The habit of a four-legged friend to lick his owner does not always indicate love for him. Dog breeders tend to attribute human qualities and emotions to their pets, therefore they explain their actions and habits without taking into account the physiology, instincts, and psyche of their four-legged friend.
Such “humanization” does not always benefit the dog, so veterinarians strongly advise, before getting one, to study the peculiarities of behavior and keeping of animals. Otherwise, problems with understanding cannot be avoided.
A dog licks its owner: reasons
Showing love in dogs
The mother constantly licks the puppies before and after feeding - this is both a necessary hygiene measure, a massage to improve digestion, and a way to calm the little blind creature and let him know that he is not alone. Having matured, the puppy begins to lick its mother in response, demanding affection or showing that it is hungry. And when a person replaces the mother, he automatically begins to show his needs to him in this way. An adult dog, expressing devotion and joy, can run its tongue over the face and hands of the owner, unable to otherwise show feelings.
The dog constantly licks the puppies - this is both a necessary hygiene measure and a massage to improve digestion
Why does a dog lick its owner's face?
Dogs may often lick their owner's face. This usually occurs due to prolonged separation. In this case, kissing a dog may mean that she misses you and is glad to be back.
Why does a dog lick its owner's face?
- A dog may kiss if it is faced with stress. This occurs due to fear or anxiety. Anxiety can be observed during a visit to the veterinarian, or when uninvited guests come home.
- Care. The dog wants to sweep away the burden of a hard day from you, and also cleanse the surface of your face from pathogenic microorganisms. She shows her love and care.
- She shows her admiration, submission and obedience. This is a manifestation of a special instinct that was formed during the existence of the pack.
With the mistress
Why do dogs lick their feet and what does it mean?
There are several reasons why a dog often licks a person's feet.
- Salt : the diet does not have enough sodium and chlorine, which are necessary for the normal functioning of the stomach; without them, the body does not produce hydrochloric acid, which means that the process of digesting food is disrupted and appetite worsens. By licking sweat from its feet, the dog tries to get the substances it needs.
- Smell : in the wild, strong odors give away the animal; instinct forces the dog to take care of the cleanliness of the owner’s feet so that the specific aroma does not give them away to the enemy.
- Fear : a humiliated, timid touch of the tongue may indicate disturbances in the relationship between man and animal, frequent aggression directed at the dog; serious correction of human behavior is required.
- Wounds : Infected scratches or wounds on the legs prompt the four-legged "healer" to use the most powerful healing agent at his disposal - his own saliva.
Legs are the most accessible part for showing special feelings to the owner
On a note! Surprisingly, even if there is no visible damage, the dog may begin to show increased interest in that part of the body where the inflammation is just beginning, as if it senses an approaching attack of arthritis or gout, trying to “remove” the pain.
Why does a dog lick its owner's hands?
The dog is nervous and worried. Often, pets may lick their owners' hands before they leave.
Why does a dog lick its owner's hands?
- Dogs very quickly remember rituals and repeated events. If the owner, after waking up, brushes his teeth, makes coffee, and bangs his keys, this indicates he is leaving for work. This causes anxiety for the pet, because he understands that he will have to be alone for a long period of time. The dog begs for attention from the owner, enjoys the last minutes of being with the owner, or tries to beg him to stay at home.
- Dogs are pack animals that are used to living in a hierarchical society. In such a pack there are leaders and subordinates. That is why dogs very often lick the hands of their owners, thereby they show their submission, considering the owner to be the leader of the pack.
- This is especially important if this dog is of a dominant character, for example, a Jack Russell Terrier. With such dogs there are many difficulties in the training process. With dogs of these breeds you need to be quite strict and constantly prove your superiority. The opposite situation happens: the dog licks the hands of its owner, considering him his friend, his equal.
With kids
Reasons why a dog licks its owner
Only interest, love and devotion can make a dog lick a person. And she does this, most often showing concern. By blackmailing with their touching behavior, dogs accustomed to this can extort sweets, which are constantly pampered, rewarded with harmful goodies.
Dog owners should be aware that animals have a keener sense of smell than humans; even an almost indistinguishable aroma can irritate the pet, causing it to “wash” the person - for the benefit of the unreasonable creature, of course, in order to disguise it, hide it from enemies, and make it less noticeable.
A dog may lick its owner simply to show that it is nearby, to indicate its presence and support. Sensing a person’s mood, four-legged friends sense when the owner is feeling bad and console them as best they can.
If a dog licks you, it is showing concern.
Dog saliva for humans: benefits and harms
Until recently, there was an opinion that the saliva of animals contains much less harmful microorganisms than that of humans. However, numerous studies have refuted this theory.
Dog saliva for humans, benefits and harms:
- Dogs can eat excrement, pick up a variety of garbage, spoiled foods, so they often contain salmonellosis pathogens and E. coli in their mouths. Experienced breeders who carefully control their dogs' nutrition are not advised to allow their dogs to express affection in this way.
