What is a dog telling you when they lick you?

You may love your dog, but not all of us like “kisses” from our furry canine friends. Most pet parents believe their dogs lick them to show affection, but why do dogs really lick us? Does it mean something different if your dog licks your face, hands, ears, or feet?

Why Do Dogs Lick People?

Licking is a natural instinct in dogs. Studies have shown that licking releases endorphins in a dog’s brain. Endorphins are neurotransmitters that make dogs (and us!) feel calmer and more relaxed. Dogs lick people for a variety of reasons, including affection, communication, grooming, exploration, attention, and taste.

Learning to Lick as Puppies

Dogs learn very early that their tongues are useful tools in communicating and interacting with the world around them. 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 also licked by mother dogs to prompt them to urinate and defecate.

In wild dogs, puppies lick their elders to communicate submissiveness, but also to induce the regurgitation of food that the older pack members ingested while hunting. Pups will lick one another to show affection and also to comfort themselves and their littermates.

Licking People for Taste

Licking also enhances your dog’s sense of smell. Like us, 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 faces, ears, feet, and hands.

To understand why dogs really enjoy licking certain areas of our bodies, we need to take a quick look at the anatomy of human sweat. People 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 and 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.

Why Do Dogs Lick Your Hands?

You use your hands to touch everything, and your dog wants in on the action! As you move through the world on any given day, your hands collect smells and flavors that your dog wants to investigate once you come home.

You might touch other people or animals. You very likely touch food. And think of all the other fascinating things you touch when you’re away from your dog! 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?

Other than your hands, your face is the area of your body that gets the most exposure to the world, so it picks up a lot of interesting smells and tastes. Also, you’re likely to touch your face regularly,  giving your dog even more reasons to lick your face!

As mentioned before, your face contains both types of sweat glands. Eccrine glands on your cheeks and forehead leave a salty flavor 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 dog’s super-powered nose.

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

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 submissive communication, so licking your face is also a true sign of endearment.

Why Does My Dog Lick My Ears?

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. As if that wasn’t enough, dogs lick each other’s ears to show affection, so your dog may be licking your ears just to show you some extra devotion.

Why Does My Dog Lick My Feet?

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

When you smile and laugh as your dog licks your feet, you’re giving them positive reinforcement. If you continue laughing each time they lick, they quickly learn that licking your feet gains them positive attention from you.

Why Does My Dog Lick My Legs?

If you’re fresh from the shower, your dog may want to lick the water droplets from your skin. They may not be thirsty but interested in all of the smells and tastes you’re bringing out of the shower with you.

Shampoo, body wash, shaving creams, etc., all leave an interesting scent and taste on your skin. If the leg-licking has nothing to do with shower time, it could be a lotion you applied or simply salt on your skin after exercise.

Even though your dog is attracted to all sorts of scents, the reason they lick you likely also has something to do with showing affection to their favorite human.

Featured image: iStock.com/Art_rich

Do you ever ask yourself “Why do dogs lick?” Although licking is a common behavior in dogs, many dog owners don’t fully understand what this manner means. Dog licking may occur when he’s physically hurt himself, when his environment has changed or simply when you offer him affection.

But why do dogs lick and what is it that they’re trying to communicate with us?

Let’s uncover the truths behind dog licking and what this behavior means. Dogs lick their pack members and themselves for many reasons, and if you want to curb the behavior, it helps to understand its cause.

Ready to discover the answers to “Why do dogs lick so much?” Let’s dive in!

We Taste Good

When a dog licks their bowl, cleans the floor after you spill something or reaches for the counter, it’s quite obvious that he’s licking because he simply likes the taste.

But did you know that the same thing can be true when dogs are licking us?

Whether you realize it or not, we humans often have tiny food particles on our skin that our dogs can taste. Additionally, our skin has salt that dogs enjoy licking. Because of this, it is common for dogs to lick our faces and hands after we eat something.

So although it’s possible your dog is licking you out of affection, there’s also a great chance he’s licking because he loves the taste of your skin.

Grooming

Grooming is another common reason for dog licking. Similar to cats, it’s in a dog’s nature to groom themselves by licking their skin and fur. One of the most common places for dogs to lick is their paws. After being outside, dogs often lick their paws to remove the dirt and anything else they may have stepped on.

Pay close attention, though, to how much your dog licks himself. Moderate licking is normal behavior, but excessive licking may be caused by an underlying medical issue. Specifically, continuous anal cleaning can indicate that the glands need to be expressed. Consult your vet for possible reasons and solutions for your dog’s licking.

Healing

Do you ask yourself the question, “Why do dogs lick wounds?” Licking wounds is an instinctive nature of dogs with themselves and their human owners. From cuts to grazes, dogs lick any wound that is painful or irritated.

But why do dogs lick scabs?

Dog saliva has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that can aid in fighting against certain bacterias. Furthermore, when a dog licks himself, it helps remove dead tissue and clean dirt from wounds.

In addition to licking his own wounds, your dog may also lick yours. As previously mentioned, it’s in a dog’s instinct to lick cuts and injuries. They do this to cleanse the wound and help speed up the healing process.

Although licking wounds has some benefits, too much licking may be harmful to your pup. Dogs who lick continuously may reopen wounds, create hotspots or cause infections. If you notice your dog licking his wound excessively, consult your vet for solutions to stop this behavior.

The same advice goes for dogs who lick human wounds. Although dog saliva has some healing properties, the risks outweigh the benefits. It is likely that your dog’s mouth contains bacteria that could cause infections. And although it isn’t necessary to punish your pup for licking your wounds, it’s important that you don’t encourage this behavior either.

Compulsion

Have you ever wondered, “Why is my dog compulsively licking?” There are a number of reasons dogs lick certain objects, themselves or people excessively. Perhaps your dog is nervous, scared, in pain or simply bored. By licking excessively, your dog is most likely trying to calm himself.

Licking can certainly be a healthy stress reliever, but obsessive licking merely reinforces anxiety and makes the problem worse. In addition, compulsive licking may be an indicator of underlying issues such as allergies, infections or pain.

As always, consult your vet if your dog is immoderately licking herself. Additionally, you may want to contact an animal behaviorist to help identify and solve your dog’s anxiety.

Communication

Whether you realize it or not, dogs communicate with us practically all day long. We just aren’t always good at interpreting the message they’re telling us.

One of their ways of communicating is through licking. There are many reasons a dog may begin licking to communicate with you. Dogs often lick to tell you they’re hungry, they’re submissive, or they want to be friends with you.

Of course, when your dog communicates with you, it’s important that you respond back. The next time your dog is licking you with intensity, take a look around to see if something is amiss. Maybe the water bowl is empty or the doggie door is closed. Chances are your dog needs something when he licks you excessively.

Affection

Do dogs lick to show affection? The answer is an absolute yes! This is one of the most common reasons that domestic dogs lick their human friends. Just as puppies are lovingly licked by their mothers, dogs want to “kiss” you to show how much they love you.

Although licking is a sign of fondness toward you, there may be a point when the kisses become too much for you. If you want your dog to stop licking you, simply ignore your dog and walk into another room whenever this behavior begins. Eventually, your dog will learn that licking causes you to leave and that this isn’t what they want.

We hope this article has helped answer all your questions, ranging from “Why do dogs lick their paws?” and “Why do dogs lick people?” to “Why do dogs lick you?” and “What does it mean when a dog licks you?”

Remember, if dog licking becomes excessive, consult your vet immediately. Obsessive licking is often a sign of underlying health issues.

We all love dogs, but are there any dog behaviors that are annoying to you? Let it out in the comments.