Dog owners want their dogs to be happy, healthy, and well-behaved. Unfortunately, when dogs lick everything they can get their mouths on, it can be a major annoyance for pet owners everywhere. It’s not always easy to stop this behavior, but there are some steps you can take that may discourage it.
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Training Your Dog
If there is one thing you should never do when training your dog, it’s not to train them yourself. Consistency is important when trying to break bad habits like licking inappropriate items, and the only way to make sure that they are consistent is to take part in all their training sessions. You can even start this process when he is a puppy, which will help him learn that it’s wrong to lick things if you aren’t around.
Give Your Dog Something Else To Put In His Mouth
When you catch your dog licking something he isn’t supposed to, give him a treat or his favorite toy to redirect his attention. This treats the issue with negative reinforcement. He won’t learn what he’s doing is bad if instead of you scolding him, you reward him when he doesn’t do it. You can also try giving him an edible chew toy that he has to lick before getting the treat out of the ends. This way will work for some dogs who are food motivated but not all, so be prepared for it not to work too. However, you will not hurt anything by trying this method either, with nothing lost except a few moments of your time.
Get Rid Of The Object
Taking away the item that your dog keeps trying to lick will stop him from doing it. If he isn’t allowed on the furniture, keep him off of it, and if you don’t want him chewing on toys, then don’t give him any. This can be a more drastic step than some pet owners may want to take, but it is extremely effective. If you’re not always home to monitor his behavior or use another method, this might be the best option for you until the problem goes away.
Ignore The Licking
If you want to train your dog not to lick the things he shouldn’t, try ignoring his licking behavior. Dogs are pack animals and are very aware of their position in a group. If you aren’t acknowledging that they are doing something wrong when they lick inappropriate objects, then they won’t know what they’re doing is bad. You also run the risk of them trying out different things in an attempt to get your attention, which is sometimes more dangerous than just letting him have this one thing.
Remember to never scold or punish him for licking items if it’s not bothering anyone else in the home or getting him into trouble in any other way. Punishing a pet only makes them fearful of you, so if it isn’t a big deal, leave it as such and always praise good behavior.
Bitter Spray
If your dog doesn’t respond well to other items, you can try using some bitter spray on or around the area of interest. This type of spray tastes very nasty, and dogs will quickly learn why they shouldn’t lick it. There are various types of bitter sprays out there, so make sure you get one specifically for discouraging pets from licking. While this method is effective in most cases, it’s best as an emergency measure because it will go away once your dog licks it off or washes with water. If you use bitter spray too often, your dog may start liking the taste, which means you’ll have to switch brands.
