One common problem among dog owners is the excessive licking of their dogs.  Some owners don’t realize that if you wish to stop a behavioral problem on dogs, you have to look into the cause.  Here are some of the common causes why a dog would excessively lick himself, or at worse, you and other people.

• Your dog may need to have a bath.  How many times a week do you bathe your dog?  If your dog is itchy or hot, he would relieve himself by licking his fur or skin.   This is the normal way dogs groom themselves, and the instinct will not disappear no matter how domesticated your dog would be.

• Your dog may be irritated by an allergen in the food, or something else in the environment.  You may have fed him a food that has eggs or seafood in it that did not go well with your dog’s skin.  Fleas between your dog’s paws may also be irritating your dog, as well as leaving some itchy marks on his body.

• Your dog is anxious.  This can be seen after a major relocation, or whenever you or a favorite person leaves the house.

• If your dog is excessively licking you or other people, this is a behavioral problem that comes from different reasons:
  • Your dog has been trained during puppyhood that excessive licking is acceptable.  Your child may be playing with your dog as a puppy and can be constantly delighted with the excessive licking the puppy is showering her.  When the dog grows old, that “learned” behavior is carried on and manifested when you come home from work, or when visitors drop by.
  • It is your dog’s way of showing affection.  Dogs are not able to communicate properly, so this behavior is their way of saying that he likes you, is delighted to see you, and he wants to play with you.

To stop the dog from licking, you have to address the issue.  Ensure that your dog is given proper hygiene.  See if your dog has some flea issues you have to take care of.  If your dog is licking himself and you or a favorite person after a period of lack of contact, you may want to do some separation anxiety management.

Make sure that you don’t make a big issue about coming and going the house.  Leave the house for 5 minutes and come back again without saying anything to your dog.  This would take some time, but it will do its trick once your dog gets used to it.

You can also correct his behavior by not noticing him when he licks you.  Train him that he will still get the attention that he wants without having to resort to heavy licking.  When he finally stops licking you, ignore him for a short while and then praise him for not licking you.

Train him to do some tricks, and give him rewards and praise when doing so.  Tell him firmly “NO!” when he jumps at you starts licking you.  Do not punish him for doing so.  Punishing will only cause more behavioral problems.  Remember that dogs respond better through positive encouragement, and as a responsible pet owner, you are in charge of producing a dog that has acceptable behavior.