Why is my dog obsessively licking other dogs? What can I do?

It would be hard to say. It is a good idea to bring the affected pup into your vet to rule out any health issues or irritation that could be causing the excessive licking by your other dog, such as urinary infections, inflammation, etc. If your pup checks out healthy, distraction with other toys and treats, placing an Elizabethan (cone) collar on the licker so they can't lick things, and separating if it does happen may help break the habit.

If the little dog is not neutered, it’s likely related to that. Sometimes male dogs will exhibit this behavior other male dogs. It’s unclear why they exhibit that behavior. Sometimes it can also be a sign of anxiety and the small dog is using the large dog as a comfort blanket. You must read the rest of the body language to know what he is saying. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi and thank you for posting your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ear licking between dogs is a normal grooming behavior dogs who are within the same family or pack do to one another. However, if you notice Charlie is doing this to one of your other dogs in the household more frequently to the point where it is starting to become obsessive, this can be a sign of a behavioral problem. It is possible Charlie wishes to lick the other dog's eat due to an ear infection in the dog, so you might want to have ears examined by a veterinarian to rule this out. However, next time you notice Charlie doing this to another dog in the house, get his attention immediately with another activity like an interactive toy or a session of play time. Try and do this consistently for best results. If however behavioral intervention is not working well and ear infections have been ruled out, it is possible Charlie may have an obsessive compulsive disorder that may require Rx medications from your veterinarian. Best of luck to you and Charlie and thanks again so much for posting your question!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is not necessarily uncommon behavior and typically does not have a medical implication. This is sometimes seen as a display of submissive behavior. I recommend you discourage this behavior as much as possible but I would not be concerned about this. Good luck!

This could be a sign of affection, or that the older dog rolled in something gross and the younger dog likes the taste and wants to lick it off. The younger one could be grooming your older dog, or doing it as a sign of social status.

Some dogs are just really enthusiastic about licking. Sometimes it can be caused by their bodies being itchy. I would have Mocha examined by a vet first to determine if there is a cause for itch. Then the vet can discuss itch treatments or behavior modification to help with the social licking.

Hi there. Many dogs are interested in the genital areas of other dogs - there are lots of interesting smells there, regardless of spay/neuter status :) No need for concern unless she's doing it so much that it's annoying to the other dog, in which case I would redirect her to some other activity or keep her on-leash so that she can't constantly bother him.