Excessive licking of the border collie

I’m sure he stopped by to go 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, including border collies. What you should know is that it is absolutely normal for a border collie to lick, because it is their way of greeting you, although not everyone thinks the same. That is why you should never punish him for this.

Border collies use their tongues 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 begin to understand 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 they want to be cuddly and show their commitment and love. You can tell this because his body is relaxed and he is in a happy and joyful mood. The dog may also lick because he is anxious or stressed. In case he is unhappy because of some problem, he may become obsessed with such behavior. To help him break this habit, you can take him out for more exercise or you can give him more attention. 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 that make him lick others. To avoid this, always give antiparasitic treatments. For some people, not exactly owners but visitors or friends, a border collie licking can be quite disgusting. They often think that 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 early or just find some spare time to give him playtime, grooming, and exercise. If the border collie licks you because he’s happy, let him do it and don’t punish him. But, if you really don’t like it, you can change your body language and the dog will understand immediately. 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, whenever you are bothered by your border collie licking, you have to remember that this is his natural behavior. However, if he’s licking you a lot more than usual, try to figure out why, and then fix the problem.