Licking

[BabyGirl Rosie]

My friend has a Yorkie that came from, to make a long story short, a puppy mill. She is wanting me to post this on here for her. She says her pup is excessively licking her and her husband. I am not talking about basic licking like my girls do. I mean wanting to lick all the time. Any one have any experience with this? I have no clue what this could be about?

[MandiesMom]

It's probably something done from anxiety or boredom. My sheltie mix is an obsessive licker. Once he starts, he will NOT stop. I have to divert his attention to something else if I want him to stop. I'd suggest your friend do that...like give a chew toy or something and praise her if she licks/chews/plays with it.

Physical play and exercise and teaching tricks might help, too. Burn some energy if it's boredom and/or divert attention from the licking (snap the mind out of it).

[107barney]

Teddy is a licker. What can you do.

[gracielove]

The pups learn the activity from the poor mother that has been kept caged all her life. The mom does it out of boredom and stress. Imagine being in such a torture chamber all your life, never let out and being used as a never ending breeding machine!

They should discourage the licking. Tell the baby no and redirect to some other activity like a toy or some play. It may seem impossible but it is very treatable if dealt with early in life. It does take constant repetition and consistency. Teaching the puppy how to play fetch and other things to keep it busy will help. Maybe get her some bully sticks or other healthy chew toys (no rawhide....dangerous stuff) to help her redirect to chewing may help.

[jadabug]

Jada and Bogie are both big time lickers....IDK why, I have never tried to make them stop. I have noticed they are worse if I have been gone for a while and at night when they are getting sleepy.

[gracielove]

It is the almost obsessive licking that needs to be treated. Most dogs like to lick and I think Yorkies are natural kissers but the dogs and pups that learn it from an obsessive mom like a puppy mill dog really need to be redirected. The brain gets stuck in that activity so it needs help stopping and getting it directed to something else. Just like with us humans learning is easier when young so this is the best time to work on it.

[MandiesMom]

While I agree that it can be learned from a caged mother (and since we know these were puppy mill babies..it probably was), it's not always the case.

Shelby-Dale wasn't a puppy mill baby...he was never kept (nor his parents) caged. He stayed inside the house but spent a lot of time outside their house because he loved outside like his puppy-daddy. They lived out in the country. So, his obsessive licking really isn't stemming from that. He is just super smart and gets bored very easily. It's that working dog brain he's got

[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. [COLOR=green !important][COLOR=green !important]Grooming[/COLOR][/COLOR], 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.

[SophieKatesMom]

Sophie Kate is an ownership licker (based on the description above). She could also have learned it from her Puppy Mill Mom- who knows.

I can tell you that after four years of attempting to redirect her she still has not gotten the hint. My poor cat Avery, he is victim to her ownership licks all the time, he just looks at me like "make her stop Mommy"

[stanziog]

Thanks Teresa for you insight on licking. My Dottie is a licker, not excessively but she does it lots more then Rocco or Gypsy. I did not get her from a mill either, but your explanations below fit the various types of licking she does.. I do use the words NO LICK and most of the time she listens if not i pick up a toy and distract her which does work.
thanks again, Grace

[jeane]

Morgan is a licker but will stop when I tell him to

[yorkietalkjilly]

In the excessive licking department, Tibbe qualifies at times.

Tibbe came to me an older, nervous, wild, unsocialized, unsure dog and he's changed so much but he can get into OCD behavior during times I'm most stressed or his world is very different for some reason, such as when he's ill, on certain medications, many people have been around and left, when I came home from the hospital, etc.. He'll begin to lick the air, then me or anything he's near. I either tell him "no" or "uh oh" depending upon his demeanor at the time. A "No" to a very unstable Tibbe is not good, it seriously upsets him, so I try to read him before I say one or the other. I usually reserve "No" for actual serious misbehavior when he's acting so full of himself and not nervous at all but hardly ever use it to try to stop his nervous behavior patterns.

If he stops but very soon starts again, I realize he's likely feeling some serious secondary stress and redirect him to something like getting some kibble from a kong or letting him outside, we walk out into the front yard even if it's night - something to break the cycle. Anything to move the brain off that activity and get them working on something or involved in an activity helps. They learn over time that starting to lick is going to be disagreed with and usually stop it if possible for them. But at times, like with smokers or nailbiters, they pick up the habit again when times are getting hairy in their world and even when they try to stop themselves, they can't. So we have to help.

Tibbe rarely licks from boredom but I understand many dogs do - they just aren't challenged enough. So, depending upon a dog's lifestyle and the amount of challenges he or she requires during the day, that could be something to consider.