# Licking other dogs faces.



## slaen (Apr 27, 2009)

When Kye meets any bigger dogs he says hello but NON STOP licks their faces. I have to pull him away or tell him no. 

Some dogs dont care about it but he was doing it to a Rott and he wasnt liking it at all. Snarling and showing teeth at Kye. The owner was there and kept the Rott calm and stopped it before he nailed Kye. If I ran over and pulled Kye away he would walk away and do it again.

I know Kye is trying to be friendly and I dont know why he does that. I mean its non stop, he will lick the sides of their face like hes trying to put his tongue in their mouths.

How can I stop this? Some dogs will prolly get fed up with it and Nail him, obviously I need to stop it before that happens.

Any ideas?


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

Awww! First definitely read this:
http://www.nesr.info/images-english-shepherd/He-just-wants-to-say-hi.pdf

For more great articles from Suzanne Clothier go here: http://www.flyingdogpress.com You have to register to read. 

While the face licking is either a submissive or greeting behavior of a puppy, a lot of adult dogs (of all sizes) do not like it.

Having the puppy on a leash so you can train the behavior you want will certainly help. Learning the "off" command or something like it would be good. 

I would be very cautious letting a puppy run up to strange dogs because there is going to be one that will say that's enough. While many adult dogs will give an appropriate level correction, there are dogs who will not-and will harm your puppy. So leashing, shaping, teaching, proofing all have to go into these new learned behaviors. 

Were you at a park with the Rottie? 

ETA-so what I do (wow, do I have a pulse? am I awake? I left this out!) is to put the puppy into a sit and simply do not allow them to maul the other dog. They know off, but even more so no the EH! noise, so there is that. You can also have them focus on you and reward. It's partly about them learning self control, dog manners, and to pay attention to you.







What I don't want to see is the puppy doing this...









But rather this-still some of the same licky licky, but more calm and restrained:









Of course, that is kind of telling on myself now isn't it!


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

This is normal, and proper puppy behavior. In canine language it is the puppy having proper manners and social greeting behaviors by showing submission and deference to the adult dog, as he should. 

Most dogs will not have a problem with it and aren't likely to get fed up and nail him for it because they understand and appreciate a puppy minding his manners properly. I wouldn't interfere unless you see a dog having an issue with it. Then I would intercept the pup and make him stop, but also would make a mental note that that particular dog isn't very good with puppies and has questionable canine social skills. 

But then, I am not one to allow my pups to greet and play with strange dogs as a rule. If the strange dog isn't good with pups (and if it's a strange dog I don't know if it is or not) the pup could be injured and it only takes one or two bad incidents for a pup to learn to be afraid of other dogs.

It is normal and natural. If you try too hard to stop it, you may end up adding stress to a normal greeting scenario making things more likely to go awry and interfering with your pup's appropriate canine social skills by teaching him that what is appropriate (for a dog) isn't allowed, which most likely WILL get him into trouble with other dogs.


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## slaen (Apr 27, 2009)

No actually its a good friends Rott. So I know him and the dog well.

I usually always have Kye on a leash but we were in a big field and I let Kye loose so he could run around and chase his ball.


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## slaen (Apr 27, 2009)

Thanks for the reply. I did not know that it was normal. 

But for him to lick the dogs face non-stop. I mean sometimes I can tell the other dog is sick of it and keeps moving to get away so Kye will stop but he doesnt. He will chase them and keep doing it.

Whenever Kye meets a strange dog he is always on a leash, but since I know the Rotty and the owner I thought they would be fine off leash. And its not like this is Kye first time meeting him. Kye has known this dog since he was 9 weeks old.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

Yes, it's normal.







Though some pups do go overboard. And then if the adult gets annoyed, the pup knows the adult is getting annoyed, and tries even *harder* to appease the adult, which annoys the adult further, and so the vicious cycle begins.

It's good to nip that in the bud if the pup is going overboard and annoying the adult, but it must be done in a way that doesn't harm the pup's confidence or make him think that he's doing something wrong by showing good puppy social skills. You need to make sure not to add any more stress to the situation, because that will increase the pup's likelihood of going overboard with greeting as well as the adult dog's discomfort. Best way is to have treats or toys and call the pup away or otherwise redirect his attention away from the adult in a positive manner. May need to keep him on a long line and pull him away from the adult, and then praise and treat lavishly when he comes to you in order to keep it positive.


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## slaen (Apr 27, 2009)

usually when hes off leash and I see him about to do it i squeak a ball and throw it and they are both distracted.

But I dont want to have to do that. I hope he grows out of this phase soon.

Oh and he just started losing his puppy teeth.


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