What is with the licking???

[GeorgiesMomma]

I busted out laughing the picture is too cute! Guiness was just trying to say hi to Santa

[yorkietalkjilly]

One of the best candid shots ever!!! Santa and Guiness had a moment!

[GuinnessStout]

Originally Posted by kjc

On the 1st pic, the chair and Santa are clear, only the pup is blurry... bc he is the Quicker Licker Upper, lol!

I hate to say this, but have you asked him to stop? (Praise and reward when he does stop, even if it's only a few seconds)

We have tried everything.. Stop.. No... Bad yorkie and pointing (which is usually that one thing that always works for anything else he is doing wrong).. Begging.. Timeout... Begging some more to please please stop lol I can not even condition my leather sofa anymore out of fear because he licks it nonstop!!! I am sure the people at the rental car place wonder what in the hell I do with my rental cars because when I return them I have what we call "Guinness tongue art" over every single inch of glass!!

[yorkietalkjilly]

Oh, you can stop it but you would have to be far more committed and determined to stop it than he is to do it. It would take a couple months of total dedication to the program. Otherwise, just do what you can to put up with it, redirect him where possible throwing treats, giving him chew toys, stuffed gongs, etc. He senses part of you thinks it is cute, it builds over time into habit and that reinforces it in his mind. And, it is so often cute! As in that Santa picture!

[CouversMom]

What a funny boy! I love the Santa picture... You should frame that!

[GuinnessStout]

I am pretty sure we also give him mixed singles too since he knows to give goodbye kisses before we leave for work.. SOME licking is fine I just wish I could put a timer on it and which objects or people are ok to lick.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by GuinnessStout

I am pretty sure we also give him mixed singles too since he knows to give goodbye kisses before we leave for work.. SOME licking is fine I just wish I could put a timer on it and which objects or people are ok to lick.

You could but as I said, it would take far more determination to change him than he has to keep it up.

[GuinnessStout]

Ok... I get it, it is now a battle of who can last the longest.. In this case I can honestly say he will win and I just need to learn to live with it lol
No not saying I am a bad owner that will not work to train their pup, just saying I already know I would never win this battle with a pup that even licks the sir in his sleep. And I sure years from now when he is gone I will miss that little tongue (just typing that makes me want to cry)

[GuinnessStout]

[IamMiasmom]

Mia has a lotion fetish. If you put hand lotion, body lotion on, she just feels the need to lick it off does not matter the brand or scent. Odd, and does this with others. She just has a tongue hanging out issue currently. Less teeth holding it back...

[Teresa Ford]

Why Do They LICK So Much ?
Trainers study behavior and I have studied licking. I know we have to [COLOR=green !important][COLOR=green !important]train[/COLOR][/COLOR] therapy dogs NOT to lick. This is my personal thoughts about licking. 1. Affection, short little licks, show affection 2. Excitement, Rapid excited licking, is to calm down. We have trained our Yorkies that friendly nipping and mouthing is not acceptable. Some dogs will grab a toy to control this nipping behavior. 3. Grooming, Slow leisurely licking is mutual grooming behavior. They are grooming you, they can not hold a comb or brush, you but they can lick you. Some trainers call this parenting behavior. Both male and female [COLOR=green !important][COLOR=green !important]dogs [COLOR=green !important]lick[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR] puppies and other dogs. 4.Ownership, Claiming licks are different in the tempo and manner. Often the dog will put both paws on the person claiming them and will sometimes jump to get to the face area. I have noticed that dogs who are allowed to do this claiming type licking may growl and even bite if interrupted. And they don't want others to show or get affection with their person. 5. Appeasement Licking is similar to what small [COLOR=green !important][COLOR=green !important]puppies[/COLOR][/COLOR] do to show they are humble and friendly. Sometime this type of licking is accompanied by submissive posture and even belly up position. 6. Enough Kisses is a gently spoken cue for them to stop licking. It is important to end the licking on your terms. I am surprised that people often bulk at this simple discipline. It is mentally healthy for your dog to know when enough is, is enough. Sometimes I can almost 'see' a dog sigh in relief when told Enough Kisses.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by GuinnessStout

Ok... I get it, it is now a battle of who can last the longest.. In this case I can honestly say he will win and I just need to learn to live with it lol
No not saying I am a bad owner that will not work to train their pup, just saying I already know I would never win this battle with a pup that even licks the sir in his sleep. And I sure years from now when he is gone I will miss that little tongue (just typing that makes me want to cry)

LOL. That's kind of what I thought. Just live with it as much as possible because it would be a two month campaign of never allowing him to get away with a single lick without going into retraining/redirection mode, a separate home obedience program, power walks where you really run/walk him good and hard and you would have to find out which he method responded to better in the retraining/redirection.

One thing you could start to do if you've a mind to is just get up and walk away if he gets to licking too intensely or use a prop to interfere. Usually, lickers are trying to get to our mouths to appease us at first, like puppies do their mommie's muzzle or pack members do an alpha, that's how they start. They are looking for reassurance. I don't know your dog but oftentimes the need to appease can come from a sense of anxiety, insecurity so a good training program to teach him responsibility, impulse control and to work hard to learn obedience or some such program could give him a sense of accomplishment and self-assurance as you commend and praise his accomplishments and see him for the over-achiever he can be. It gives them self-esteem and they appease less. Earthdog work or something like that works, too.

Or licking can reinforce some dogs' sense of control over their human and they love the feeling they get from "owning" us as we kind of giggle, laugh and jerk our heads/faces out of the way, exude a lot of energy which they feed on and they know we won't stop them, really.

Working on the reasons for the licking, giving him more work and a sense of self-accomplishment can help if he's appeasing. And redirecting him, interfering with his licking by sticking a little book or magazine up between or getting up and walking away is a stopgap and take some of his enjoyment out of the obsessive/controlling part of it when it's smothering. Holding on to your prop or keeping it beside you can dissuade him, give you a tad of power back and having a stuffed kong to offer him at this moment can redirect his energies to something equally fun that he can control and master.

Unless you want to get into a whole program of retraining him, I'd try to manage and live with and sort of appreciate it for what it is - a dog doing what he can to get on in life his little way. And you do probably laugh a lot from those Santa moments! Enjoy your Guiness! He's really one-of-a-kind.

[chachi]

We have a picture of my Jewels doing the lick thing to Santa from a few yrs ago. She cant control her licker anyones fair game to her

[yorkietalkjilly]

Gosh I would love to see a thread full of "Guiness Greets Santa" type shots of our Yorkies! That's so dog!

[Buster Brown]

Buster is a licker too. He actually loves to lick Jack's arms and feet
I always joke that he is mining Daddy's salt. I get kisses but he he goes to town on Jack and takes his job seriously making sure he is squeaky clean. He will occasionally lick the covers on the furniture or clothes. I wonder if he smells treat crumbs and is trying to get every bit? We have been trying to teach him the command Enough Thank You to curb excessive behavior like licking or barking. It is hard because you do want to curb the behavior with out stopping it completely. I would be lost without my Buster kisses.
That truly is an adorable picture of him with Santa!