# Help! My Chi has a really weird behavior problem!



## chupacabramom (Oct 17, 2008)

My adorable 4 mo. old Chi, Piglet, has a really strange behaviorial issue. He insists on trying to lick inside my mouth. Pretty gross! I don't mind doggie kisses, but he goes to far. He will try licking your lips, then he will do everything to force your mouth open and lick inside your mouth, teeth, whatever he can get to. He'll even try to nip at your lips and paw your mouth open. I try scolding and setting him down, but everytime he gets around your face, same thing. His behavior isn't restricted to humans either. We have a 4 dog family and he tries the same thing on the other dogs, even the family cat! I've seen baby wolves on TV do this to their moms, is he trying to get food? He's well fed, on a feeding schedule so I know it's not hunger! Anybody else ever experienced this? Any ideas on how to stop it?


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## Krista (Dec 29, 2005)

Yoshi tries to do this as well. She used to be really bad and dig at your mouth with her feet to try and get you to open ... she eventually learned we didn't like it, and now she doesn't try as hard, but she still likes to do it. I wouldn't say it's a behavior problem necessarily, just a funny thing some of them like to do. Although the behavior definitely improved with age, she was so much worse when she was a puppy. I think she did it at first because she knows food goes there, and wants to try and get some lol.


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## OrchardLane (Aug 30, 2008)

We have been through this too hehe

This can be "food related", play related or even your pup trying to communicate without the proper knowledge of how to do it - kind of like a toddler trying to express their feelings!

The best way to stop the behavior is anytime he starts - say NO - if he continues - immediately put him on the floor. Do not make eye contact, do not engage him in any way until he is calm and acting proper again. Then praise him.

Praise praise praise anytime he does GOOD kisses!! He will quickly learn the good and bad ones. Also if you need to escalate your training you can squirt him with a squirt bottle when he is doing bad kisses.


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## ChiFan (Jul 6, 2007)

^^^^ agree with OrchardLane. I've read that it also is a sign of a submissive dog showing it's lower rank to a higher ranking (alpha) dog. And since your pup knows YOU'RE pack leader, he might be just telling you "look, see... you're my boss!"

Regardless, I think the behavior should be stopped. That's pretty gross... I don't like any of our dogs to lick my lips/mouth at all. Though Rufus has a quick tongue and can get me off-guard.


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## chupacabramom (Oct 17, 2008)

You both may have hit the nail on the head! My other 3 dogs are larger breeds, and he seems to do this a lot to the male dog, definately the dominant of he pack. My male will growl at him but Piglet keeps will keep licking, pausing to roll over in a submissive position. He's always followed my male and tries to imitate him, almost like he's begging for attention from him. I'm going to work on correction, because he does make the dogs and cat pretty irritated at him, don't want him bitten.


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## dani587 (Oct 19, 2008)

I'm pretty sure that 95% of chihuahau's do this. I have 4 of them and 3 of them do that. Our oldest, Cody will sit there and try to lick up your nose, he tries for hours and hours. They've come to know we don't really like it but they're really excited they just can't help themselves anymore. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night due to a chihuahua tongue in my mouth! They have even taught our kitten to do it! Our Misty however will sit there forcing her nose at your mouth and once you open it she will stick her head in there and sniff around then go about whatever it was she was doing!

I completely agree with orchardlane with as soon as it happens say no and put him on the floor avoiding eye contact and then praising him when he gives up!


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