Kissing... ...?! Oh No!!! Please Help!!

[Brown]

Hi,

I am wondering why my dog loves to lick people's mouth. Not the hand, palm or leg. ONLY the mouth. Why?

Sometimes, it is so embarrassing when visitors come over, he starts to get excited and starts licking/kissing my guests mouth. Looks like smooching... http://petshub.com/ubb/tongue.gif

And worst of all, instead of licking/kissing, his tongue might miss-cue, and end up licking me and my guests' nostrils!!! http://petshub.com/ubb/eek.gif

But still my dog enjoys licking and kissing despite the funny tastes, i guess. http://petshub.com/ubb/smile.gif

Please tell me how to prevent this "loving" gesture of my dog??

[brandy]

Hi there!

lol, sorry, but it is rather cute. I do not know of anyway to stop your dog from licking peoples faces. He is showing affection and I think you may have to live with it.

Sorry,

[mwise]

To get your dog to stop kissing, try a couple of these things when he does it:

1. Blow in his face and say "NO" loudly. Praise the dog when he comes up and greets without kissing.

2. Just say "NO" loudly, praising when good.

3. As the dog starts kissing someone else spray a water pistol or spray bottle of water in the dogs' face, but only as the dog starts to kiss. Try to make sure the dog doesn't actually see you doing the spraying so he associates the spraying with the kissing.

What he is doing is greeting them like a puppy or submissive dog would greet the leader of the pack by licking them on the muzzle. He is in fact saying, I am subordinate to you. Of course, people aren't dogs, and they don't like that.

I actually have trained my dog to "kiss" or "no kiss" if she leans toward me and starts and I don't want her to kiss me.

[jenn0135]

Hi, I'm from Singapore. My lovely 2 silky terriers kiss me too, everyday without fail, particulary when I get out of bed every morning. I love them too, and kiss them as well. So far, punishment doesnt work for them.

[Byron]

My dog like to lick too. But he lick anywhere, your hands, your arms... He is not very keen with my lips though. luckily.

[Byron]

jenn0135

Welcome aboard on this mother ship for pets. May this be a wonderful and enriching trip for you and your gang.

wat pets do u keep?

[Brown]

Hello!!

Jenn0135, your dogs kiss/lick your lips too? I am so glad that i have found someone who understands my situation. So you just let them lick and kiss you non-stop? Did they tongue ever mis-cue and end up licking the nostrils? http://petshub.com/ubb/eek.gif

Byron, lucky you! At least you don't need to 'suffer' like i do, with his tongue wiping all over my face and even my nose and lips. I guess, just like what brandy mentioned, he is showing his affection to me. LOL.

Write soon.

[Roz]

Was skimming over old threads and found this one. Felt like responding, since no one brought this up back then. :)

It's not exactly affection that your dog is showing you, though I'm sure your dog loves you to bits and pieces. This behavior is exhibited in wolves and other canines, most often with puppies, but also with lower ranked members in packs. Puppies lick their mother's mouth to beg for food (and to get regurgitated food,) and it's also a sort of non-threatening way for wolves and other canines to say "hello." It's usually accompanied by submissive body language.

Since dogs descended from wolves, much of the behavior is the same. Your dog is just trying to greet you and others in a way that is non-threatening, perhaps even show that he recognizes you're a higher rank than he is.

You can train your dog not to do this. Besides what someone else suggested trying, you can try this method...

Put your dog's leash on and make sure your dog is able to reach your mouth (kneel or sit down in front of your dog. Or just stand if you own a huge Gentle Giant. ;)) Either tie your dog up in such a way that it keeps him from being able to reach your mouth, or sit/stand on the leash, keeping it at a length that allows your dog to stand up but not jump up at your mouth. When your dog jumps up to lick your mouth, the leash will keep him from doing so. Everytime your dog jumps up to lick at your mouth, ignore him. Do not give him one ounce of attention. In time he learns that, besides not being able to reach your mouth to lick it when he tries to, he doesn't get any attention, positive or negative, for licking your mouth. He'll stop this behavior, since he doesn't get the desired results by doing it. And then you can go about showing him the apropriate way to greet you and others. :)

[firetresses]

my dog is a licker too... she will be 1 in a few weeks... and she lick lick licks nonstop.... we try to stop her sometimes by tellig her no firmly... sometimes she stops for a minute, gives us that "whoooo meeeeeeee?" look... and slyly sneaks a lick in there LOL.... i hate just having her in my lap and LICK LICK LICK... although i love her, i wouldn't punish her for giving kisses... just excessive kisses

[Twinkles14]

Hehe yeah my dog does that too...though not as much as yours seems too. Sometimes she'll pretend to be kissing me but she's really trying to smell my breath. :lol:

[abfleck]

Hello!!

Jenn0135, your dogs kiss/lick your lips too? I am so glad that i have found someone who understands my situation. So you just let them lick and kiss you non-stop? Did they tongue ever mis-cue and end up licking the nostrils? http://petshub.com/ubb/eek.gif

Byron, lucky you! At least you don't need to 'suffer' like i do, with his tongue wiping all over my face and even my nose and lips. I guess, just like what brandy mentioned, he is showing his affection to me. LOL.

Write soon.



My chihuahua licks and kisses all the time. It can be a little overwealming, but she loves us.

Fleck :yawn:

[firetresses]

my dog just wants our food... screw checking out breath LOL...

[abfleck]

Does anyones dog need yip-yaps(puppy breath mint)?

[Kale]

I had a female APBT that couldnot help herself either..hehehe ALL the pics I had taken of us I had to grab her face and hold down ,she could not help her self.
I would not break her of that I think it is her loving personality, if that is truly a problem then Id keep her on a leash to say hi then put her in a different room or a crate near your company or give her something to play with while company is there only make sure she doesnt snap at any one if they try to take the something away. Actually you should be able to take anything out of the dogs mouth at any time ,that however sometimes proven to not work ..Any dog I have I can put my hand in its mouth anytime I want.
Then again I am a trainer.




Kale

[firetresses]

my dog doesn't have bad breathe actually... we have never had to take her in for a teeth cleaning, she is a year this month... but she's CONSTANTLY chewing on rawhides... they really keep dogs teeth clean and breath smelling good... we don't have to give her anything else..