Dog keeps licking children in face

[Smarties789]

I have a labrador who has been brought up with children all his life.

He is absolutely daft, loves the children to bits and I feel confident that I can trust him around them completely.

My only problem is that he keeps licking my 2 children (2 years old and 6 months old) in the face.

The children don't care and my 2 year old actually quite likes it and tells me that he is giving kisses, but this is obviously unhygienic and I want it to stop but don't know how to get him to stop.

I tell him off, push his nose out of the way but it seems to have absolutely no effect.

Any tips?

Ah yes, clearly a lab-y thing - our rescue pup (Lab x) does the same thing.

I've started saying a sharp 'ah!' when he goes to do it - the trick is catching him before he's done it - so he knows its not ok (or say 'no' or however you communicate 'stop doing that' to your dog) and then immediately reward, praise, treat (depending on what I have to hand!) when he doesn't lick.

Mouse has caught on quite quickly, but sometimes he just can't resist - or he forgets - which, for a 10 month old lab pup, is not really surprising I suppose

Your lab sounds lovely.

Thanks Elibean, will try saying 'no' to him when I can see he's about to do it, before he's actually done it! Rather than telling him off when he's actually in the process of licking them in the face!

Yes, do - they haven't a clue what it means otherwise, I think!

I did the same for jumping up - ie prevention rather than cure - and after months of getting nowhere, he has got it in a few days