If your dog loves to lick a little too much, either all the time or just on occasion, we’ve got some suggestions for how to curb this unwanted behaviour. Before we figure out how to fix the problem, let’s first get to the root of the issue. Why do dogs lick in the first place? From the get go, dogs are taught to communicate through licking by their mother, who uses this action to help her pups start breathing. She also licks her young to give them a bath and show them affection. So it’s an ingrained instinct. For dogs, licking is a way to show affection and feel happy. According to Animal Planet, the process of licking releases pleasurable endorphins which decrease stress and make dogs feel doggone good. They also lick because they like the taste of your skin, like for example, the sweat or oils that you emit. Also, if you have been ignoring your dog although he has been giving you the stare, the nose-nudging and the whining, he may just start licking your face to get your attention. You will have to interact with him to get him to stop but to your pooch, he has already discovered that doing so captures your attention. Unfortunately, he is not going to relent that easily.
How do you make it stop?
We can all agree that licking is totally natural (unless your dog is compulsive and can’t
stop, but how do you get your dog to stop when it goes too far?
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