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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]^ or use your elbow to swat the head away. if you make it disagreeable for the dog, the behavior will stop.[/quote]

This thread is making me nervous with the casual references to physically pushing the dog around. Please stop at the level of force that you would consider appropriate for a small child.

That said, redirecting the behavior is the best approach and one week is enough time. Dogs respond to what works for their goal, and they are intelligent. Scattering treats will get the dog away from you and occupied briefly elsewhere. The suggestions about a toy are good ones. The dog wants attention, so denying that attention by turning away or leaving the room during unwanted behaviors will lessen them.

You are basically dealing with a furry two year old human in terms of having wants and seeking to fulfill them.
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This "gentle" nonsense is exactly that: nonsense. No, I will not be reinforcing behavior I don't want by offering toys and treats. A dog that jumps up on me catches a knee. A dog in my face will get scruffed and forced away from me with a sharp "NO! Off." and then a redirect to something the dog knows, like "sit". The secondary command, that sit, THAT gets a treat. But if your dog is in your face and being rewarded with attention and toys, well, you're training it that being in your face gets rewards.

As for OP's question about whether or not it'll make a damned bit of different to try to train this dog differently for a week, probably not. PP upthread was right that any training you try will need consistent reinforcement to stick. The dog may learn not to lick YOU, but as soon as you're no longer regularly there, it'll go back to its normal.

The best way to teach a dog is to correct them and mean it the first time. Humans often think this is "mean", but if you watch how dogs tell other dogs to back off, that's the goal. Anything less may be interpreted as a game, especially by pushier dogs. Say it, mean it, be consistent about it. The dog will learn, eventually. If you want the truly "gentle" approach, you should look at why the dog is licking and what it's trying to say. Is it getting enough exercise? Enough mental stimulation? Does it need something and it's trying to get your attention? Understanding the behavior is key to reducing/eliminating the behavior. But definitely don't reward the behavior unless you want more of it![/quote]

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