Lickety Split: How to Stop Your Dog's Excessive Licking

Q: My dog is very sweet and affectionate. Lately, he has started to lick me and everyone he meets. Plus my clothes! What is the best way to change this behavior?

When a dog licks your face, the love hormone, oxytocin, and the desire hormone, dopamine, are both elevated. However, doggie kisses are not always out of affection. Puppies lick in order to get milk from their mothers, and blankets or clothing are similar to nursing. Licking becomes a way to get affirmation, or a form of grooming. Dogs lick your face because they love the tasty flavors of that juicy burger dripping down your chin or scented lotions — sometimes they crave salt.

Licking can turn into an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In fact, many dogs lick themselves raw out of stress, anxiety, or even boredom. Excessive licking can indicate underlying medical conditions, so I recommend talking to your vet about your dog's diet and, if possible, bringing a video of the dog displaying the behavior. In my experience, most dogs with this behavior are attention-seeking, insecure, or conflicted. Dogs repeat behaviors if the behavior works for them — it could be that you are somehow (unintentionally) rewarding your dog for licking.

Build Confidence, Then Put Kisses on Cue

I suggest positive training methods to teach and build confidence. Try "go to your bed" and "down-stay." Next, ask for a few sloppy kisses and let the self-rewarding experience of the kiss be the reward. Give no feedback for the kisses. Wait until the dog pauses for just a second, and then mark the fact that they stopped with "good boy!" Calmly say, "Thank you, I love you too! Go to your bed and stay."

If a dog has been properly trained, then going to their bed and relaxing will become a better reward than licking your face — they can lick their favorite chew toy instead!