Why do dogs lick you

Why Do Dogs Lick You?

You may love your dog, but not all of us like slobbery kisses from our furry canine friends. Many pet parents believe their dogs lick them to show affection, and while this may be true some of the time, there are also many other functions for licking.

So, why do dogs lick us? And are there different reasons for why dogs lick your hands, face, ears, feet, or legs?

Key Takeaways

• Dogs lick people (including our faces, hands, legs, ears, and feet) for many different reasons.
• This behavior can mean something different depending on where your dog is licking you.
• While licking is a normal dog behavior, in some cases it can indicate a medical or behavioral issue.

Why Do Dogs Lick People?

Licking is a natural instinct in dogs. Studies have shown that licking releases endorphins in a dogs brain. Endorphins are neurotransmitters that make dogs (and us!) feel calmer and more relaxed. This then leads to a release of dopamine, another neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and motivation.

There are many things that dogs licksome more repulsive than others. So, what does it mean when a dog licks you? There isnt one straight answer. Dogs lick people for a variety of reasons, including affection, communication, grooming, exploration, attention, and taste.

Dogs Learn to Lick as Puppies

Mother dogs lick their pups to clean and stimulate them as soon as they are born. For the first few weeks of their lives, puppies are prompted to urinate and defecate by moms licking. So, dogs learn very early that tongues are useful tools in communicating and interacting with the world around them.

Puppies lick to appease older dogs, including their mom, and clear the way for safe social interactions. Pups will lick one another to show affection, and to comfort themselves and sometimes their littermates.

Dogs Lick People to Enhance Smell

Licking also enhances yourdogs sense of smell.Like humans, dogs can taste bitter, salty, sweet, and sour. But due to their small number of taste buds, they actually use their sense of smell far more than their sense of taste when deciding what to lick or eat. This is likely why dogs enjoy licking areas of our bodies that tend to have strong tastes and smells: our hands, faces, ears, and feet.

To understand why dogs really enjoy licking certain areas of our bodies, lets take a quick look at the anatomy of human sweat. We have two types of sweat glands: eccrine and apocrine.

• Eccrine glands secrete a thin, odorless, clear fluid made of salt, protein, etc., and are found in large numbers on the soles of the feet, the palms, the forehead, the cheeks, and in the armpits.

• Apocrine glands secrete a thicker fluid that reacts with the bacteria on your skin to create body odor and are found in the armpits and groin, but also in the ear canals, eyelids, and nostrils.

With all of this fun physiology, how could dogs resist licking parts of us that contain so much scent and taste?

Why Do Dogs Lick Your Hands?

As you move through the world, your hands collect smells and flavors that your dog wants to investigate once you come home. You might touch other people or animals, and you very likely touch food. Your hands are like a roadmap for your pup that tells the story of your day, and they want to taste and smell every destination your hands visited.

The palms of your hands also sweat, leaving a salty residue on your skin for your dog to enjoy.

Why Do Dogs Lick Your Face?

Along with your hands, your face gets constant exposure to the world, so it picks up a lot of interesting smells and tastes. Also, youre likely to touch your face regularly,giving your dog even morereasons to lick your face!

Your face contains both types of sweat glands. Eccrine glands on your cheeks and forehead leave a salty flavor many dogs are certain to enjoy. But your eyelids and nostrils contain apocrine glands, which give those areas a mild but distinct odor easily identified by your dogs super-powered nose.

Thanks to the food you eat, your lips and mouth contain all sorts of attractive smells and tastes for your dog. This may explain why some pups really want to plant a slobbery kiss right on your lips after you eat.

Aside from all the scents and flavors your face offers, licking your face is likely an instinctual behavior for your dog. Dogs lick each other's faces for mutual grooming, affection, and to communicate appeasement or harmlessness. Pet parents who love when their dogs lick them may also reinforce the behavior with their excited responses.

Why Does My Dog Lick My Ears?

Your dog may be licking your ears to taste them, keep them clean, or possibly to show you some extra love.

The apocrine glands in your ear canals secrete a thick fluid that creates an odor when it mixes with the natural bacteria on your skin. Combined with the ceruminous glands, which create earwax, your ears offer a collection of enticing smells and tastes.

Dogs lick each others ears to groom one another. And because its a very vulnerable interaction, dogs that allow this likely feel very safe with the other dog.

Why Does My Dog Lick My Feet?

All of those eccrine glands on the soles of your feet create a lot of sweat, and that sweat creates a lot of salt. Your feet and toes offer a salty treat for your pupand if youre ticklish, it also makes for a fun game between you and your dog.

If you smile or laugh as your dog licks your feet, you could be providing positive reinforcement for the behavior. They quickly learn that licking your feet gets them attention from you. This may not only extend the licking session, but make it more likely to happen when your sockless feet emerge in the future.

Why Does My Dog Lick My Legs?

If youre fresh from the shower, your dog may want to lick the water droplets from your skin. This doesnt mean your dog is thirstyrather, theyre interested in all the smells and tastes youre bringing out of the shower with you.

Shampoo, body wash, and shaving creams all leave an interesting scent and taste on your skin. Nicking yourself with a razor may also attract some attention, since dogs also lick to keep wounds clean.

If the leg-licking has nothing to do with shower time, it could be a lotion you applied, salt on your skin after exercise, or something completely random you werent even aware you came into contact with.

When Is Licking a Problem?

Dogs lick for many reasons. They may lick out of boredom, in which case increasing enrichment could reduce the behavior. Activities like lick mats can provide an outlet for bored dogs who like to use their tongues.

