Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

When your dog licks you, it is more likely that he is doing it to express his love or to get your attention. Several tongue movements occurring intermittently are not a problem and may even be quite bearable. If the dog licks too much, it can get bored very quickly. And more importantly, excessive licking can be a sign of great excitability and should not be neglected for the sake of the dog's well-being as well as your own. Read the article below to learn how to stop this behavior and reduce your dog's anxiety.

Steps

1. 1 Change your soap or lotion. Most of the dog's actions are controlled by his sense of smell and taste. Most dogs can resist the seductive scent of lotion, but some dogs have an innate tendency to lick anything that smells good. In general, citrus scent is intimidating to many dogs, so washing your hands with lemon-scented soap or applying citrus-scented body lotion can discourage your dog from licking you.
   • You can also use lemon juice or hot sauce on your skin, as both will taste unpleasant to your dog. However, you should rinse off these substances as soon as possible, as they may not be very beneficial to your skin with prolonged contact with it.
2. 2 Ignore licking. Dogs lick to show their affection and to get your attention. Thus, ignoring the dog every time it starts to lick is usually enough to cut it off.
   • If your dog starts to lick when you pet, stop petting. If she continues to lick, get up and walk away from the dog.
   • If the dog comes up to you and starts licking without getting any attention, get up and walk away. If she follows you, go to a separate room.
   • Continue in the same manner, walking away from the dog as often as necessary when he begins to lick you. In time, she will understand everything.
   • Don't reward your dog for grooming you. You should not talk to her affectionately and praise, give food, toys or show your affection in an attempt to distract her. Doing so will teach her that licking her is causing you a positive reaction.
   • Also, do not punish the dog for licking. Scolding a dog for showing affection can be misunderstood. Moreover, a dog that desperately wants your attention may even be willing to receive negative attention from you and thus continue to misbehave in order to get it.
3. 3 Reward your dog for good behavior. If your dog licks you because he wants your attention, give it to him when he is behaving. Call the dog to you when you relax in the hall in the evening. Greet her when you get home from work and offer her affection at various times of the day. Play interactive games and work on teaching your dog tricks. Encouraging your dog, even when he expects it, will teach him that calm, normal behavior is desirable.
4. 4 Be consistent. If you want your dog to stop licking you, you both have to do your best. You can't praise a dog for licking you one day and swear at it for the same thing the next. So you confuse her, making it difficult for her to understand what you want from her.
5. 5 Ask others not to interfere with the learning process. People who do not live with a licking dog may not realize that you want to stop this behavior. Many people have nothing against licking, and some praise their dogs for it.Politely ask all relatives, friends, and acquaintances who might bump into your dog while weaning it to lick to ignore it. Allowing to lick other people will give the dog mixed signals, which may make him confused that licking is undesirable behavior.
6. 6 Give your dog plenty of exercise. Most of the unwanted behavior comes from arousal. Dogs become overexcited when they have excess energy. Releasing this energy will be the best way to relieve arousal, which can naturally reduce your dog's tendency to lick. Structured walks are the healthiest way to release your dog's energy, and you should try to set aside at least 30 to 90 minutes daily for them. If you can't just walk for 90 minutes, include a walk, fetch game, or other interactive games that will force the dog to expend energy.
   • Dogs with excess energy can benefit from walking on a treadmill.
7. 7 Consider giving your dog a massage or water therapy. If your dog is chronically agitated, you may need to take some extra steps to help him relax. Fully qualified veterinarians can often massage animals. It can be effective to see a specialist in water therapy for dogs, but regular swimming often does the trick. The goal is to relax the dog's mind and body as much as possible. By itself, this will not remove the licking habit, but will reduce the dog's arousal level to a manageable one, when it will be possible to fight licking.
8. 8 Entertain your dog with toys. Another way to burn off excess energy is to present the dog with lots of toys. She should have a variety of toys, including some interactive toys that you can play together, as well as a toy with a treat inside that makes the dog use his wits to retrieve the treat. Chewable toys are also extremely useful, especially if you offer your dog a durable toy that will last a long time.
9. 9 Teach your dog to lick on command. Converting the licking habit into a trick will make it clear to the dog that it should only lick when asked to do so.
   • Get the dog's attention and give the command "kiss" or "lick".
   • Encourage the dog to lick your hand by placing it directly in front of your pet's nose. If that doesn't work, applying a small amount of peanut butter to the finger may help motivate the dog. Be careful, as the dog may grab a finger instead of licking it.
   • Praise your dog with words.
   • Give an end command such as stop or enough. Wait to see how the dog reacts. If she stops, even if only for a few seconds, encourage her. If not, repeat the command and move your hand away.
   • Repeat the procedure as often as necessary until the dog learns to lick on command.
10. 10 Let your dog show affection in other ways. Since the habit of licking is most often based on a desire to express love and to attract attention to yourself, giving your dog other opportunities to please you may encourage him to stop licking. Teach a variety of other tricks, such as "gimme" or "roll," and practice them often, rewarding the dog with affection each time. If your dog tends to lick you at certain times of the day, such as when you get home from work, stop him before he even starts and teach him to do another trick as you walk through the door.

Tips

• You can grab the dog by the face and say "phew".
• If your dog is not responding to any of your actions, it may take longer to correct the underlying arousal.Contact a professional dog instructor for more advice.
• Try to keep the dog occupied with something else and stay away from its nose.

Warnings

• Dogs that excessively lick themselves may experience itchy skin or physical body pain. Even if the dog licks itself only out of boredom or excitement, this can cause sores on the skin. Show your dog to the vet if it licks too much.

What do you need

• Citrus Soap & Lotion
• Treats
• Toys
• Leash