why dogs lick us

Dogs licking humans is a very common behavior that could be due to various reasons. Understanding this behavior can, thus, improve the relationship between dogs and their owners. Here are the main reasons for dogs licking us:

 

1. Affection and Bonding

Licking is mainly a form of expression of love and affection for dogs. Just like humans embrace or cuddle, so do dogs, perhaps, by licking to bond with their owners to show they care about them. This behavior can be seen in puppies with their mothers or littermates, which reinforces the idea that licking is a social and affectionate gesture.

 2. Communication

There is no verbal language to dogs, so they communicate through body language and physical expressions. Licking can mean submission, especially when a dog licks another dog or person of lower rank in the social order. It conveys respect and defers the individual as means of communication regarding an order of precedence between them.

3. Curiosity and Exploration

Dogs explore their environment using their mouths, just like humans do with their hands. This is how they learn and find out about the world or the people in it. They are, hence, drawn by intriguing aromas, tastes, and textures which they feel on human skin.

4. Grooming Behavior

In the wild, dogs not only groom themselves but also each other. Licking may be an instinctual behavior creating bonding and social agreement among dogs. If your dog licks you, it could be trying to "groom" you because it considers you part of its pack—its way of showing affection.

5. Attention-Seeking

Dogs quickly learn that licking will get their person's attention, whether it's positive attention—petting, verbal praise—or, more often than not, negative attention: being told to stop. If a dog wants a little affection or interaction, licking will get a reaction from you.

 6. Stress Relief

Dogs also lick to self-soothe. That is, licking comforts them; it calms down their anxiety. So, this licking behavior can have the same results: it calms them down reduces the anxiety, thus it could help.

 7. Health and Healing Instinct

Dog saliva does have some antibacterial properties, so wild dogs would also lick their wounds to clean and help them heal. If your dog licks a particular area on you, this may be the indication that you need some attention in that area, or it's just instinctively trying to "help."

8. Hunger or Thirst Signal

Sometimes, dogs lick their owners as a way of saying, "I'm hungry or thirsty." They may associate licking with the prospect of food or water.

Though licking by dogs is very often harmless and based on affection, it's usually helpful to know reasons behind this action so that the owner can better understand his pet. Either excessive or compulsive licking could precipitate anxiety or other health conditions that would call for one's attention. In general, it's a multi-dimensional behavior that underlines the great relationship between human beings and their dogs.