Pacifier Problems

Dear Jess,

how can I train my overly friendly Catahoula Leopard Hound to stop licking everyone...all the time?

~ Not a Popsicle

Popsicle Substitute,

So apparently, licking is a soothing activity for dogs, so you’re basically like a pacifier. What this means, is it’s a self-rewarding behavior, and the reinforcement is natural and immediate. What THIS means, is you just need to find a substitute! I’m a big believer in Lickimats. You can put all sorts of things on them; natural peanut butter, smush some cheese in there, canned dog food, yogurt (careful not to use anything with artificial sweeteners!) watermelon, blueberries, pumpkin…the possibilities are endless. And you can also freeze it to help make it last longer.

If Lickimats don’t sound like something you’d like to do, look into beef cheek rolls, frozen uncooked bones, and other natural tasty chews.

Basically we want to draw her to something that tastes better than we do. If you notice these don’t hold her attention and she still continues to lick, it could be a pheromone thing. It’s possible that your family’s pheromones also sooth her, in which case, you can take something you’d rather her be licking and store them in your dirty clothes hamper…I know it sounds insane, but trust me ;)

Always remember to redirect and pick a cue for her to learn that we can associate with the Lickimat or whatever your replacement choice is! This way we can eventually teach her how to ask for the appropriate “pacifier” rather than licking you.