How to look after your pet's teeth
90% of cats and 80% of dogs suffer from some form of dental disease.
Read more4 February 2019
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.
To understand why they love to lick us, we first must understand what dogs use their tongues for to begin with and there’s a lot of reasons that come from their first few days of life:
This behaviour will often follow them into adulthood, a grown dog will still nip to prove dominance and lick to show submission.
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.
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.
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.
The salt in human sweat is very appealing to dogs which is why they love to lick you when you’re especially sweaty.
Sometimes they lick their human companions for the same reason, they know you’re the boss and they’re letting you know they know it.
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 about zoonotic bacteria. Zoonotic bacteria is 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, it 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.
No, so long as you don’t mind, licking will help your dog understand your world. You might want to make sure they’re not licking any small children as this 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.
Whilst dogs don’t understand the reasons you don’t want to be licked, they do understand 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, just walk away and they’ll start to learn a lick doesn’t garner an interaction.
In exchange, you need to make sure they’re still getting whatever they needed from the lick interaction. If they’re licking you for comfort, make sure 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’re moving 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’re able to identify specific behaviours behind their lick, you can combat it. For example, if you’ve been for a run and your 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 you interact 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, it’s always advised you 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
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