What we often call bad dog behavior is more often than not, a lack of sufficient training. Two of these behaviors, pushing and licking, can be controlled with a little reinforcement. Here’s how.

To Stop Pushing

No matter how receptive you are to your dog’s affectionate advances, you may still get a little irritated by pushy behavior. A pushy dog not only leans against you, it continues to push despite the fact that you’re petting it. That can be annoying and depending on the size of the dog, it can also be downright uncomfortable. If you’re living with a pusher, move away from it in small increments until the dog gives up. Then and only then should you continue to pet the dog. Your continuous moving back will trick the dog into thinking that you’re too lightweight and portable to bear its weight, and that the only way it can get attention is to leave you in one spot.

To Stop Excessive Licking

If you’re not careful to stop excessive licking when it starts, it will develop into a bad dog behavior habit that could be next to impossible to break. Decide how many licks or kisses are enough and then gently push the dog’s chest back while you give it the "enough" or "stop" command. It make take a while before the dog finally understands, but don’t give up. You can of course reinforce appropriate times to kiss by teaching it when to kiss. Read our article about dog kissing for tips on a little kiss and lick control.