One of my dachshund’s favorite things to do is curl up in my lap for a relaxing mid-morning nap. But before he dozes off, he’ll spend a good two to three minutes licking my knee. Yes, licking. He’ll also be sure to lick my face — nose specifically — when he wakes up. Why? Well, despite his licking habits being pretty predictable at this point, I’ve never had a clue why he does it.
“There is so much research out there on why dogs lick,” says Harrison Forbes, a dog trainer, animal behaviorist and bestselling author of “Dog Talk” based in Nashville, Tennessee. “But it’s like the eating poop conundrum — these behaviors have multiple causes that are often totally unrelated. It’s a complex thing that is very individual to your dog.”
Here, experts explain the most common reasons why dogs lick their humans, plus how to stop them if your dog’s licking becomes excessive.
Why do dogs lick in the first place?
Since birth, your dog has associated licking with survival and nourishment, according to canine research. In fact, licking plays an essential role in a puppy’s development during its first few weeks of life. Mothers will lick their puppies to stimulate them to defecate and urinate. Additionally, licking serves as a way for the mom to keep her newborn clean and direct the puppy to her mammary glands.
When dogs mature throughout the puppy stage, research has also found that dogs will lick their mother’s face to communicate they’re hungry. This subordinate behavior is known as “care-soliciting,” or a way of asking nicely to be fed, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC). This link between licking and showing respect for a pack leader is why, in general, behavior experts like Forbes view licking as a submissive behavior in the majority of dogs.
So, why is my dog licking me?
“Dogs will lick their owner for many reasons,” says Sally Grottini, a canine behavior expert for JustAnswer with over three decades of experience based in Danville, Pennsylvania. Showing affection, feeling anxious and exploring different scents are a few of the most common, she says. But all of the experts we spoke to agree that the exact reason your dog loves to lick you is highly individual, so it may take a little sleuthing to get to the bottom of your dog’s behavior.
To figure out what’s motivating your dog to lick you, start by looking at the context of the situation, advises Pam Nichols, a doctor of veterinary medicine and owner of Animal Care Daybreak, an American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) accredited animal hospital in South Jordan, Utah. In particular, she suggests watching for subtle facial and body cues, detailed below, that can hint at how your dog is feeling. From there, check out these top reasons why dogs lick their humans to determine the most likely cause behind your pup’s licking.
Dogs lick you to show affection
According to the earlier mentioned study from the Journal of Small Animal Practice, licking during a puppy’s first few weeks of life is not only imperative for their development, but also a way for a mother to bond with her newborn. With this in mind, your dog may be licking to show they are happily bonded to you, especially if they do it a lot.
“Dogs that lick their owners more often are showing that they are content and bonded with the owner,” Grottini says. She also points out that some dog breeds naturally tend to lick more than others. “Labrador retrievers, one of the friendliest and [most] loving breeds, are prone to lick their humans more than others,” she says. “It is their way of showing affection. Breeds that are more aloof, such as huskies or malamutes, are less likely to lick their humans.”
Wondering if your dog is licking out of love? These signs that your dog is happy and comfortable provide probable context that they are licking to show affection, according to the experts we spoke to:
- A relaxed facial expression.
- Their jaw is loose.
- Their eyes are soft.
- Their body is free of tension.
Dogs lick you when they are feeling stressed
On the opposite end of the spectrum, another common reason dogs lick you is in an effort to self-soothe when they are feeling stressed, anxious or uncomfortable. “When a dog licks, it releases dopamine and endorphins, which can make them feel more relaxed,” Grottini explains.
There are telltale signs that licking may indicate stress or anxiety in your dog, Nichols says. “Check for subtle cues like tight facial muscles and tense or rigid body muscles,” she says. Here are a few more common signs of stress in dogs which may suggest your dog is licking you to try and calm their nerves, according to the experts we spoke to:
- They have a tense closed jaw.
- Their ears are pushed backward.
- Their eyes are wide and more white is visible than normal.
- Their tail is tucked between their legs.
- Their hackles are raised.
