Border Collie Excessive Licking

Surely it happened to go to see a friend and as soon as you opened the door a dog came out and started licking your face like crazy. Or maybe you yourself have a dog that has to lick you every time you come home or when you pet it. This is a habit that all breeds have, even border collies. What you should know is that it is absolutely normal for a border collie to lick, because it is his way of greeting you, although not everyone thinks the same. That is why you should never punish him for this.

Border collies use their tongue to investigate the environment in which they live. That is the reason why this part of their body is vital for them. They use it to taste food, discover new animals and people, and show their love. But sometimes a licking border collie can be quite annoying when it suddenly comes out of nowhere and starts showing its affection.

For this reason, you need to start understanding your border collie’s licking habit. Most of the time it means that he is affectionate, but the meaning is not always the same. It could also be the sign of various behaviors. You just have to watch how he licks and find out the cause.

As stated before, a border collie would normally lick because he wants to be affectionate and show his commitment and love. You can tell this because his body is relaxed and he has a happy and joyful mood. The dog might also lick because he is anxious or stressed. In case he feels unhappy about some problem, he can obsess over such behavior. To help him get rid of this habit, you can take him out for more exercise or you can pay more attention to him. In some rare cases, the dog may also lick people because he is spoiled.

A border collie licking can also be the cause of some health problems. This can happen because you don’t give him enough water or because the food you give him doesn’t have enough nutrients. Try to include more vitamins in your diet and always provide fresh water daily. You may also have ticks or worms. This often causes skin irritations causing him to lick at others. To avoid this, you should always give antiparasitic treatments. For some people, not just owners but visitors or friends, a border collie licking can be quite gross. They often think that the bacteria from the dog can be easily transferred to them and therefore contract certain diseases. That is why you should try to change their behavior. You can’t stop him from licking, but you can limit this habit. That depends, of course, on the reason.

What you can do is get home a little earlier or just find some free time to give him playtime, grooming, and exercise. In case the border collie licks you because he is happy, let him do it and do not punish him. But, if you really don’t like it, you can change your body language and the dog will immediately understand. For example, you can walk away or say a “No” command every time he wants to lick you. Be calm, don’t yell, and be patient until your border collie finally understands.

So any time you are annoyed by your border collie licking, you need to remember that this is his natural behavior. However, if he is licking you a lot more than usual, try to find out the reason and then solve the problem.