Why Do Dogs Lick You?
Have you ever wondered why your dog licks you? Licking people is a normal behavior for a dog, and it’s usually not very tough to figure out what your little pooch is trying to say. Most of the time, if your dog licks you, it’s to show he/she loves you. It’s just in their nature. It works the same way in the wild; to show affection for a fellow pack member, dogs will lick each other.
Photo by Mikey Tapscott
Have you ever wondered why your dog licks you? Licking people is a normal behavior for a dog, and it’s usually not very tough to figure out what your little pooch is trying to say. Most of the time, if your dog licks you, it’s to show he/she loves you. It’s just in their nature. It works the same way in the wild; to show affection for a fellow pack member, dogs will lick each other.
There are other reasons for dog licking, too, though. Years of instinct and learned behavior can add to the reasons your dog will choose to lick you.
For example, your dog might want to clean you. If your pup perceives you as dirty, they’ll usually try to groom you. For example, if you are covered in dirt or smell bad, they’ll try to make you smell and look better. Another example would be if you smell like another dog or cat. They’ll want to meet this strange creature attached to your t-shirt.
Or you might have a fresh cut or scrape they want to clean for you. Both dogs and cats are known to lick their wounds in order to clean them. This is where the metaphor “licking your wounds” comes from. Your dog is probably just trying to do you a favor and not get your wound infected.
Some researchers say dogs use the sense of taste to identify their surroundings. If you smell different than normal, your dog probably wants to make sure it’s really you. Another reason might be if you’ve been gone for an extended period of time; your dog just wants to make sure he/she isn’t obeying a stranger posing as their owner.
Your dog could also see licking you as a game. There have been many reported incidents of owners playing with their dogs when suddenly the canines start licking their humans. It’s not uncommon; dogs see it as fun, and it makes you happy. As almost everyone knows, most dogs’ goals are to make their owners happy.
Dogs probably lick more when they notice that licking gets them more attention. They add licking to more and more daily routines in hopes of getting more of your affection or playtime. Most dogs can’t get enough of your love. It’s basically them saying, “Hey. I’m here. I want to be pet. Pet me.”
Dogs will go the face-licking route if you’re not up early enough to feed them breakfast. They’re hungry! What else are they supposed to do other than lick the food-giver’s face? It’s simply dog reasoning and logic. (Of course, you should never test this logic on a human unless you want a visit from the police.)
A lick from your dog is generally a good sign. It means they trust you enough to give you a doggy kiss. If you’ve gained that level of trust, you should feel pretty happy. Unless said dog’s record shows that he/she licks everybody. Either way, it means your dog is happy with you and the care you’re giving them.