Dog Behavior

5 reasons why dogs lick their owners

It’s their way of showing you how happy they are when you come home. They jump on you and lick your face. However, they can also do it to communicate with you, to reproduce situations from their childhood, out of habit, or even to deal with stressful situations.

Find out why 5 possible meanings of dog licking on their master:

1. Show their affection

The reason that seems the most obvious to many dog owners behind this behavior is the display of affection. What master (s) has never known the happiness of returning home after a long absence receiving a warm welcome from his dog with a few licks on the face.

Let’s say it, all skin areas within reach of the tongue. On the other hand, take care that this behavior is not systematic, because it can be problematic (in particular in terms of hygiene) for those around you or any person your dog will come across.

2. Communicate

Communication can be bodily, such as when the dog wags its tail or barks. He tries to tell us something through these gestures. It’s the same when he licks; your dog may want to tell you that he needs to eat. Indeed, the puppy has a habit of practicing licking on his mother in order to tell her that he is hungry and that he wants to obtain food. He, therefore, reproduces it by mimicry in adulthood, thinking that you will understand him as his natural mother.

3. Get your attention

Dogs not only want to love but also want to be loved. They love to receive your attention and will do anything for it. Lick you, jump on you… These are all attempts to get your attention. Your role and responsibility in this type of licking should not be underestimated. It is you who will encourage this practice simply by the reaction you will have to the licking. If at each lick, you react systematically (whether it is to give him a caress or an admonition), your dog gets what he wants: a reaction from you. This is only what he is looking for and you give him satisfaction.

4. A gesture to soothe a stressful situation

For dogs, licking can also be a marker in an attempt to soothe a situation in which they are feeling stressed. The dog does it by mimicry in memory of his childhood. When he was a puppy, his mother used to lick him and his siblings to defuse a conflict or reassure the litter in the face of an anxiety-provoking event. Thus, it may happen that your dog licks you when you are scolding him (as a sign of appeasement) or when he finds himself in the middle of an argument between you and a loved one. It is moreover a ritual of appeasement that it can also reproduce with an aggressive congener in order to attenuate the conflict.

5. Develop their senses

Dogs are hunters by nature. They are endowed with unusual senses for exploring places and discovering objects. Their language also serves as an investigative tool. So he can lick you just because he likes the taste of your skin. Sweat can satisfy his taste buds just like moisturizer or still scented water after leaving your shower. Many dog owners are amazed to see their pet rush to lick their legs when they get out of the shower, the secret is finally revealed.

Dog Behavior

Understanding a Dog’s Emotions | The Ultimate Guide

Table Of Contents

Feeling or emotion?
Understanding a dog's emotions
How to react to their emotions

Your dog experiences fear, fear. He may have so-called phobias. He jumps for joy when he sees you, wags his tail. No doubt, your dog is gifted with sensitivity and displays emotion. However, can we consider that these emotions lead to feelings?

Feeling or emotion?

It is clear that emotion originates in the limbic system in humans and animals. Your dog is no different from you on this point. He feels a plethora of emotions. Sadness, fear, fear, joy. He senses your indifference or, on the contrary, your extreme presence.

Feelings come from the consciousness of the human being. They are the consequence of the emotions felt. Many studies have concluded that feeling, in the true sense of the word.

however, if your dog’s emotion translates into an extreme resemblance to certain human feelings, it is only a consequence of your pet’s ability to sponge. Through education and learning, your dog will send back desired emotions, which you can mistake for feelings.

Understanding a dog’s emotions

Several factors make it very easy to identify your dog’s emotion :

When he wags his tail when he sees his master, he feels joy. This can be the case when you get home. Your dog will be hopping.
Barking is also a good indicator of your dog’s emotional state. You just have to listen to its frequency. This may cause your dog to show fear as well as anxiety. He can warn of a danger or concern at home.
Your dog often expresses his fear in multiple ways. He withdraws, licks himself to the point of tearing apart his coat.
When he feels superior and perceives fear in a human or another dog, your dog becomes dangerous because he is dominant.

How to react to their emotions

If the dog seems incapable of expressing his feelings, he has a great capacity for analysis. All your actions are constantly analyzed, observed, scrutinized by your pet. He probably knows you better than you think. As proof, what if you get up and go get a leash? He will know the promenade is near. He will jump and show his joy.

On your side, you must perceive all the emotions of your dog thanks to the many signals which it emits. You have to meet his needs. Reassure him in case of fear, caress him. Their sensitivity is heightened. In this he is like you.