Content
- Why does dog lick? - Origin of behavior
- Why does my dog lick my feet, hands, mouth and face
- My dog licks me too much, why and what to do?
- How to prevent my dog from licking me?
- Letting My Dog Lick Me - Yes or No?
There's no doubt that when a dog licks you, it's because it feels great affection for you. Knowing that they lick like a show of great attachment, an excellent bond of affection and respect, it's time to understand this act from a clinical and ethological point of view.
If your dog also licks you excessively, keep reading this PeritoAnimal article, in which we'll explain why my dog licks me a lot and what to do. Good reading.
Why does dog lick? - Origin of behavior
The origin that explains why the dog licks is atavistic, that is, it is related to the descent and is passed down through several generations. Thus, it has its innate origins in the behavior of wolves, specifically in the wolf cub behavior. One of the main characteristics of wolves, which was transmitted to their canine descendants, is related to hunting.
Wolves usually go out in groups to hunt, even traveling long distances, moving away from the den where the group's cubs are sheltered. When the group has a successful hunt, the animals eat fast and voraciously all they can. This is possible thanks to its particular stomach, which acts as an internal "market bag".
Afterwards, they return to the den and, when the puppies observe the arrival of the provider group, they leave the den with a high degree of excitement and start to compulsively lick the snouts of adult hunters. These incessant licks generate in the animal stimulate a certain area of the brain, which causes vomiting and the consequent regurgitation of previously swallowed food, and this is where the puppies can eat. It's easy to imagine how quickly this habit takes hold in puppies' brains.
Over time, dogs have inherited this behavior from wolf pups, so when dogs lick us, they're in the showing submission, respect and affection. All instinctively.
Why does my dog lick my feet, hands, mouth and face
Although the origin of dog licking is related to the behavior of wolf pups, this behavior can also be influenced by other factors, such as the complicity and approval from your tutor. When a person enjoys being licked by their dog, they not only accept the behavior, but reward and reinforce it, or at least not suppress or inhibit it. Thus, the behavior is fixed in the dog's brain, so it will continue to do so as an adult.
When this occurs, it can sometimes lead to what is known as generalization of a behavior, in which, over time, puppies stop licking only their tutor's face, but also licking other parts of their body, such as their feet or hands.
For more information, don't miss the PeritoAnimal video below on why my dog licks me:
My dog licks me too much, why and what to do?
When a dog licks too much, it may not be a show of affection. These licks can also have as a background the anxiety.
But what does licking have to do with anxiety? The answer is quite simple, they do it because, in this way, soothe or soothe your anxiety. For this same reason, many dogs, when they are restless or excited, also lick objects such as tables, chairs or even the floor. This behavior of compulsively lick can be considered a homolog of the human behavior of biting nails (onychophagia) when someone is excessively nervous.
When the animal's licking is related to nervous situations, it's time to look for professional guidance and help to prevent the situation from leading to compulsive behavior with more serious consequences, such as chasing and biting the dog's tail, which can lead to severe self-inflicted skin lesions.
If the cause of this behavior is anxiety, a possible solution would be to opt for pheromones, as we told you in this article on pheromone for dogs with anxiety - is it effective?
How to prevent my dog from licking me?
If you don't want your dog to lick you, the best ways to avoid this practice are as follows:
- don't reward him: a good tip to avoid this behavior is not to reward the puppy when doing this the first few times. This fact alone will make the puppy not get used to doing it when he has the opportunity.
- divert your attention: if he is already used to licking, the best way to prevent your dog from licking you is not scolding or punishing him, but diverting his attention to another situation, such as a game.
- don't make it easy: if the dog is used to licking his face, it is best not to bring him close to his mouth when interacting with him.
- healthy activities: Enjoying activities with your dog that do not involve very close physical contact, such as going for a walk or running, will make your furry get used to these activities and, consequently, stop licking you.
For more information on how to properly educate your dog, we recommend that you read this other article on advice for raising puppies.
Letting My Dog Lick Me - Yes or No?
Once you understand why a dog licks, and why my dog licks me, finally, an important issue to address is whether or not to allow a dog to lick a person's face, hands, or feet. From a social point of view, whether it's wrong or not, no one has the power to decide what's right or wrong about this issue. Everyone has the freedom to decide how to bond with your pet.
From a sanitary and hygienic point of view, that's another story. The mouth of animals of any kind is a place where an abundance of large amount and variety of microbes. Dogs' mouths are no exception and therefore are a probable source of infection. This does not mean that the person is infected, but there is a possibility that this will happen. People who, for some reason, are immunosuppressed should not have this kind of physical contact with their pet. Great care must also be taken with young children and elderly people.
Preventing a dog from getting into the habit of “kissing” is as simple as not allowing him to do so when trying for the first few times, usually when he's a puppy.
In short, the problem is the excesses. For our dog to give us a "kiss" from time to time in a certain situation of joy, affection and well-being is one thing, but for our dog to "kiss" us all day and for whatever reason, is quite another different.
Now that you know why dogs lick us, how about reading this article that explains why my dog licks other dogs' urine?
If you want to read more articles similar to My dog licks me a lot - Why and what to do?, we recommend that you enter our Behavior Problems section.