Dog licking is a universally common trait. It applies equally to all the breeds. This is a vital medium of their perceptive communication. But sometimes dog licking crosses the threshold and becomes, so to say, vulgar.
We are here to discuss the whole range of possible reasons driving this behavior. Now, you may calm down yourself as dog licking is rarely considered a danger except for a few occasions.
Which factors propel dog licking?
- Gratification or happiness often leads to dog licking. They want to inform us that they are happy to be with us. This may be identified as pure affection from dogs perspective. They just want you to pet them in return.
- Our skin pores release some salty items. Those salty particles taste well to a dog.
- If your dog has a parched mouth, he is likely to do it more and more.
- An infection or injury also leads to dog licking. Their saliva enzymes can speed up their recovery by killing bacteria.
- If your dog feels like vomiting, he tends to lick a lot more to divert his attention.
- Cold weather leaves their skin dry. It causes irritation resulting inevitably in licking.
- They also ensure beautification with the help of their tongue. This process takes a lot of licking.
- Decayed or deranged or broken teeth, some unfamiliar or problematic growth inside their mouth can also cause this behavior.
- If your dog has a particular attraction to a place or object regarding licking, maybe it is time for medical assistance. This is a compulsive disorder springing from anxiety.
- Small impact seizures are also responsible for dog licking.
- He might do this if the situation is quite out of his perception. It is often accompanied by tail wagging. It is more common in older dogs undergoing cognitive dysfunction.
- Hunger also has something to do with this. They want to communicate with us about their empty stomach this way.
- Adult dogs are usually in the habit of licking their alpha. It is a message of submission to their dominance.
- The Dog tongue carries a lot of sensory information through licking. So, it is an effective communication medium among the pack members. They investigate their surroundings in this way.
- Dog licking is sometimes just a medium of games. Innocent inter-group festive exchanges are often performed in this form.
- Dog parents also clean their puppies with the help of licking. This method often eases their defecation or urination as well as breathing process.
- Dog licking causes some hormone secretion leading to a feeling of pleasure. On the other hand, it is also an outlet for his anxiety.
- Situational disorders can also cause dog licking. If someone or something is missing by the way, your dog may react negatively. A change in dietary plan or personality has to be carefully noted down in this regard.
Now, you can easily figure out the reason for secretly operating behind your dog licking. But it is not quite an easy job to connect his habit to a specific cause.
Over a period of time, you may be able to point out his habitual factors. However, these 18 reasons will help you to cut down the extension of that understanding period by giving you all the clues. As you are going along this article, you will find out that dog training techniques will play a vital role in this regard.
Why does my dog keeps licking me?
You must have already identified the core reasons behind your dog licking you. They like your presence around them and convey this message to you in this way. This is really just affection on their part.
Dogs also love to taste the salty materials on our skin. Dog shows respect to you via licking. It may be an outer expression of their compulsive behavior.
In such an incident, they do not discriminate between a wall and your face. Though we like it in some circumstances, it is often a bothering factor too.
Most of the time, we do not like dog saliva spreading all over our faces. So, you can now redirect his attention with help of the techniques we have put forward.
Thus, you can save yourself from this trouble. Proper dog care management gives you a better edge over this problem.
What can be considered excessive licking?
So, you already know that dog licking is a blessing most of the time. They lick themselves and each other for various reasons. But it can occasionally be a serious issue to reckon with.
If your dog suddenly grows a habit of licking strange or unusual places such as floors, walls, etc, it is not a good sign. Again, a repeated and lasting lip or tail licking also bears a slightly bad omen. The Overnight shift in his habit, without apparent reasons, is all the way more worrisome.
However, most of the time this thing does not extend to medical emergencies but limits itself to the behavioral patterns.
On the other hand, if he chooses a single place of his body for licking, it will soon turn into a red spot, hair loss or irritation. This is rather a bad incident. Excessive dog licking asks you to jot down some vital aspects.
How can we control dog licking?
If your dog licking knows literally no bounds, you will have some powerful tools here to disembark him from this behavior. It becomes excessive when he licks anything and every thing or he just chooses something specific in order to satisfy his licking urges.
If this behavior goes down to compulsive disorder, you may hope to slash it to a great extent. Not to forget, regular nail clipping will spare them from a probable cause of injury.
