If your dog has suddenly stopped kissing and licking you, there could be several possible reasons behind this behavior change. Don’t despair – in many cases, dogs stop kissing their owners temporarily and the behavior can be encouraged to resume with some simple training techniques and by addressing any underlying medical or behavioral causes.
Quick Answers
Here are some quick answers to common questions about dogs no longer kissing their owners:
- It may be a natural change as your dog ages and becomes less excitable.
- Medical issues like dental disease, mouth pain, or neurological problems could cause discomfort.
- Your dog may be anxious, fearful, or stressed about something in their environment.
- You may have recently changed grooming products, perfumes, lotions that your dog doesn’t like.
- Redirected aggression from another animal in the home may stop dog kisses.
- Lack of regular positive reinforcement training can cause dogs to stop behaviors.
Why Do Dogs Lick and Kiss?
To understand why your dog has stopped kissing, it helps to first look at why dogs lick and kiss in the first place. Here are some key reasons dogs lick and kiss their owners:
- Natural greeting instinct – Dogs that are excited to see you may lick your hand, face, or body as a happy greeting ritual.
- To taste scents – Dogs use licking and kissing to gather information about you through their taste receptors.
- Affection – Frequent kisses are a sign of bonding, attachment and affection between a dog and human.
- Attention-seeking – Dogs learn that kisses elicit attention, petting and rewards from their owners.
- Grooming – Dog parents are part of their pack, so licking and kissing is like social grooming within the pack.
- Instinct – Submissive kissing of the pack leader’s mouth mimics puppy licking to request food from mom.
Possible Reasons Your Dog Has Stopped Kissing
If your dog was previously very licky and affectionate with kisses but has now stopped, there are several possible explanations. Here are some top reasons dogs stop kissing their owners and what you can do about it:
Aging
Senior dogs tend to become less excitable and energetic as they age. Where your dog may have once smothered you in sloppy kisses whenever you came home, an older dog may now greet you in a more reserved way. Older dogs also tend to sleep more and want less activity and stimulation. Your senior dog’s kisses may therefore become more infrequent and reserved.
While this is natural aging, make sure medical problems are not the cause of your older dog stopping kissing. Dental disease, arthritis and neurological issues can cause kissing to stop. Also try to engage your older dog more with favorite activities and use positive reinforcement to keep those kisses coming.
Medical Reasons
Various medical issues in dogs cause mouth pain, discomfort, and lack of coordination that can prevent your dog from wanting to kiss you. Some possible medical causes include:
- Dental disease – Broken teeth, abscesses, gum infection
- Oral tumors or growths – May make kissing painful
- Mouth injuries – Cuts, punctures or scrapes in the mouth or on the tongue
- Foreign object stuck in the mouth – Can cause severe pain
- Neurological issues – Reduced facial nerve function or sensory loss
- Injury or arthritis – Neck, back or muscle pain stops your dog leaning in to kiss
Schedule a veterinary exam if you notice your dog suddenly stops kissing to identify and treat any underlying medical problems causing this behavior change.
Anxiety, Fear or Stress
When dogs experience heightened anxiety, fear or stress, kissing often stops. Trigger examples include:
- New person or animal in the home
- Change to their environment or schedule
- Loud noises like fireworks or thunder
- Visitors or strangers approaching
- Children’s roughhousing or teasing
Help your anxious or fearful dog by removing triggers, providing a safe place, using pheromone sprays and teaching positive associations with the triggers through desensitization. This can help restore your dog’s kissing behavior.
You Changed Your Scent
Dogs use their amazing sense of smell and their vomeronasal organ to gather information from scents and pheromones. If you suddenly change grooming products, perfumes, lotions, clothing detergent or soap, your scent profile changes too. This new and unfamiliar scent could cause your dog to stop licking and kissing you until the new smells become more familiar.
Go back to using your regular scented products and give your dog time to adjust to detect the familiar smells they associate with you.
Redirected Aggression
If you have multiple dogs, cats or other pets in the home, redirected aggression could cause your dog to stop kissing and licking you. This happens when your dog gets into a spat or fight with another pet, then rudely redirects their aggression onto you shortly afterwards.
Carefully manage your pets, separate them if needed and use calming supplements to reduce aggressive tendencies. Make sure all pets get individual love and affection too. As the redirected aggression diminishes, the kisses should start flowing your way again.
Lack of Positive Reinforcement
Dogs learn behaviors that result in rewarding consequences. So if your dog previously kissed you because you positively reinforced this with attention, petting, treats or happy praise, but that reinforcement stopped, the kissing likely stopped too.
Go back to praising, treating and physically rewarding your dog when they kiss and lick you. This positive reinforcement helps maintain kissing behaviors long-term.
