But why do dogs lick and what is it that they’re trying to communicate with us?

Let’s uncover the truths behind dog licking and what this behavior means. Dogs lick their pack members and themselves for many reasons, and if you want to curb the behavior, it helps to understand its cause.

Ready to discover the answers to “Why do dogs lick so much?” Let’s dive in!

We Taste Good

When a dog licks their bowl, cleans the floor after you spill something or reaches for the counter, it’s quite obvious that he’s licking because he simply likes the taste.

But did you know that the same thing can be true when dogs are licking us?

Whether you realize it or not, we humans often have tiny food particles on our skin that our dogs can taste. Additionally, our skin has salt that dogs enjoy licking. Because of this, it is common for dogs to lick our faces and hands after we eat something.

So although it’s possible your dog is licking you out of affection, there’s also a great chance he’s licking because he loves the taste of your skin.

Grooming

Grooming is another common reason for dog licking. Similar to cats, it’s in a dog’s nature to groom themselves by licking their skin and fur. One of the most common places for dogs to lick is their paws. After being outside, dogs often lick their paws to remove the dirt and anything else they may have stepped on.

Pay close attention, though, to how much your dog licks himself. Moderate licking is normal behavior, but excessive licking may be caused by an underlying medical issue. Specifically, continuous anal cleaning can indicate that the glands need to be expressed. Consult your vet for possible reasons and solutions for your dog’s licking.

Healing

Do you ask yourself the question, “Why do dogs lick wounds?” Licking wounds is an instinctive nature of dogs with themselves and their human owners. From cuts to grazes, dogs lick any wound that is painful or irritated.

But why do dogs lick scabs?

Dog saliva has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that can aid in fighting against certain bacterias. Furthermore, when a dog licks himself, it helps remove dead tissue and clean dirt from wounds.

In addition to licking his own wounds, your dog may also lick yours. As previously mentioned, it’s in a dog’s instinct to lick cuts and injuries. They do this to cleanse the wound and help speed up the healing process.

Although licking wounds has some benefits, too much licking may be harmful to your pup. Dogs who lick continuously may reopen wounds, create hotspots or cause infections. If you notice your dog licking his wound excessively, consult your vet for solutions to stop this behavior.

The same advice goes for dogs who lick human wounds. Although dog saliva has some healing properties, the risks outweigh the benefits. It is likely that your dog’s mouth contains bacteria that could cause infections. And although it isn’t necessary to punish your pup for licking your wounds, it’s important that you don’t encourage this behavior either.

Compulsion

Have you ever wondered, “Why is my dog compulsively licking?” There are a number of reasons dogs lick certain objects, themselves or people excessively. Perhaps your dog is nervous, scared, in pain or simply bored. By licking excessively, your dog is most likely trying to calm himself.

Licking can certainly be a healthy stress reliever, but obsessive licking merely reinforces anxiety and makes the problem worse. In addition, compulsive licking may be an indicator of underlying issues such as allergies, infections or pain.

As always, consult your vet if your dog is immoderately licking herself. Additionally, you may want to contact an animal behaviorist to help identify and solve your dog’s anxiety.

Communication

Whether you realize it or not, dogs communicate with us practically all day long. We just aren’t always good at interpreting the message they’re telling us.

One of their ways of communicating is through licking. There are many reasons a dog may begin licking to communicate with you. Dogs often lick to tell you they’re hungry, they’re submissive, or they want to be friends with you.

Of course, when your dog communicates with you, it’s important that you respond back. The next time your dog is licking you with intensity, take a look around to see if something is amiss. Maybe the water bowl is empty or the doggie door is closed. Chances are your dog needs something when he licks you excessively.

Affection

Do dogs lick to show affection? The answer is an absolute yes! This is one of the most common reasons that domestic dogs lick their human friends. Just as puppies are lovingly licked by their mothers, dogs want to “kiss” you to show how much they love you.

Although licking is a sign of fondness toward you, there may be a point when the kisses become too much for you. If you want your dog to stop licking you, simply ignore your dog and walk into another room whenever this behavior begins. Eventually, your dog will learn that licking causes you to leave and that this isn’t what they want.

We hope this article has helped answer all your questions, ranging from “Why do dogs lick their paws?” and “Why do dogs lick people?” to “Why do dogs lick you?” and “What does it mean when a dog licks you?”

Remember, if dog licking becomes excessive, consult your vet immediately. Obsessive licking is often a sign of underlying health issues.

We all love dogs, but are there any dog behaviors that are annoying to you? Let it out in the comments.

The post Why Do Dogs Lick And Different Kinds Of Licks appeared first on Cesar's Way.

Dear Cesar,

I have a 3-year-old toy Australian shepherd dog named Gina. She is an absolutely wonderful dog with a few challenges, one in particular that I need some advice on… obsessive licking. She is completely obsessed with licking all the time! My dog licks the air, your arms, your face, in your mouth, other dogs, furniture, herself, etc. She also experiences anxiety and fear and I wonder if the licking may be a result of that. Is there anything that we can do to help control this?

