getting a bit too much for you, a simple change in
your body language will convey your message loud and
clear. All you need to do is withdraw the outward
display of your affection for him to understand that,
actually, you don’t like it when he covers your
skin in a composite of saliva, dog-food particulate
matter, scraps of debris from his fur, and general
oral-cavity detritus.
In plain English, this means that you just have to
turn yourself away from him: when he starts to lick,
get up and move away instantly. Make sure your face
and eyes are dramatically averted from him: face in
the complete opposite direction. Preface this with
a revolted-sounding “No!” if you like
(I say “No lick!” but you can use whatever
comes naturally. Just keep the phrase short and easily-identifiable
so your dog quickly learns to recognize it).
At this point, he’ll probably get up and follow
you. Wait for him to do so: the licking should start
again soon.
When it does, repeat the process. Withdraw all signs
of affection from him again: turn away, get up and
leave, and don’t pay him any attention or talk
to him (apart from another “No!” in a
disgusted, I-can’t-believe-you-haven’t-got-the-message-yet
tone of voice).
It’s likely that your dog will be persistent.
He’s not to be easily deterred; you’re
the undisputed centerpiece of his life, after all,
and he needs to let you know this whenever the opportunity
should present itself. You just need to outmatch him
in persistency. Be consistent with your actions, and
the message will sink in.
Don’t feel that you have to shout or react
negatively - the simple withdrawal of your love (or
the appearance of this, anyway) is quite enough.
A word of warning: some people really like it when
dogs lick them, even if the dog concerned is not their
own. If visitors to your house (or admiring passersby
on the street) greet your dog and allow him to lick
them, you’ll need to intervene or else they’ll
undo all your good work. It’s best if you can
explain ahead of time that you’re training him
not to lick, and then explain the appropriate response
for them to take if he should start to lick them.
This way, you can be sure that your dog’s not
going to be corrupted into unwanted behaviors again
– and that he’ll learn to express his
affection in other, more desirable ways.
For more information on licking and other problematic
dog behaviors …
You’ll probably want to check out Secrets To
Dog Training. It’s a comprehensive, A-Z manual
for the responsible dog owner, and deals with just
about every canine behavior and training technique
under the sun, from aggression to digging to whining
to dog whispering to obedience work.
You can visit the Secrets To Dog Training by clicking on
the link below:
Visit
Secrets To dog Training
|