People think dogs show their affection by licking us and it is somewhat true but it’s not always the case. Whenever dogs are enthusiastic, they start licking their favorite people and people think they are showing love.
Well, yes, they love you but it could mean something else too. Your licking you is not the whole story.
Dogs have various reasons behind licking and reasons can stem from biological, emotional, and even medical roots.
That’s why it’s very important to understand why dogs lick so much and it also helps in deepening the bond with your pup and helps you spot if something goes wrong.
Affection and Bonding
Love is the most basic and popular reason behind dogs licking you so much; it’s just not the only reason.
Puppies love to lick the faces of their mothers because its a natural and innate way of their showing submission and bonding.
However, when puppies become adult dogs, they continue the same behavior into their adulthood with humans.
They show their love and devotion to their human parents or to strengthen their social bond.
It is often seen that dogs are licking hands and faces; it’s because they are trying to say you are their family.
Dogs in the wild often show respect and connect to their dominant dog by licking.
They create a bond through licking because it’s one of the simplest ways they can say, “You’re important to me.”
Communication and Submission
Licking can be a way of communication and show their submissiveness towards humans. In the wild, when dogs used to be in packs, the subordinate dogs used to lick the mouths and faces of dominant ones to show their respect towards them.
This behavior has stayed with dogs and they try to show their respect for humans by licking. If your dog is acting timid or submissive and licking, then they are most probably trying to say, “I respect you” or “You’re the boss.”
They often do such gestures when they meet someone new or some new dog as a sign to show they want to avoid any conflict.
Seeking Attention
This is yet another common reason behind dogs’ licking.
Dogs are quick learners and they quickly learn how to get your attention and one of the techniques is licking, which comes at the top of the list.
When dogs lick your face and then you laugh and pet them or talk to them, all of it seems like a reward to them and over time they use licking to interact with you.
They may be asking for food or playtime or simply want a response from you, so they start licking you.
Taste and Scent Curiosity
Dogs use their mouths and noses for understanding and exploring most of their surroundings and human skin tastes salty, especially after workout so dogs might be attracted to the salty flavor.
They also pick up on scents like from food or perfume and they can smell other animals too.
Dogs try to read people and animals around them, basically the situation so if you have been cooking or petting another pet, they might start licking you to understand the situation.
Licking also indicated interpreting pheromones and hormones. Dogs have a vomeronasal organ with which they can sense chemical signals and by licking you or another animal, they try to figure out the scent thoroughly.
Medical Reasons
Dogs might start licking at wounds or sore spots as a natural attempt to clean and soothe them.
That’s why if you notice your dog licking one specific area on their body like paws or joints, then it could be because of:
- Allergies to food, grass, dust mites, etc.
- Pain from arthritis, injury, or inflammation
- Infections, like yeast or bacterial skin infections
- Parasites like fleas or mites
Boredom and Lack of Stimulation
Dogs always need some amount of mental and physical stimulation and whenever they don’t get it, they might start licking themselves or people or objects around them out of sheer boredom.
Licking can become a displacement behavior where they start licking instead of doing something like we humans twiddling our thumbs whenever we are bored.
Playing with your dog and giving them toys or social interaction can reduce their licking.
Conclusion
Licking is not exactly a bad thing but it should be done with moderation and if you are noticing your dog has been licking too much or intensely, there could be a reason other than showing affection.
Dogs can say “I love you” with their licking as well as “I am bored,” so you have to pay attention to details and if they have some other reasons like wounds or anything else.
