Miniature Pinschers may be a small breed, but they make up their small size with their big personality. Like my boy Grover. He thinks he’s a bigger dog than he is. Pinschers are spirited and outgoing, and very energetic, and their active, independent temperament is what makes them a great dog to own. Min pins have a lot of behavior traits and quirky habits, such as licking, making them all the more lovable.
Why do min pins lick so much? Licking is a sign of affection but has several interpretations, including a way of socializing or communicating, exploring, and even playing.
Miniature pinschers are a curious breed, and licking can mean they are exploring with their taste buds, testing out the environment around them. If they’re licking your face, it means they love you! This is great news since Grover climbs in bed with me in the morning and licks me like crazy. In addition to licking, min pins have a variety of habits owners might notice.
Reasons a Min Pin Licks Objects (and People)
Miniature pinschers are lively, outgoing little animals and licking is just one of their unique habits. As mentioned above, there are a variety of reasons a min pin licks so much:
Licking to Show Affection
Min pins – and many dog breeds in general – show their affection toward others through licking. Has your pup ever jumped on you and licked your face after a long day away? That’s how you know it’s exciting to see you!
Communication with Others in the Form of Licking
In addition to showing affection, licking can mean that a min pin is trying to communicate with you or another dog. It could be a want for attention from a dog wanting some pets and cuddles, and it happens more often as the dog learns licking is the way for more attention. For puppies, it’s a way to tell their mothers it’s time to feed.
Exploration and Play
Min pins love to explore their surroundings, and they might use their tongue to do it. They use their tongues to touch and taste objects, using licking as a sensory tool. In addition to exploring by licking, min pins might also use licking as a way of playing.
Instead of using their fierce canine teeth, they’ll substitute biting for licking for a more reserved playtime. However, that doesn’t stop them from ripping apart toys apart!
How to Get My Min Pin to Stop Licking
A dog who excessively licks will be found repeatedly licking the same area on its body or an object over and over. If your min pin is excessively licking and getting to be out of hand, you might consider finding ways to stop your furry friend from licking everything in sight.
Excessive licking can be a sign of allergies, boredom, pain, and even parasites. While licking is natural canine behavior, some veterinarians can help fix a dog’s behavior to get it to stop excessively licking.
It’s recommended to seek professional help if the dog’s excessive licking is a sign of obsessive-compulsive behavior. Again, consult your vet if you suspect some sort of environmental or food allergy. The vet will help determine what’s causing a reaction and recommend a course of treatment.
A vet will give your dog medication or ointment if the licking is related to allergies, parasites, or an infection. Some at-home remedies that don’t require medicine include:
● No-lick strips
● Pheromone sprays and diffusers for anxiety
● Natural supplements (Vitamin E and fish oil)
● Diet changes for allergies or skin problems
Min Pin Characteristics That May Influence Licking
Along with licking, min pins have several unique habits and traits. Their fearless, observant, and sometimes demanding temperament sets their behavior in motion. They’re very busy, assertive, and athletic, unlike many other toy breeds.
The following traits and habits are seen in many min pins:
Min Pins’ Active Personality
Min pins are a very active, agile dog. When they play and run, it sometimes seems as if they think they’re big dogs! Min pins love to be active and out on brisk walks, so they need an active owner up for it. Of course, sometimes this active energy is channeled into licking too.
Min Pins and Cuddling
When they’re not running around and exploring, min pins will snuggle right under the blanket with you. Grover will burrow right down into the sheets and fall asleep by my feet. They love comfort and cuddling and are one of the most lovable dogs for an evening of movies and snuggles. Just watch out for their sneaking a lick to show affection while snuggling!
Escape Artists
As a curious and agile breed, miniature pinschers can and will find a way to escape a fenced-in yard. They can climb and find their way out of the smallest spaces, and once they’re out, min pins won’t come back easily. Often I’ll need to grab a treat just to get Grover to return through our open front door.
If you have a backyard, ensure all cracks and potential escape areas are secure and keep your min pin on a leash at all times otherwise. Work on training your dog to come when called. It’s a hard lesson to learn for min pins, but well-trained dogs will behave well.
Intelligence and Dominance
Min pins are very smart. Centuries ago, min pins were bred to catch small animals in barns; today their observant, intelligent, and dominating personality has made them a protective family dog. As they know their family and are loyal, they will often lick humans to show them they will protect them.
The breed’s intelligence is evident in its curiosity and assertiveness. They need a lot of attention on them to ensure they don’t run away. They are also very dominant and will try to dominate other pets in the household – and may even attempt on the humans.
Mins Pins as Watchdogs
Along with their dominating and demanding personality comes a need to protect the pack –a.k.a. you. Min pins are very vocal at the sign of strangers and might even become slightly aggressive with strangers and other dogs. Min pins are very headstrong, but proper training and early socialization can help calm their watchdog personality.
How to Train My Min Pin
Because min pins are such a headstrong breed, trainers have provided specialized ways of helping your min pin become a well-behaved family dog. Min pins need an assertive, experienced owner who can begin training as early in their lives as possible. The puppy should
be exposed to children early and kept in a supervised environment.
By training a min pin well, you will be able to encourage them to stop licking when you need them to, although not all licking is bad.
Housebreaking a Min Pin
Min pins are notoriously difficult to housebreak and need an owner with a lot of patience to get it done. Establish a potty routine as soon as you bring your min pin home, including a set time for meals and sleep.
Put your pup in a crate when you’re not around until you’re confident it won’t soil the house (puppies shouldn’t be in a crate for more than an hour at a time; adult dogs no more than three hours). If your min pin is a puppy, it needs to go out after naps, meals, before bedtime, and at least once during the night.
Keep an eye on your min pin and take it outside the moment it shows the need to go. Praise it and give treats as a reward. If you find a potty stain inside, don’t punish your miniature pinscher, but clean the spot and remove the scent as much as possible.
Obedience Training
Basic obedience training should begin the moment you bring your min pin home and as early as two months old. Use treats and playtime to teach your pup basic terms such as “come,” “sit,” and “down”.
When your min pin reaches six months, you can begin more advanced training techniques, such as heeling. Even though min pins are headstrong and sometimes hard to train, they are also very intelligent and learn quickly, and they make great agility competitors! Your local humane
society or kennel club will have resources for professional training.
Min Pins Licking
Min pins will lick to show affection, play, and communicate. While it is a natural habit, it can be annoying at times. Finding ways to discourage is doable, and training goes a long way.