Good afternoon, Recently my OH has grown a beard, to the joy of our dog...he wants to groom him! My OH is fine with this, and lets him lick his face. However, it's something I don't like, and I've noticed that when I am giving the dog a fuss he now tries desperately to lick my face. When we got him, we decided that hands are OK, but not faces. I don't really want him to start doing this to visitors, either, as it's not hugely polite! So, should OH change his behaviour and put a stop to this, or, do you think it's possible to have different rules for different people?
Oh yes, it is absolutely possible to have different rules for different people. Coco is NOT allowed to jump up at me or anyone, unless he has been invited. When I come home, he greets me with a jolly good wag and he follows me about. When OH comes home Coco jumps up to lick his face and put his paws on his chest. Even when we come through the door together, we get our appropriate greeting. He is allowed to jump up on next door's builder too! (He used to try and jump on anyone he met - now he doesn't).
I agree with @Boogie and @edzbird - dogs absolutely get the different rules with different people thing. Brogan was a mega-licker (hands and face, ugh) to a few of my friends who loved it, but he never did it to me. He'd also practically knock my father off his feet, but he knew with me (and with any strangers) it was strictly "four on the floor". Even my friend's chihuahua, whom I dogsit often, understands the double standard: at my house she sits politely next to me and I'll happily share my meal with her. At home with mum (from what I hear) her strategy is more like, "Let me just stand on your face and help you with that cookie, OK?!".
Yes I agree with the others. Our older Lab regularly gives DH a licking all over his face and head . Much as I love her, I don’t like it myself and she has never tried to do it.
Hi everyone, Many thanks for your responses - that's good to know! Do you have any advice on stopping licking? At the moment I just gently push his head away when he tries.
We've taught Homer to give kisses. If you put your face down to his level and ask for a kiss, you get a big slobbery lick. Sometimes he'll initiate a kiss but without the command won't actually make contact. He'll kiss us, friends and strangers if asked. I have no idea how we trained this.
I'm with you, I don't like face licking - as much as anything because of the unmentionables the dogs will have recently been licking/eating Molly still tries though. I noticed when visiting her before we bought her home, her breeders let all the pups lick their faces and it seems to be something hard to break now. They were incidentally, lovely folks we still keep in touch with, just the face licking I don't like. Makes me wonder now I've written this, if something learnt when a pup is under 8 weeks, stays with her and has to be 'un-learned'.
