constant licking!

[Bordbetty]

Does anyone have any suggestions on my little girl Zoe (1 year old), I just adopted her about 4 months ago from a boxer rescue. She is just the sweetest girl, but she is constantly licking all of us!! It is especially bad right when we get home, whenever someone goes to pet her they're attacked by her GIANT tongue! I don't know if this is a nervous habit she developed from being in such horrible conditions before I got her, but it is getting to a point where no one wants to play with her because she licks sooo much! My older boy otis has never had this problem so I don't know how to deal with this problem. Any help would be great!!
Thanks again

 

[Barb_IA]

Both my boxers were lickers and others I've been around were also. They also loved licking lotion and lip balms if they got a hold of them. Good luck breaking her of this habit.

Barb

 

[Jan]

You might trying spraying the areas that she licks with Bitter Apple. That might discourage her as it tastes awful. :eek:

 

[Scorpio]

I thought this was a boxer trait! Ozzy will lick anyone to death! if he can't lick someone, he will lick something He does windows and floors, wall, just need to add some cleaner! I just love his licking he's saying he loves everyone! and much as we love him.

 

[cascel]

Originally posted by Scorpio
if he can't lick someone, he will lick something He does windows and floors, wall, just need to add some cleaner!

LOLOL - hey there's an idea - i'd never have to clean my front door or the kitchen floor again!

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

I have two lickers. Susie is worse and oddly, she's the rescued dog as well. I think rescued dogs lick more as they are more nervous and needy of affection and attention. But, I'm guessing here.

What I have done (and continue to reinforce) is with Maggie, I ask her for a "French Kiss" and with that I mean a quick "lick" or kiss on each of my cheeks (like Europeans greet each other). Then I thank her, give her a hug or scratches and tell her what a good "French Kiss" that was and what a good girl she is. And that's all I let her kiss me. I will then turn my head away or get up and walk away if she continues to lick me.

Same with Susie, only I ask Susie for "just one kiss" and then end it. She has a tendency to lick and lick and lick until my skin would be raw, if I'd let her. She's getting better too. She'll sit and wait for me to ask her for a kiss, and then she'll give me a lick on the mouth! And just one is all she gets. Then the same as with Maggie, I thank her, tell her what a good kisser she is, and give her a big hug and praise. Then no more kisses.

Again, show the dog the behavior you expect from him, then praise and reward the good behavior and ignore or walk away from unwanted behavior. Don't give in to the dog if he is bugging you with unwanted behavior.

Good luck.

 

[VTbxrFan]

I had a foster girl who licked like that also. If I tried to hold her a little bit away from me to stay out of reach, she would just lick at the air! I didn't completely solve the problem before she was adopted, but I did see improvement by getting her to sit so I could pet her when she was going nuts with the licks, and I didn't let her near my face when she was in a licking frenzy. Now she's happily licking away at her new skin brother who just loves her!

 

[lao n riley]

Sir Licks A Lot!

Lao is a licker. Same thing; he'll lick the air if you hold him out of range. Riley (our other boy) is much calmer about the whole thing.

I have been making steady progress with Lao by gently taking two fingers (index and thumb) each hand and holding his mouth shut. I make sure he knows I am being gentle by praising him as I bring my face up to his. Then I give him Zerberts (backwards kisses) and he loves it! Then I give him more praise and try it again. It's a fun game and he gets the attention he wants-and my face stays dry! Most importantly, BE CONSISTENT and you will get the results you want.

Good luck with your training!

 

[Roxanna]

Tyra is an obsessive licker and she too is a rescue. We call her the love starved puppy. She pins us down and licks us hard. I mean really really hard. I feel so sorry for her. We've already had her 18 months but she is still insecure. She panics if we are not in the same room together. Our poor babies!