Hi guys, I have had Mia since she was 4 months old and she has always licked everyone excessively. I just assumed it was a habit she had picked up so it’s something that my boyfriend and I tend not to make a big deal out of, we just tell her no and pet her without making a fuss when she stops but when Mia sees other people the first thing she does is try to lick them, hands, face, legs just anywhere. Most people follow our advice of telling her no and she soon stops but will start it again when she thinks their guard is down, it’s gotten to the point that my boyfriends family have nicknamed her Licky! Someone has suggested it could due to anxiety and someone else also suggested giving her a salt lick as she may be lacking in salt from her diet. I am slightly disinclined to believe that it is lack of salt as she has always done it and we have tried her on different foods to settle her stomach issues. So, my question is can I stop her from doing this and is there likely to be a reason she does it? Thanks!
"it’s something that my boyfriend and I tend not to make a big deal out of, we just tell her no and pet her without making a fuss when she stops" First, make sure she has proper exercise. If she is too hyper from lack of exercise, it will be hard for her to control herself enough to learn anything properly. As soon as she licks you, say "Aught!" (say it quick, firm, but not so loud as to scare her. don't drag the word out or anything like that.) and remove all your attention from her. Whether that be putting her down, turning away from her, etc. Completely ignore her. After she stops trying to get your attention, attempt petting her again. Repeat as needed. Don't let anyone pet her that can't follow those rules. Also, you have to do it the first time she licks, every time she licks. Consistency is key with any dog training. I'm sure there is a lot of methods, but this is the one I use and it's always worked for me.
