Dealing with a lick-aholic

Caro

Caro

Moderator
Tully's licking is driving me nuts. She is licking at her paws less but licking me so much more. Her tongue comes out before she even reaches me! She is also licking other people and dogs but she saves the real obsessive bathing for me.

Has anyone had any success in techniques to stop (or reduce) the licking. I have tried ignoring her (she just licks whatever else she can reach - eg walls, toes, floor) or if I walk off she sulks (and sulks so well). I also tried a bitter spray - didn't put her off.

Now if she comes near me I have to hold her head away or hold her body really close so her tongue can't reach.
 
Shouldn't be boredom - she's walked 2-4hrs a day (well I walk she chases bunnies) and she has a playmate. I did visit the vet re her paw licking - that was allergies. He thought fixing the allergy might stop the other licking but it hasn't. In fact her licking has got worse than ever in the last couple of months.

At the local oval the dogs are always licking each other - which doesnt help. My vet behaviourist said some females use submissive behaviour in a dominant way (eg licking to get your attention not to show submission). I think Tully started doing it for attention, but now its a really bad habit.
 
*Caro said:
Tully's licking is driving me nuts. She is licking at her paws less but licking me so much more. Her tongue comes out before she even reaches me! She is also licking other people and dogs but she saves the real obsessive bathing for me.
Click to expand...

Foxman is the champion licker in our house. He's got "The Fastest Tongue in the West" and is proud to demonstrate that at any opportunity.

I guess I am partly to blame ... I tend to roll around on the floor while Fox, Rocky and Shanjen lick my head. Don't know why they are fascinated with my head, but they are.

Don't know what to tell you to try - coating yourself in bitter apple doesn't seem to be an option. SheltieMom thinks the dogs are getting something off of me ... perhaps I taste salty to them. I lean toward the notion that it is just an individual trait of the dog ... some are lickers, some aren't.
 
Annie Laurie loves to bathe our hands. We let her do it for a while -- I think it relieves anxiety and helps her feel safe -- and then say, "Thank you" and pull the hand away. Seems to work. :biggrin2:
 
Ella knows that when I come home from soccer, she can get a good lick. She loves the salt from all the sweat.

But, she only does it to me, not to anyone else.
 
The worst of the licking is that she eats rabbit and kangaroo poo so I know where her mouth has been!

She is definately a 'licker' - esp when she gets really excited she just cant contain her tongue. I noticed on one of the other threads people mentioned their dogs licking them - so I guessed it isnt just me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top