# Excessive licking



## rikkia

Not all Poodles lick but a great many do. Im no pro outside of my own dog but a few things to consider are,

'feelings' is a humanisation of your animal and is a rocky road to be on as the only owners I see on the local park with dogs who are treated as if they have feelings and humanised are the ones who are snappy with other dogs and are very temperamental, remember you own a dog let it be a dog to romp and play etc. and leave the feelings nonsense at the door.

Having a few commands trained such as rest or settle down, where you can tell the dog to go relax and time-out are handy as you can stop the licking with a request to go snooze. Another is an enough or stop command. An 'enough now' command is great as you can use it to also finish play time with your dog so it knows that you are no longer playing.


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## fjm

I use two or three pats as a signal for "that's your lot". I don't like being licked, so mine have more or less learned not to do it, but Poppy tries very ard to lick my face first thing in the morning, and Sophy loves to lick feet - she will even pull socks off to get at them. A rug wrapped round them, and she soon forgets that they are there.

I don't think you will hurt her feelings - just redirect her onto something she can lick or chew as much as she likes. A Kong, or a tug rope dipped in chicken stock and frozen, or a teddy bear if she likes soft toys. It will take a while if she is used to being allowed to do it, and you will all have to be consistent about only petting her when she is not licking, and blocking her and giving her something else to mouth when she tries. 

At least it is just licking - Pippin-cat is a kneader, with needle sharp claws that penetrate layers of jumpers and t-shirts and skin like surgical steel ... !


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## mom24doggies

Trev is a big licker, too. Especially when I'm scratching his chest or neck. I personally don't mind it, so I usually just let him do it. However, sometimes he tries to "force" himself under my hand to be petted, and that DOES annoy me, especially when I'm trying to type or otherwise do something. I have taught him "go lay down", which means move away from me and lay down. Usually, he backs up a few paces and lays down. I would personally teach her something like that, rather than try to stop her completely. Pepper's previous owner tried to teach her to quit licking...she's 14 and still does it. I think that for a dog, it's an important way to communicate (I bet your pup is doing a "mutual grooming" thing...I think that's what Trev does.) and that it's not very nice to take that away from them completely. If you watch dogs (especially puppies) interact, they do a lot of licking on each other.


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## LEUllman

Beau loves to lick, so much so, his AKC registered name is Beaucoup de Bisous (lots of kisses). You might try shaping Paiges' licking behavior by teaching her to do it only on a "Kisses" command. Beau mostly does this -- if you present a body part and say "Kisses!," he licks away. He'll usually stop when you draw back. I say "usually," because if you're in bed and he's in a licky mood, all bets are off and he'll sneak up and do what we call a kissy attack on your ear. Once that starts, hiding under a blanket is sometimes required.


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## BorderKelpie

lol - I do find myself hiding under the blanket in bed alot now - that's going to be rogh come summer. 

I know dogs don't have human feeling, per say. I guess _I_ feel guilty telling her to knock it off. I have had dogs all my life, they have always been 'working' dogs - although I did love them all very much. These are the first dogs I ever got just to be spoiled rotten, bed buddy, carry around pets. (That I have in training for tracking any way. lol)

I know I've spoiled them a bit, ok, a lot. They get away with stuff I would NEVER let my other dogs do. I guess I started this and now I have to fix it. I should feel guilty bout spoiling them and not setting boundries as I should have from the get go. I will adjust the way I handle them, kindly, from here on out. 

Thanks for the ideas and suggestions!


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## Arborgale

I don't think excessive licking is a poodle thing. My first mini poo was not a big licker. She would on rare occasions lick you, but only once or twice on the lips. 

Rosie is a licker. I don't find her excessive, but she licks a lot more than Ruby ever did. I like it, then again she does stop on her own.


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## fjm

I think, between very good friends, it is fair to discuss habits that really annoy you. Tell her you don't like being licked and , if she is anything like my two, be prepared for her to tell you that your singing really, really hurts her ears!


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## BorderKelpie

That's too funny. My singing probably does hurt her ears. It's been known to hurt mine. lol


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## Siskojan

Sisko needs his morning time with me, especially since I retired. He gets up on the bed and snuggles in close to lick, he is getting the hang of "that's enough" but sometimes I have to pull the covers over my head. He never seems contented until I let him take my hand in his mouth. He is ever so gentle, and once he's had his fill of that, he hooks a paw over my arm and settles his head on my shoulder and sighs in my ear and goes to sleep.


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## BorderKelpie

Aww, Sisko sounds so sweet. I need to work on 'gentle' with my guys. Too many years doing shutzhund makes me forget that they can bite gently. I have toys that can (and often do) draw blood when playing with me.Don't wear long sleeves in the house with Paige, she jumps up and hangs on. 
lol - Shutzhund poodles.


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