Why does my dog lick my face?

Whether you love it or hate it, dogs love to lick faces. It’s a fact, and the more excited they are, or the younger they are, the more they love to use their tongues. Whilst humans would associate this oral fixation with affection, it’s important to remember your dog doesn’t have the same thought process as you.

Even the most affectionate dog owner can find these ‘kisses’ inconvenient at times, so it’s a good idea to learn a bit about why they love a lick so you can curb this behaviour when needed.

Why do puppies lick?

To understand why they love to lick us, we first must understand what dogs use their tongues for, to begin with, and there are a lot of reasons that come from their first few days of life:

• As soon as a puppy is born, its mother will lick it to clean it up after birth, ensure it’s taken its first breath, and stimulate blood flow. A newborn pup will be licked by its mother to help it go to the toilet, and the mum will use her mouth and snout to nudge any pups reluctant to feed.
• Most mummy dogs will have several puppies per litter, and with no hands or opposable thumbs, she takes care of them with her mouth – not to mention the odd nip when they need to be taught some basic puppy manners.
• Most puppies are born with their eyes closed and don’t start to open them until they’re a week or two old. They rely on their sense of taste, smell, and sound for those first couple of weeks. They’re using their nose to find milk, and their tongues come out once they’re close.
• Over the next few weeks, they learn their place in the world through communication with their mother and siblings. When their behaviour needs to be modified, they’re given a nip, when they’re shown affection it’s a lick.

This behaviour will often follow them into adulthood. A grown dog will nip to prove dominance and lick to show submission.

Why do dogs lick humans?

When puppies transition from being surrounded by their canine family to a human family, it can be a confusing time for them. As they grow and learn they keep some of their puppy behaviours to help them adapt to their new human pack including being led by their sense of smell and taste.

• Therapeutic grooming
  • Dogs don’t just lick themselves to keep clean; they do it for comfort, too. When we stroke their fur, they again associate this gentle repetitive motion with feeling relaxed.

They can’t stroke us like we do to them, but they can lick us to tell us they’re trying to do something nice and comfort us.

• Scent
  • Does your dog ever go into lick overdrive when you’ve just got out of the shower? You’re nice and clean, and before you know it, you’re covered in dog slobber. From your dog’s perspective, you don’t smell quite like you should. You’ve used shower gel or soap, and it’s covered the natural scent your dog is used to for a while.

By licking you, your dog’s trying to impart their familiar scent back onto you – don’t forget, their mothers would lick them to keep them clean, so they don’t understand why you’re using chemicals.

• Taste
  • If you’ve just gone for a run or it’s the end of a long hot day, you might be looking forward to jumping in the shower, but that’s when you’re at your tastiest to your dog.

The salt in human sweat is very appealing to dogs, so they love to lick you when you’re especially sweaty.

• Hierarchy
  • Submissive dogs lick other dogs to show they acknowledge who’s in charge. The dog doing the licking will often make itself smaller, avoid direct eye contact, and lick somewhere that could be vulnerable, like the neck or near the eyes.

Sometimes, they lick their human companions because they know you’re the boss and let you know they know it.

• Conditioning or accidental training
  • Some dogs will lick you because you’ve accidentally taught them that’s how they’ll get your attention. If you react, even negatively, they can learn a quick lick, which is an excellent way to get you to interact with them, even if your reaction is negative from your perspective.

Is it ok to let my dog lick me?

For the most part, it will come down to the individual preference of the owner as to whether the odd lick is OK, but there’s some basic science even the most dedicated dog lover should be aware of.

Cornell University lecturer Dr. Leni K. Kaplan explains zoonotic bacteria. Zoonotic bacteria are bacteria that can be passed from animals to humans and cause disease. Things like E. coli and salmonella can make humans very sick, and in the young, old, and those with some underlying health conditions, they can prove fatal.

Whilst it’s unlikely these zoonotic bacteria can be absorbed through your skin, any dog saliva that gets near your eyes or mouth or even a cut on your skin could make its way into your body.

Does that mean my dog should never lick me?

No, so long as you don’t mind, licking will help your dog understand your world. You might want to ensure they’re not licking any small children, which can cause hygiene and pack hierarchy challenges. Try to discourage too much face licking, but the odd reassuring lick to the hand (assuming there’s no broken skin) will help your dog.

How do I stop my dog licking me?

While dogs don’t understand the reasons you don’t want to be licked, they do know why they want to lick you. If it’s a behaviour you want to discourage, it should be done gradually. Don’t scold them or offer any interaction; walk away, and they’ll start to learn a lick doesn’t garner an interaction.

In exchange, you must ensure they still get whatever they need from the lick interaction. If they’re licking you for comfort, ensure they’re stroked often. If the only time your dog gets any interaction from you throughout the day is a pat on the head as you move about the home, find a few minutes here and there to sit with them. Once they know they’ll get regular attention, the need to request it should recede.

If you can identify specific behaviours behind their lick, you can combat it. For example, if you’ve been for a run and are sweaty, go straight to the shower without letting your dog lick you. If you’ve had something tasty to eat and your dog is intrigued by the smell, wash your hands before interacting with your dog.

Whilst dogs use their mouths to understand the world around them, it doesn’t mean they always know what’s good and bad for them. If you’re ever concerned your dog might have consumed something that can make them ill, you’re always advised to contact your vet. At Petcover, we reimburse 100% of eligible vet bills, so it’s one less thing to worry about. Get a quote today.