Why does my Rottweiler lick me?

If your Rottweiler licks you a lot you might be wondering why and what you can do to get it to lick you less.

This post will show you a number of reasons why it might be doing it and what you can do to get it to do it less.

So, why does my Rottweiler lick me so much? Possible reasons why it licks you are that it is showing affection, grooming you, excited, stressed or that it is looking for attention.

There are many different reasons why your Rottweiler might lick you and it could be the result of multiple reasons. However, there are a number of things you can do about it.

Why your Rottweiler could be licking so much

Below, I will show you a number of reasons why your Rottweiler might be doing it and what would make each of them more likely to be the main reason.

Grooming

The reason why your Rottweiler licks you a lot could be that it is grooming you. Rottweiler will often groom themselves by licking themselves. They will also groom other dogs such as when a mother Rottweilers licks her puppies. This could be why yours licks you to.

Affection

The cause could be that it is trying to show affection towards you. This would be more likely if it does it more when you are being affectionate towards it yourself such as when you are petting it. When it’s licking you it’s, letting you know that it trusts you and that you are a part of its tribe.

If you want to get this kind of licking to stop, one option would be to stop giving it affection when it starts licking and then to carry on when it stops licking.

Excitement

The reason why it does it might be that it is excited. This would be more likely if it does it more at certain times such as when you come home.

Hunger or dehydration

The reason why it does it sometimes, might be that it is hungry or dehydrated. This would be more likely if it also starts licking its lips and other things a lot as well and if it does it when it does not have access to water. It is important to make sure that it has access to water throughout the day in order to prevent this from happening.

Stress or anxiety

It could be the case that it has been doing it due to being stressed or anxious.

Situations, where this is more likely, would include when it’s recently had a stressful event occur such as when a family member has gone away or if one of your other dogs has died.

Sickness

The cause could also be that it is ill. This would be more likely to be the reason if it has also been licking other things a lot as well and if it has been showing other signs of being ill such as vomiting. In this case, the best option would be to take it to a vet.

Exploration

Rottweilers and other dogs will start to lick things before they’re even able to open their eyes so, they will naturally begin to explore the world using their tongues. This habit can continue into adulthood causing it to naturally lick things quite often.

Attention seeking

The reason why it licks you a lot could be that it is trying to get attention from you. This would be more likely if you tend to give it extra attention when it does it and if it does it more when you have not been giving it much attention.

It would help to give it attention throughout the day but to avoid rewarding it with extra attention when it starts licking you.

It’s still young

The reason why it licks a lot could be that it is still a puppy. Puppies tend to be a lot more excitable and curious and they tend to lick more because of it. If your Rottweiler is still a puppy then it’s likely that it will calm down as it gets older but you should still take the time to train it now so that it’s better behaved as an adult.

How to get your Rottweiler to stop licking

Below are some options you have when getting your Rottweiler to lick you less.

Don’t reward it

The reason why your Rottweiler licks you could be that it gets rewards when it does it. Instead of giving it things that it wants when it licks you, it would help to stop rewarding it and to reward it when it is behaving the way that you want it to.

Give it toys

It would also help to give it things to be distracted with so that it is less likely to behave in a way that you do not want it to. Things that you could give it would include bones, toys and puzzle games.

Give it lots of exercise

It would also help to give it lots of exercise so that it is less hyperactive. Generally, it is recommended for Rottweilers to get at least an hour of exercise per day when they are healthy adults.

Take it to a vet

If your Rottweiler has started doing it suddenly and excessively, the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so you will be able to rule out medical causes and to get expert advice tailored towards your particular Rottweiler.

Be patient

When training your Rottweiler, it is important to have patience. It is unlikely that you will be able to get significant results with just one training session, but if you train it consistently, you can get much better results over the course of weeks and months.

Things to consider

Don’t let it lick your face

Since dogs tongues can have many germs on them, it is important to avoid letting your Rottweiler lick your face.

Get help

If you are unable to get your Rottweiler to stop doing it, consider getting help from a dog behaviorist or trainer. By doing so, you should be able to see why it is doing it and how to get it to stop effectively.