But there are times licking indicates a problem behaviorally and/or medically. Behaviorally, licking that occurs frequently in response to an event but is difficult to interrupt can be a sign of anxiety. Licking a person excessively can mean that the dog is not comfortable with that person and is either trying to sooth themselves, gather more intel, or move the person away.

Licking can be a canine calming signal or a displacement behavior. When a dog feels stressed, anxious, or conflicted about what to do, they may use a behavior to buy sometime and communicate that they are not ready to engage. Licking, because of the physiological effect on endorphins and dopamine, can be used to sooth themselves in anxiety-provoking social situations. It is also a common behavior involved in compulsive disorders.

Medically, chronic lickingnot just groomingof a specific area of their bodies can be evidence of allergies, infections, or pain. If they are licking everything, like couches, rugs, or floors, there may be GI issues with your companion.

If you recognize any problematic forms of licking, seek help from a professional. Reach out to your vet to determine whether there is a medical issue first. Then, a certified behavior consultant can lend their expertise to take a look at the behavior. Complex cases would benefit from contacting a veterinary behaviorist as soon as possible.

Featured image: iStock.com/Art_rich

WRITTEN BY

Kasey Stopp, DVM, CVA

Veterinarian

Dr. Kasey Stopp was born in rural Illinoisbut spent most of her life in Cincinnati, Ohio. She attended the University of Cincinnati where...

Why Does My Dog Lick Me?

Whats better than coming home to a kiss from a happy dog? Most dog owners interpret the reason why dogs lick their owners as a sign of affection. But is this really why your dog is licking you? And what can you do if your dogs licking behavior is out of control?

Is Licking a Dogs Way of Kissing?

The jury is out on what a dogs licking actually means. Believe it or not, what people interpret as affection might, in fact, be your dog encouraging you to throw up what you ate for lunch for them.

Researchers of wild canids wolves, coyotes, foxes, and other wild dogs report that puppies lick the face and muzzle of their mother when she returns from a hunt to her den in order to get her to regurgitate for them, notes Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, head of the Horowitz Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College, Columbia University.

Similarly, your dog could simply think that you taste nice. Certified applied animal behaviorist Dr. Mary Burch points out that humans have slightly salty skin, especially after sweating during exercise. Therefore, those licks might be more about seeking salt than giving affection. Horowitz adds that if your dog likes to lick your face, it will often happen after youve finished a delicious meal.

But, there is also evidence that licking is sometimes a sign of affection. Horowitz points out that, although it started as a food-seeking behavior, licking has now become a ritualized greeting for many dogs. Some wild species in the dog family will lick pack members just to welcome them home. So, those daily slobbers really might just be a sign that your dog is happy to see you.

Licking can be a sign of affection, explains Burch. It might also give a dog a feeling of security and comfort, just as the dog had when licked by its mother in the litter.

When Does a Dogs Licking Become a Problem?

Most licking is harmless, even welcome as a form of self-expression on the dogs part. Burch notes that theres no need to worry that its a form of domination in fact, its quite the opposite.

One theory is the licking is a sign of submission, she says. The idea is that dogs who are submissive will lick a more dominant member of the pack.

Even so, there are some scenarios when you might want to head off a slobber-fest from your pup. The first relates to human comfort, that is, some people simply dont like being licked by a dog. If you have a friend who dislikes being licked by dogs, its kinder to dog and friend alike to redirect the behavior.

But sometimes licking is a symptom of a more serious problem. If your dog is licking themselves, you, or objects excessively, to the point that it seems like a self-stimulatory behavior, this might be a sign of anxiety, boredom, or pain. Obsessive self-licking can also be a sign of allergies or other health problems.

What Can Dog Owners Do About Problem Licking?

If your dog is self-licking excessively, start by having your veterinarian check them out and address any medical problems or discomfort. Once youve ruled out medical explanations, you can turn to behavioral solutions.

One idea is to redirect your dog, says Burch. When they lick, switch up the activity. A good option is to choose a behavior that is incompatible with licking, such as using an interactive puzzle to get a treat. You can also have the dog engage in other behaviors such as ball play or trick training.

By repeating this redirect, youll gradually reinforce the lesson that you dont want your dog to lick, without ever using negative reinforcement.

Lick mats are specifically designed to tap into a dogs enjoyment of licking in a positive (and non-destructive or irritating) way. Smear some dog-safe peanut butter or plain yogurt on a lick mator even serve your dog their meals on a soothing lick matto help satisfy their urge to lick.

Trick training, in particular, is a good way to turn a repeated undesirable behavior into an opportunity for positive reinforcement. Start by simply having the dog sit, which might stop the licking on its own, then reward the behavior with a treat.

Next, why not harness your dogs affection by teaching them to give you a hug? Or to speak on cue? Other tricks to practice could include sitting up, army crawling, or leg weaving. If you and your dog find you really enjoy trick training, you could even look into AKC Trick Dog trials. If your dogs excessive licking behavior was caused by boredom, getting involved in practicing for Tricks titles will do the, well, trick!

Whether or not you dive into trick training, always make sure that your affectionate, lick-happy dog gets plenty of attention and exercise. Excess energy can lead to over-licking or other, more destructive behaviors.

Need some help training your dog? While you may not be able to attend in-person training classes during COVID-19, we are here to help you virtually through AKC GoodDog! Helpline. This live telephone service connects you with a professional trainer who will offer unlimited, individualized advice on everything from behavioral issues to CGC prep to getting started in dog sports.