The most reliable way to stop your dog from licking other dogs’ ears is a combination of interrupting the behavior, redirecting your dog’s attention, and rewarding them for choosing something else. Ear licking is a normal social behavior in dogs, so you’re not correcting a problem so much as setting a boundary. Understanding why your dog does it will help you pick the right approach.
Why Dogs Lick Other Dogs’ Ears
Dogs are pack animals, and licking is one of the primary ways they communicate. When one dog licks another’s ears, it usually signals affection, social bonding, or submission. It’s roughly the canine equivalent of a handshake or a hug. This is especially common between dogs that live together, are siblings, or see each other regularly. For many dog pairs, it’s a grooming ritual: one dog cleans the spots the other can’t reach, and ears are a prime target.
Some dogs also lick ears as a way of acknowledging the other dog’s higher rank in their social hierarchy. A more submissive dog may lick a dominant dog’s ears as a gesture of deference. None of this is inherently unhealthy, but it can become a problem when it’s excessive, when the receiving dog is clearly annoyed, or when it starts causing ear infections.
When a Medical Issue Is Driving the Behavior
If your dog has suddenly become fixated on one particular dog’s ears, the target dog may have an ear problem worth checking out. Dogs with yeast infections produce a distinct musty or cheesy smell that other dogs find irresistible. Excess wax buildup, bacterial infections, and ear mites (which create a dark, crusty discharge) can all make a dog’s ears more “interesting” to a licker. If the dog being licked is also shaking their head, scratching at their ears, or has redness or brown discharge, a vet visit for that dog is a good first step. Solving the underlying ear issue can reduce or eliminate the licking on its own.
Health Risks of Excessive Ear Licking
Occasional ear licking between healthy dogs is low risk. But when it’s frequent or prolonged, the constant moisture inside the ear canal creates a warm, damp environment where bacteria and yeast thrive. This is a common path to ear infections, particularly in dogs with floppy ears that already trap moisture.
Dog saliva also carries bacteria that can cause problems if the receiving dog has any break in the skin or an existing ear condition. While rare, there are documented cases of serious infections transmitted through ear licking. One case published in The Lancet involved a bacteria commonly found in dog saliva causing meningitis in a person whose dog frequently licked their ear. The risk is lower between two healthy dogs, but persistent licking still increases the chance of irritation and infection in the recipient.
Interrupt and Redirect: The Core Training Approach
Dogs don’t understand “no” the way we intend it. What they do understand is that certain behaviors get them attention (even negative attention counts) and others earn them rewards. Yelling or physically pulling your dog away often backfires because your dog registers the interaction as a response, which can actually reinforce the behavior. The goal is to make not-licking more rewarding than licking.
Here’s how to put that into practice:
- Watch for the approach. Most dogs telegraph when they’re about to start licking. They’ll move toward the other dog’s head with a specific posture. Learn your dog’s version of this so you can intervene before the licking starts.
- Use a calm verbal cue. Pick a consistent word like “leave it” or “enough.” Say it once in a neutral tone the moment your dog moves toward the other dog’s ears. Don’t repeat it multiple times.
- Redirect immediately. Call your dog to you, ask for a sit, or offer a toy. The point is to give them something else to do with their mouth and attention.
- Reward the redirect. The instant your dog disengages and comes to you or follows the new cue, reward them with a treat, praise, or play. You’re teaching them that stopping earns something better than the licking itself.
- Withhold attention when they lick. If you miss the window and your dog starts licking, calmly separate them without fanfare. No scolding, no drama. Just a quiet interruption and a brief pause before they can interact again.
Consistency is everything. Every person in the household needs to respond the same way, every time. Most dogs start showing improvement within one to two weeks of consistent redirection, though deeply ingrained habits can take longer.
Satisfy the Urge to Lick
Licking is a self-soothing behavior for dogs. It releases feel-good chemicals in their brain, which is part of why some dogs do it compulsively. Rather than simply suppressing the behavior, give your dog an appropriate outlet for that oral drive.
Lick mats are one of the most effective tools for this. These textured silicone pads stick to a wall or floor with suction cups, and you spread peanut butter, yogurt, or wet food across the surface. Your dog spends 10 to 20 minutes licking the mat clean, which satisfies the same impulse that drives ear licking. Frozen lick mats last even longer and add an extra level of engagement.
Other options include snuffle balls (fabric toys that hide kibble in folds for your dog to nose out), slow-feeder bowls designed for liquid treats like bone broth, and durable chew toys you can stuff with food. The key is providing something that keeps your dog’s mouth busy during the times they’re most likely to start licking, such as during calm evening hours when dogs tend to groom each other.
Physical Barriers as a Short-Term Fix
If the licking is causing ear infections in the receiving dog and you need an immediate solution while training takes effect, dog snoods and ear covers can help. These are fabric wraps that fit over a dog’s head and cover the ears, originally designed for long-eared breeds like Cocker Spaniels to keep their ears clean during walks or meals. They also work well to block access from a persistent licker.
Calming hoods and ear wraps come in various sizes and typically use elastic or Velcro closures. They’re not a long-term fix on their own, since they address the symptom rather than the behavior, but they protect the receiving dog’s ears while you work on training. Make sure the wrap fits snugly without being tight enough to restrict breathing or cause discomfort.
When Licking Becomes Compulsive
There’s a meaningful difference between a dog that licks ears during greetings or quiet bonding time and a dog that licks obsessively, for long stretches, and seems unable to stop even when redirected. Compulsive behaviors in dogs are repetitive actions performed out of context that the dog struggles to control. They’re often triggered initially by stress, anxiety, or conflict, and then become self-reinforcing over time.
Signs that ear licking has crossed into compulsive territory include: your dog returns to licking within seconds of being redirected, the behavior increases in frequency or duration over weeks, your dog seems agitated or restless when prevented from licking, or the behavior occurs in situations where it doesn’t make social sense (like licking a dog that’s clearly trying to get away). If standard training and enrichment aren’t making a dent after several weeks of consistent effort, a veterinary behaviorist can evaluate whether anxiety or a compulsive disorder is at play. These cases sometimes benefit from behavioral medication alongside training.
Managing Multi-Dog Households
In homes with multiple dogs, ear licking often becomes part of the daily routine, and it can be harder to interrupt because it happens when you’re not watching. A few structural changes help. Supervise interactions during the times your dogs are most likely to settle into grooming mode, typically after meals and in the evening. Provide each dog with their own lick mat or chew toy during these windows so they have an alternative.
If one dog is always the licker and the other is always the recipient, pay attention to the recipient’s body language. A dog that leans in, stays relaxed, and doesn’t move away is tolerating or enjoying the attention. A dog that pulls away, flattens their ears, or gets up and leaves is communicating that they’ve had enough. Intervene on behalf of the dog being licked when they show signs of wanting space. Over time, this teaches the licking dog to read those signals too.