- If a person is completely healthy, there will be no harm from such kisses, but if there are some disorders, for example, a person suffers from skin diseases, scratches on the face, or reduced immunity, then such kisses can cause serious diseases.
- That is why take your pet to the veterinarian on time and destroy worms, as well as pathogens that the dog can carry.
Kisses
What might a dog want to “say” when licking a person?
A dog can lick even an unfamiliar but pleasant person by touching his hand or tongue. This is more typical for kids, but adult dogs sometimes indulge in this to show friendliness. Scientists believe that this is how the dog “remembers” a new creature, as if introducing its taste and smell into a kind of database. Active, sociable and well-socialized representatives of some breeds invite you into their company and offer to play. Children, who receive affection more often than others, enjoy special sympathy.
The dog licks your face and hands
Most often, this is how the pet shows that it is hungry.
He often receives tasty rewards from his hands, and his face always smells like food to them. If the dog is not bored and tries to greet the person, then it is worth checking its bowls of food and water.
“Foreign” odors could remain on the hands and face, which the dog is trying to eliminate
Why does a puppy lick its owner?
There are several reasons why doggies do this. The ability to lick appears in dogs from birth. It is after birth that the mother licks her puppy, removing traces of mucus, blood, and stimulating intestinal function. It is believed that at birth, dogs’ intestines are not filled with the necessary enzymes to break down food; babies have virtually no immunity. By licking her babies, the mother transfers part of her saliva, along with protective functions, to the puppy's fur. Many people believe that this is a kind of declaration of love and an alternative to kissing, but in reality this is not the case. Below we will look at several reasons why a puppy may lick its owner.
Why does a puppy lick its owner?
- At an early age, puppies cannot defecate on their own, so they need a kind of massage. It is for this purpose that mothers lick their babies. If you look closely, the kids often reciprocate her feelings. But this is not at all an indicator or a declaration of love. Small pets try to attract attention, ask for food, affection. “Kiss” makes it clear that he needs attention and care from his mother.
- A way to get attention. Most often this happens early in the morning; the dog may approach the sleepy owner and lick his fingers. The dog wants attention, is hungry, and needs a walk.
- I like your smell. It can occur after a meal when the dog owner has consumed meat products, such as cutlets or sausage. The dog likes such smells, he can lick and beg the owner for a treat.
- This happens if the dog is not given such products due to possible problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
Kisses
What to do if your dog tries to lick his owner too often
The habit of licking can cause irritation. You should not scold a puppy who has just begun to explore the world if he uses his tongue every now and then, so as not to cause him to feel insecure, lost, or resentful. As he grows up, you need to let him know that this is unpleasant, make a sharp sound (clap your palms, command “Ugh!”). Soon the dog will forget about the unpleasant habit.
It is worth contacting a veterinarian if the habit appears suddenly or cannot be weaned from it. Specialists will be able to understand the animal’s behavior problems, determine whether a lack of attention or something else is bothering the pet, and suggest correction methods.
Video - Why dogs lick their owner
How to stop a dog from licking people?
If your pet licks excessively, you need to wean him from this habit. First, establish the reason for this behavior, it may be due to:
- Lack of attention and jealousy. If the dog is often left alone, and after work you do not have the strength to show affection and care, you are busy with other pets or family members, he will be sad and beg for tenderness.
- Fear. If your pet is afraid of you, reconsider your behavior. You may need to stop using active gestures or raised voices during a conversation. Do not use physical force. If the fear is caused by other factors, such as a vacuum cleaner or noise outside the window, try to calm the dog down and show it that there is nothing to be afraid of.
- The reason is constant hunger or begging - reconsider your diet and food policy.
If the animal simply expresses its love or reacts to your smells, be patient and begin correction. Remember the main principles:
- Subsequence. If you prohibit today, you prohibit forever. One dog can't lick you, which means another can't either.
- Universality. All family members must follow the established rules and not encourage the pet’s desire to show excessive tenderness. The same applies to frequent house guests.
- Calmness and patience. There is no need to yell at the dog or hit it. If she starts licking you, give the commands “Ugh”, “No”. If the dog does not comply with them, ignore his behavior, move the dog away or get up and leave yourself.
- Switching. This method works great, refocus the dog's attention on the game or treat. Provide sufficient physical activity, it will allow you to throw out pent-up energy, and a walk will give you many new impressions.
Don’t forget that an animal cannot show no emotions at all, so only stop excessive love.
If the habit appeared unexpectedly in adulthood, the dog licks not only you, but also pieces of furniture and toys, contact your veterinarian. It is necessary to check his health for the development of pathologies or analyze the reasons for changes in behavior. Perhaps the animal has experienced severe stress and needs special attention.
Remember that the dog is an emotional and instinctive creature. Even the most well-mannered animal will not be able to restrain itself forever. Don't scold if your dog licks your hands or happily greets you after a long separation. But don't allow everything. Take care of your health and follow the rules of hygiene.
