Licking is a comforting behavior that a puppy learns from his mom as she cleaned him and weaned him and most dogs will carry this behavior long into adulthood. Let’s face it, dogs lick things. Sometimes this behavior can become a bit excessive even bordering on compulsive so it is up to us as owners to control this behavior before it becomes damaging. In most dogs a little excessive licking is not a problem to the dog himself, but can annoy you and your guests.

It is important to understand why dog slick in the first place. They lick you because they are trying to show you affection, gain attention and get approval. They will also lick because it has a calming effect that they remember from puppyhood. Other dogs simply lick you because it tastes good. Humans are salty and dogs like the taste. They can also lick out of habit. When they were puppies you thought it was cute and gave them attention for it so now they like to do it and think you like it too. As they grow up people stop thinking it is cute, but the dog is the last to know. Some dogs have a dietary imbalance or other underlying medical condition so always get your Veterinarian involved to rule out medical problems. The worst case lickers do so obcessively and can lick their legs, paws and tails until the fur comes off and sores appear. This is a worst case licking scenario those and these dogs often have severe separation anxiety. Regardless of the level of excessive licking your dog engages in; there are steps you can take to reduce this behavior.

The first step in shaping canine behavior is to never give any type of attention to your dog when he exhibits an unwanted behavior. Often people have reactions to behavior that are negative; however, they still provide attention to the dog and any attention is good attention to most dogs and reinforces the very behavior you wish to eliminate. You can practice getting your dog not to lick you directly from your living room sofa. Simply sit down and wait for him to start licking.

When he licks, do not push him away because he will think it is a game and try again. All you need to do in this instance is calmly and quietly get up and leave the room. While pushing him away is more convenient for you it provides attention. If you walk away and ignore your dog he will eventually learn that his licking makes you leave and when he doesn’t lick you stay. When you come back in the room and sit down you can praise him with a soft pet or a good boy if he does not lick when you sit down. Do not make eye contact with him at this point because it will likely encourage him to lick you again.

If you have a dog of the smaller variety who tends to sit on your lap you will need a different strategy. As you calmly and quietly hold your dog on your lap he might choose to begin licking. In this case you can not simply stand up and leave the room because your dog is on your lap. Instead, quietly pick up your dog and place him on the ground before quietly leaving the room. If your dog is particularly excitable when sitting on your lap you will have to repeat this process many times before it is effective. If done properly he will learn that he does not get to sit on your lap if he licks excitably.

Another trick in discouraging this behavior is to think like a dog. If your dog continues to lick you try channeling your inner puppy and squeal or yelp in pain. Dogs will remember their mothers discouraging snap or growl when they made her yelp in pain and will be less likely to repeat the behavior. Remember, dogs want your approval and love so show them what you do not want by rewarding what you do. Your dog will eventually learn that he is welcome amongst his people when he is not licking them incessantly.

Article submitted by the generous authors from pet super store a site with small dog gates, sportdog yard training collar and large dog cages.