Sincerely,
Jeni & Gina

Jeni,

I think you’re correct that the dog problem here is coming from Gina’s anxiety. And it sounds like a very bad case, almost to the point of self-destruction. I have to ask if there is something neurological going on here. My advice for you is this — first, please get her an exam with the vet to rule out any neurological problems. Second, if there are no neurological issues, consider a holistic vet who can perform acupuncture and massage on Gina to help her relax. Third, try water therapy or swimming for dogs. We need to help her soothe the mind before we can even begin to work on her dog obsessive licking behavior. A treadmill may help as well, but you need to take it slow and steady.

Once you work on helping her to relax, and without knowing any other details about your situation, keep this in mind — dog anxiety is usually caused by a lack of exercise or release of energy. In order for Gina to stop her obsessive licking, she needs to be properly exercised and fulfilled. She has become fixated on licking, and you need to help Gina redirect that frustration into dog exercise and ultimately, balance.

You should also take a look at how you have been reacting to the licking. Have you been rewarding her for being a “sweet” dog? Have you been condoning the problem behavior in any way? Is this her call to you for attention? Be sure to only give her the appropriate affection and attention when she is in a calm-submissive state.

Best wishes,
Cesar

Has your dog displayed obsessive behavior? Share it with us in the comments?

The post Obsessive Dog Licking appeared first on Cesar's Way.

What is Your Dog Addicted To?

If this description seems harsh, then it’s because humans tend to associate the word “addict” with the word “drugs,” and you probably have an image in your mind to go with it — some disreputable looking person, dressed shabbily, lying in an alley with a needle in their arm.

I’m sure that doesn’t describe your dog, or you. But dogs and humans are addicts, and for the same reasons.

Our brains have been designed to reward us for experiences that release certain chemicals that make us feel good. Whether we’re consciously aware of it or not, we — and our dogs — will return to those experiences for the pleasure we get.

It’s easy to see how drugs, legal and otherwise, and other substances like alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine can fit that pattern exactly. A lot of drugs are designed to make us feel good, whether they’re narcotics to help us sleep, painkillers to overcome aches and injuries, or stimulants to give us energy. They are referred to as psychoactive substances for exactly that reason — they have an effect on the mind.

But they are not the direct cause. They’re only responsible for releasing the chemicals I mentioned previously, which are all naturally occurring in our brains. And this is why people can become addicted to other things that don’t involve drugs — exercise, hobbies, sex, binging TV shows, and on and on. Anything that a human can do can become an addiction when done to excess, although some addictions can be healthier than others. Exercise is much better for you than heroin, for example.

Does it Affect Behavior?

Dogs are no different. They will generally have a healthy addiction to exercise and to routine. Give a dog enough exercise and a regular schedule, and you will help prevent them from developing unhealthy addictions. Fail to fulfill their needs and like humans, they can fall prey to all kinds of bad, repetitious behaviors, like excessive licking, chewing their paws, chasing their tails, urinating in the house and separation anxiety.

Addictions are just habits that can’t be controlled and they go out of control because our dogs — and we — gradually begin to associate a reward with the behavior. Running marathons can release endorphins into the human brain, and these are feel-good chemicals. It’s not uncommon for people who start any kind of intense physical activity to not want to stop, and this is why.

Sharing affection releases another chemical, oxytocin, which is involved in maternal bonding with children and romantic bonding in a couple. This chemical also flows through dog’s brains when we are showing them affection.

This is exactly one of the mechanisms with which we can give our dogs bad addictions. When we give them affection, their brains flood with oxytocin. This surge of good feelings conditions them to associate whatever they were doing when they got that affection with a way to get that affection again.

If that seems familiar, it’s because that’s exactly how human addictions happen. We do something. Our brain gets flooded with feel-good chemicals. Consciously or not, we make an association between the two, and begin to repeat the behavior that made us have happy feelings, regardless of whether it is good or bad for us.

Figuring Out and Fixing Bad Behavior

Fortunately for our dogs, once we recognize their bad addictive behaviors, it should be easy for us to figure out why they think they’re being rewarded and then work to reverse the association. Just pay attention to your own behavior in relation to theirs, recognize the signals you send that suddenly put your dog into that addicted mode, and then work your way back to the cause from there before working forward to the solution.

Then, while you’re doing all this, think about anything you might do that you would consider an addiction, then separate the positive, benign ones from the negative and dangerous ones. Focus on the latter, and then follow the same process you did with your dog to work your way back to your cause.

And that is probably the best way that you can help your dog and vice versa. Because they are instinctual and not intellectual, when we learn how to put ourselves into their minds we can learn so much about our own, and learn to understand our own behaviors as we strive to fix theirs. Since they are our greatest teachers, they can also help us do more than try, and lead us to actual achievement.

So the next time your dog tears up the TP, or pees on the rug, or eats your favorite shoes, step back, ask yourself why she may have done it, then ask yourself how you might have made her do it. Find the intersection of the answers to those questions, you’ll solve both of your problems.

Stay calm, and listen to your dog’s instincts!

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