Licking?

[michelle8702]

Hello I haven't been on in a while. But I figured maybe you all could help or give some advice about a problem I am having with my rescue. She is a 2-3 year old pitbull. She was breed for her puppies and then tied to a pole and left for dead. Needless to say she is now my baby, and Dozers bestfriend. She is wonderful with my kids and the cats too. Even after being abused. She does however have a very irritating behavioral problem.

She is CONSTANTLY licking! I mean all the time and when she gets excited it is crazy I am suprised her tongue hasn't fallen off.

I have been to the vet and they suggested a diet change which I did. They also said that it may be something that calms her since her puppies were taken away before they should have been. And she wasn't allowed to groom or clean them properly. I think it is more of the latter. She is always licking my oldest son(he will be 3 in august) when he is on the floor. and my younger son (10 months) she will just lick him until he is raw if I let her!

It isn't a big problem for me or them just wondering if anyone has had the same problem and what you did about it if you have.

I have tried praising her when she stops for a second and then I just ignore her and turn away when she starts again but she is just RELENTLESS! She seems to get upset when you don't let her do it too! I don't know what else to try and I don't want to use the bitter apple because I don't want her to think that she can't show her affection.

 

[mtoo]

My last dog Cassie was a licker. Maybe not to the degree your dog is but it used to irritate some people, rarely me though. I tried different things too but nothing worked. Maybe I didn't pursue it enough since it didn't really bother me.

Funny thing is we just brought home a foster dog three weeks ago and she licks even worse than Cass did!

With both dogs I believe it was/is an affectionate and/or submissive behavior. It's just a part of who they are. I considered using bitter apple too but didn't ever feel like coating myself in it daily, .


Kerri

 

[michelle8702]

she was abused

She was beaten by whoever had her before the rescue orginazation got her and gave her to me. So you may be right about the submissive part of that because if I have to raise my voice (I hate to do that though because it scares her A LOT) when she does something bad she immediatly starts with the tongue. And then cowers down and just looks so scared!

This would not normally care that much but I mean this is Constant. All day everyday. She goes nuts on the kids and knocks them over so she can lick them even more. I can deal with it because I am bigger and have been trying to praise her whenever she stops and then ignore her whenever she starts again. But the kids can't really protect them selves from "the tongue" That is her little nickname (Rosie "the tongue" posie pudding and pie"!

Then since Dozer was the only dog for a long time he gets jealous and tries to bully her out of the way so I can't pet her. and it is really hard to seperate them because they both cry like mad when the other one isn't right there with the other. It is really a sad sight!

I am surely going to keep trying but It doesn't really matter to me whether she does it or not she is staying. I guess the kids can grow into it!