Dogs lick you to taste a scent they like
For the same reason your dog will lick the floor after you accidentally drop a delicious piece of turkey out of your sandwich, they will not hesitate to lick you if they catch a whiff of something they like on your skin — no matter where or what it is.
“Different parts of the human body will have different scents to the dog, which may make it more appealing to them,” Grottini says. For example, the bottom of your feet emit a very different scent than your lips after a meal.
So, did you just finish eating a delicious hamburger or taking a bubble bath full of essential oils? Both of these things could leave your skin smelling interesting to your dog, which would give him reason to want to investigate with his tongue.
Dogs lick you out of habit
There’s a reason why positive reinforcement, whether it’s giving your dog praise, play or treats after they do what you ask, is such an effective training technique. When a dog is rewarded for a certain behavior, they will want to do it again and again in the future, according to AKC experts. The same theory may apply for why your dog is licking you as well.
For example, if you reward your dog’s sleepy post-nap kisses with smiles and affection — like I am admittedly guilty of — it’s more reason for him to do it in the future. As for my dog’s pre-nap licking habit? The boost of feel-good hormones he gets when licking may be reward enough to continue this behavior before falling asleep. “When it comes to licking at certain times each day, the dog may be using this to release the endorphins and dopamine to help relax,” Grottini says.
Why do dogs lick your face vs. your feet?
Even more so than being drawn to your skin by a certain scent, Nichols emphasizes that the reason dogs choose to lick different parts of your body is because you have let them. If you allow, or even encourage, your dog to lick your face, for example, your lips will become a target for licking because it’s what they’ve grown accustomed to doing. Same goes for why dogs lick your feet, your legs and your hands.
Why do dogs lick strangers?
“Dogs can use licking as a sign of dominance, so it is important to watch the dog’s body language,” Grottini says. If there are other signs of dominant behavior, including jumping or growling, your dog may be trying to establish himself as the leader of the pack by licking people he hasn’t met before, she explains.
Another possible reason for why your dog likes to lick strangers? “No two humans smell alike, and a stranger may have more interesting scents on their skin than the owner,” Grottini says.
How to stop your dog from licking you (and others)
If your dog’s licking is excessive, or you simply want to stop the behavior, the first thing to do? Stop letting them lick you, Nichols says. “Then give them positive reinforcement when they behave the way you want them to, or when they stop licking.” She also suggests giving them gentle reminders that you don’t want to be licked by pulling away or using a verbal cue. Nichols’ favorite thing to say to redirect a dog from licking? “Aah ah!”
Grottini also recommends training your dog to obey a “leave it” command, which teaches them to stop what they are doing, whether it be licking or another undesirable behavior, and turn their attention to their owner.
When to contact your vet about your dog’s licking
Similar to when you spot your dog excessively licking their paws, an underlying medical condition could be a potential reason why your dog is excessively licking you. According to Nichols, you should seek support from your vet if you notice any of the following in your dog along with their licking:
- Nasty mouth odor.
- Discolored saliva.
- Licking to the point of creating wounds.
- Licking the carpet or the floor, as well as your skin.
Excessive licking can point to allergies and certain skin conditions in dogs, as well as behavioral conditions. If other repetitive behaviors that serve no useful function, such as tail chasing, pacing or spinning, start showing up with your dog’s licking, this also warrants a trip to the vet because they could be linked to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), Grottini explains. “This is usually seen in dogs that have anxiety,” she says. She adds that a vet can prescribe medications for your dog to help with their diagnosis.
The bottom line
Your dog has associated licking with nourishment and bonding since their very first weeks of life because it’s built into the way mothers care for their newborns. But canine instincts aside, the reason why your dog loves to lick you is highly individual to your pup, according to experts.
“For a lot of dogs, licking is a submissive behavior, but sometimes it’s medical,” Forbes says. The best way to figure out why your dog licks you so much is by observing their body language and facial expressions while they are licking your skin, and paying attention to the context. As long as there aren’t concerns of stress, discomfort or an underlying medical or behavioral issue, owners should feel free to embrace the puppy kisses.