How To Get Your Dog Kissing Again
In many cases, you can encourage your dog to start kissing and licking you again by using the following tips:
Use Tasty Treats
Hold out tiny licks of wet dog food, peanut butter, chicken, cheese or other high-value treats your dog loves near your face and lips. Give treats as soon as your dog licks or kisses the food. Repeat this positive reinforcement regularly so licks and kisses get associated with treats.
Act Silly and Excited
Dogs love excitement. Get down on your dog’s level and act happy, silly, enthusiastic and inviting with high-pitched praise when you greet your dog or when encouraging kisses. Get out a favorite toy and play energetically to interest your dog in kissing again.
Try New Scents
Dab a little bit of tuna juice, beef or chicken broth, liver paste or another new scent your dog likely cannot resist on your cheeks and lips. The tempting aroma may entice your dog to lick and kiss again. Reward with treats when they do.
Check for Underlying Problems
Schedule a veterinary exam to diagnose and treat any unseen mouth pain, illness or condition causing your dog to stop kissing. A dog behaviorist can assess any behavior problems too. Fixing the underlying issue can often resolve the lack of kisses.
Be Patient
With time, positive reinforcement, scent change adjustment and resolving any medical/behavioral causes, dogs will generally resume kissing beloved owners. Be patient, don’t punish or force interactions, and seek professional help if needed.
When to Seek Help for No More Kisses
If your dog refuses to kiss again after trying these tips, seek help from your veterinarian or a certified dog behaviorist if:
- Aggressive behavior accompanies the lack of kisses
- Your dog seems fearful, anxious or stressed
- Medical issues are suspected but undiagnosed
- Kissing does not resume after diligent effort and time
Professional assessments can determine if the root cause is medical or behavioral. Specific treatment plans tailored to your dog can then help get those sweet kisses flowing again.
Preventing Dogs From Avoiding Kisses
You can help prevent your dog from stopping kissing and licking in the future by:
- Providing regular positive reinforcement and rewards for kisses
- Keeping up with dental exams and good oral hygiene
- Not changing familiar scents your dog knows and loves
- Managing multiple pets to prevent redirected aggression
- Keeping your dog’s environment and schedule consistent
- Using calming aids during stressful situations like storms or loud noises
Proactively taking these steps makes it less likely your affectionate dog will suddenly stop giving kisses one day.
What To Do If Your Dog Won’t Kiss You
Here is a summary of tips for dealing with a dog who refuses to kiss or lick their owner:
- Use tasty treats to positively reinforce desired kissing
- Act excited, energetic and inviting when greeting your dog
- Try new scents on your face and lips to entice licking
- See your vet to rule out dental disease, mouth pain and other medical causes
- Identify and remove stress triggers from your dog’s environment when possible
- Be patient – with time kissing often resumes, especially with positive reinforcement
- Consult a dog trainer or behaviorist if kissing does not resume
While the lack of kisses may be distressing, fortunately several techniques can encourage this sweet behavior to rebound. With diligence and help from professionals if needed, you and your dog will be smooching away happily once again.
FAQs
Why did my dog suddenly stop kissing me?
Sudden lack of kisses likely indicates a new underlying problem has emerged, like dental disease, mouth injury, anxiety trigger, redirected aggression or change in owner’s scent. Vet exams and behaviorist assessments can determine the cause.
How do I get my dog to kiss me again?
Use high-value food rewards, playfulness, new scents and positive reinforcement to encourage kissing. Fix any medical/behavioral issues. Be patient and persistent. Consult a vet or specialist if kissing refuses to resume.
Why doesn’t my dog like kisses?
Discomfort from mouth issues, unfamiliar/disliked scents and lack of positive associations can cause dogs to avoid kisses. Fear, anxiety and stress may also contribute. Introduce kisses gradually using treats and gentle handling to get your dog comfortable.
What does it mean when dogs kiss each other?
When dogs lick and play-bite each other’s mouths it mimics their interactions as puppies with their mother. This mutual mouthing behavior helps maintain social bonds within the pack. It’s a normal social instinct.
Is it bad to kiss your dog on the mouth?
There is some risk of contracting bacteria, viruses or parasites from mouth-to-mouth dog kisses. However, this risk is quite low for most healthy adult dogs and dog owners. Avoid mouth kisses if either you or your dog has a weakened immune system.
The Takeaway
If your previously kiss-loving canine has started refusing to lick and kiss you, don’t fret! In many cases this behavior change is temporary or reversible. Shifting to older, calmer dog years, dental problems, stress triggers, unfamiliar scents, lack of training reinforcement or redirected aggression can cause kisses to stop. But with positive reinforcement methods, resolving underlying problems, patience and time, you can regain those sweet doggie kisses you know and love!