Why Do Dogs Lick Your Face?

Licking is an instinctive dog behavior that dogs use to communicate with their owners and other animals. A dog’s lick can mean a lot of different things.   They could be trying to give you a message, gather some information about you, keep you clean or maybe they just love the taste of your skin.   A dog lick can serve multiple purposes, making it a little hard to figure out at times.   So why do dogs lick?  Here are some reasons:

1. Your Dog Likes The Taste Of Your Skin

Many people assume that their dogs lick them to show affection. While this may be true, your dogs may also lick you because they like the taste of your skin. The food traces on your skin or the scent or salt on your skin also may cause them to lick you.

2. Your Dog is Showing You Affection

Your dog loves you! Licking to show his affection is a behavior that is learned from their mother when they are young.  Maternal licking and licking among litter-mates helps in strengthening family bonds. Therefore, a dog licks to express his love for you and to strengthen the family bond.

2. Your Dog is saying “I’m Hungry”

Dogs use licking to communicate that they are hungry. Puppies lick their mothers’ lips to stimulate a regurgitation reflex so that they can feed on the food vomited by their mother. Wild dogs lick their leader’s face to beg for food. Therefore, if your dog licks your face around feeding time, he might be trying to tell you that he’s hungry and ready to eat.

3. Your Dog is Relieving Stress

Licking can be a self-soothing action that helps to relieve stress. Dogs like to lick as this releases pleasurable endorphins that often gives them a sense of comfort and security. Additionally, during nervousness, a dog will lick to calm its nerves and reduce the stress level.

4. Your Dog Wants Attention

Dogs often lick people to gain their attention. A dog tries to attract owners attention through many ways, including a tap using its paw, howling or barking. But if the dog doesn’t get the desired attention, it may result into licking. In order to seek your attention, your dog will lick your arm, hand or face. Try to learn what your dog wants to tell you through its licking.

5. To Gather Information

Dogs lick because they are curious to know how you are feeling and where have you been. Dogs have special receptors in the nose and mouth that help them to interpret the scented molecules of your sweat. By licking your face, your dog will be able to determine whether you are happy or depressed.

6. To Clean Up

Dogs lick to clean themselves or their young ones. The same way, they want to make sure you are clean. Your dog may be concerned about your hygiene and might be grooming you to help keep you clean.

Does Your Dog Lick Your Face?

Many dog lovers don’t mind their dogs licking them, but if the behavior is annoying you, you must train them to stay within the limits you set. However, our dog walkers don’t mind when their fur friends lick them once in a while to show their affection and we would love to meet your dog.  Give us a ring at 201.446.1999 or email us at [email protected] today.