The dog is indulging in his favorite pastime again – licking my face. Of course I love my baby but her wet sloppy kisses as well as the raspy tongue that laves my nose, face, ears with her icky drool is a less than pleasant show of affection. Of course I know that licking is an innate behavior of dogs as their tongue is used to discover their environment but this dog is really a compulsive licker.
Licking is a habit learned by dogs from puppyhood. Mother dogs would lick the puppies clean. The puppies will be licked clean by the dam after they have pooped and peed. Experts tell us that mother dogs would instinctively lick puppies to aid their digestion and circulation processes. On the part of the puppies, the licking can be a plea to be allowed to nurse. Puppies that are about to be weaned would lick the lips of the dam as an encouragement to regurgitate food. You can be sure that your pet loves you because licking is done to show affection. You would wonder at the maternal instinct that makes mother dogs lick puppies that have crawled away from the mother’s warmth. Being affectionate creatures, puppies would lick not only the mother dog but also the littermates.
It is perfectly normal for dogs to show affection through licking. Because of the affectionate nature, dogs are considered as members of the family. As such the affection and the licking that are given to the dam and to the littermates will now be given to the human family. This is one of the reasons why your pet licks you. It will be noted that dogs that do not receive the same care and affection from their owners would not have the inclination to lick their owners.
You know that your pet is a pack oriented animal. Being pack oriented, the dog would have to look up to the leader of the pack. Apparently, the dog’s inclination to lick you is a show of submission. Licking is one of the ways by which a dog can have the approval or the attention of the master. Dogs in a household with more pets often manifest the need to secure the affection of the master. Licking can be a dog’s tactic wanting to get the favors of the master.
You may be annoyed by the dog’s licking behavior because you know that the pet also has the habit of eating disgusting things like feces and rotting animals. The licking habit of the dog would be even more annoying if you see the dog lapping the water in the toilet bowl. Because of these habits, the pet would not think you do not value its affection by trying to curb its licking behavior.
Learn more about why dogs lick and dog first aid at Sarah’s Dogs.