The dog senses your mood
For centuries they have been accompanying humans everywhere, dogs have learned to sense a person’s mood and his attitude towards them. They are very loyal to some, most patiently tolerate children's pranks, but there are people who cause pathological aggression in dogs.
Fear has a special smell, this has already been proven. If a person is afraid or hostile, the dog detects this instantly. And he won’t be slow to respond.
Defenselessness and friendliness make these animals want to patronize, protect and protect. By covering his face with his hands and pretending to be crying, a person can easily force his pet to show remarkable care: he will make every effort to spread his fingers with his tongue and get to the eyes and cheeks, worrying, whining, trying to call other family members for help. Only a cheerful laugh or affection from the owner can calm him down.
Emotions
♦ As we noted, the first and most logical explanation for this dog’s behavior is love for the owner. Licking is a dog's way of expressing love and joy when it is happy to see its owner. People kiss, dogs lick. There are similarities!
This becomes especially obvious if, along with licking, your pet wags its tail, gently whines and jumps merrily. This means that he is happy and is filled with tender emotions towards you.
♦ However, the dog’s need to turn is not always
Paying attention to yourself and showing love indicates that the pet is in a good mood. If a dog licks its owner, this may indicate that it wants to tell him something, relieve its own anxiety and receive tenderness in return. Therefore, if a dog licks you under strange circumstances - for example, waking you up in the middle of the night - this gives reason to think that the dog does not have enough of your attention and is nervous.
♦ Often the reason why a dog licks its owner is not the dog's anxiety, but the owner's anxiety. As you know, dogs are sensitive and gentle friends who care about their owner’s mood. Therefore, the dog may start licking you in cases where it sees that you are worried or upset. In this way she wants to reassure you and demonstrate that she is there, that you are not alone.
♦ It also happens that the reason a dog licks its owner is fear. In nature, pack animals “serve” the one who is stronger, who is the leader. By licking the stronger one, the animal demonstrates that it recognizes its right to leadership and shows respect. Accordingly, if, while licking its owner, the dog presses itself to the floor, tucks its tail and, in principle, looks scared, this means that it is afraid of its owner. In this case, the owner should think about the fact that he is probably often aggressive and shows emotional incontinence - for example, screaming and swearing. In this case, a loving owner should clearly reconsider his behavior.
How a dog sees the world - and what do dog kisses mean
Dogs see the world completely differently than we do.
Any dog lover should accept the fact that dogs are not small, peculiar people, they are creatures that see the world completely differently than we do. This applies to both physiology and lifestyle features.
| Human | Dog |
| Cognizes the world through the organs of sight, hearing, and only then smell and touch | First smells, then hears, touches (tastes, licks), and lastly looks |
| Having smelled the smell, he will turn around and find the source with his eyes to make sure that he is not mistaken. | Doesn't trust her eyes, she rushes to sniff the object to avoid mistakes |
| Capable of obtaining a large amount of information even from a picture | A dog is not interested in an immovable and odorless object. |
How to get a dog to stop licking
Licking is another way to make sure that there is a person in front of the dog: not only the smell, but the taste of the secretions of the sweat and sebaceous glands is unique for each person. By licking the owner or family member, the dog “identifies” him.
The dog licked it - what to do?
Of course, kissing a dog is not only harmful to humans, but also beneficial. Despite the content of some pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms in the saliva, a dog, along with kisses, gives a person a significant amount of dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin. Hormones are responsible for happiness, improving the owner’s mood, making him cheerful.
The dog licked it, what to do:
- If a child gets a dog in childhood, the risk of allergies and asthma is reduced. The child tolerates various viruses and diseases more easily.
- Strengthens the immune system. Indeed, a dog’s saliva may contain some opportunistic microorganisms that the human immune system fights. Due to constant communication with the dog, human immunity improves and the body’s resistance to various diseases increases.
- Don't deny yourself dog kisses. However, you should not allow your dog to lick his lips or mucous membranes. Nothing bad will happen if the dog licks his cheek, chin or nose.
With the owner
Licking as an expression of love and care is inherent in dogs by nature.
The mother takes care of the puppies from the first moments of birth, carefully licking them. She remembers them, so she doesn’t always accept other people’s “children”, she makes the smell of defenseless babies elusive - this is inherent in nature to save the offspring. With her tongue, the mother massages the puppy’s muscles and belly, teaches him to move, and comforts him. Puppies, growing up, quickly learn to act the same way; they identify members of their pack using their tongue, lick each other, showing trust.
By licking puppies, the dog remembers them
Life with humans did not destroy the basic instincts of animals; it taught them to treat bipeds as members of a pack. Therefore, when accepting dog affection, owners should analyze the reasons for their occurrence in order to recognize problems in the behavior or health of their four-legged friend in time, take timely measures on their own or contact a specialist to solve the problems.
