Our furry pals have several interesting and delightful behaviors. One of them is licking people’s feet in dogs, making many dog owners frequently wonder “Why does my dog lick me so much?”
Here are some persuasive explanations for why a dog licks you and how it might not be as harmless as it first appears to be.
Reasons Why My Dog Won’t Stop Licking Me
What does it mean when a dog licks you a lot? Let’s examine it in more detail.
They’re Looking After You
A mother dog will lick her puppies to keep them clean, express her affection, and promote physiological processes like pooping. Even mature dogs will lick wounds or those of each other because saliva may keep cuts clean, fight infection, and speed up recovery. Additionally, it is a reassuring gesture that gives their buddies some love when they aren’t feeling their best.
Even among humans, there is a lot of traditional medicine and lore that claims getting licked by a dog would heal you. For instance, the Greek god of medicine was accompanied by a dog, and his temples housed sacred dogs that were said to lick people and heal them.
Maybe Your Feet Taste And Smell Tasty
It is common to know that dogs will happily roll in and eat fairly awful stuff, and occasionally your sweaty, odorous feet will be enticing to your four-legged buddy. Your dog can taste and smell everything you’ve walked in and probably considers it all to be rather delectable, whether it’s the salt from your perspiration adhering to your toes or you’ve unintentionally trodden in some crumbs in the kitchen.
If your dog appears fixated on licking your sweaty feet or arms, they may just love the salty flavor or maybe suffer from a mineral shortage. They probably simply enjoy the way it tastes, though!
The Dogs Want Something
It is impossible to ignore a puppy licking your feet.
When your dog licked your foot, you probably yelled at them, jerked your foot away, or laughed. Your dog will quickly realize that you have focused on them, regardless of whether it is a good or negative engagement. Licking sounds like a wonderful technique to accomplish their simple objective of drawing your attention to them.
Additionally, if your dog may have heard you laugh, the puppy can assume you love them licking your feet. They could have thought it was a little bit of a game as you wriggled your ticklish feet about, which probably appeared amusing as well.
Generally, when a dog licks your feet, you’ll start cuddling them, letting them show the puppy love. Because they will understand that cuddling them is a good thing, they will begin to lick your feet more frequently in an effort to get a short snuggle.
Licking for Stress Release
Endorphin is the hormone that reduces tension and pain. When a dog licks something, this hormone would be released. If your dog frequently licks things, including your feet, their own feet, toys, etc., they may consider this behavior as a way to calm themselves.
Your dog’s foot-licking may be a method for them to relax after a stressful time if there have been fireworks or if you’ve been gone for the weekend.
Consistent licking may be an indication that your dog is stressed or unhappy since it can assist to relieve tension and discomfort. You should have your pet’s veterinarian examine them to make sure there isn’t an underlying issue if the behavior persists or if they exhibit any symptoms of disease or suffering.
It Can Be a Compulsive or Obsessive Behaviour
It can be a compulsive behavior if your dog appears to be licking your feet at all times and for lengthy periods of time. Your feet may be the object of a dog’s near-obsessive need to lick, or it might be something else.
The recurrent behavior of “excessive surface licking” is only one of several that dogs exhibit. It’s always important to check with a veterinarian and maybe a behaviorist to explore what’s causing your dog’s odd behavior as these behaviors might have their origins in medical issues or other behavioral disorders.
Or Simply Said, Your Dogs Are Just a Bit Licky
“What does it mean when my dog licks me?” The transparent answer can be some dogs lick far more frequently than others. If your dog licks your feet, it can be because they are licky in general, and find your feet to be a convenient location to drool.
How To Stop Your Dog From Excessive Licking? Some Helpful Techniques
Despite how strange it may appear, licking is a pretty common dog behavior, and no matter how disgusting it may be, licking feet is also common! There isn’t really a reason to discourage dogs from licking feet unless it starts to become a compulsive behavior or if it is truly bothering you. Most dogs appear to love doing it.
However, you can use positive reinforcement and redirection to urge your dog to do something else, such as lying down or playing with a toy if you wish to stop them from licking your feet. Give a substantial reward, plenty of attention, and praise for the new behavior so your dog learns to use it in place of licking your feet to obtain your attention.
Take a look at these methods to teach your dog to stop licking your feet if it has become a problem:
- Have clean feet: If you still experience dog licking problems, make sure your feet are well cleaned to make them less appealing to dogs. Make sure you get to the shower before your dog can reach your feet if your dog tends to lick you after working out.
- Give no opportunity to your dog: If your dog licks your feet often, observe when they do it most and attempt to predict when you’re most likely to be the victim of a covert lick assault. Also, try to avoid giving your dog the attention they want.
- Discourage your dogs from licking: Give them a chew toy or food puzzle or something that will encourage their licking, such as a lick mat, to divert their attention.
- Shifting your feet farther away: Don’t say anything, don’t look them in the eye, just be neutral. You can try to leave the room or walk away from your dog if this doesn’t help. This should gradually convey to them that it’s not something you appreciate.
- Be consistent with the same message at all times: Your dog will become confused if you provide them with conflicting signals. Be consistent and explicit about what you want them to do and not do.
It’s crucial for any dog’s owner to find out “Why does my dog lick me excessively?” The dog’s owner should calculate the time when their excessive licking first started, then estimate whether they may be worried or ill at the time. Importantly, always see your veterinarian or a behaviorist if you have concerns about your dog’s behavior.
What You Should Know When Dogs Lick Feet?
When Dogs Lick Your Feet?
Dogs (and many other animals) typically lick their feet as a kind of regular behavior.
For most of us humans, licking someone’s foot seems a little strange, but for our pups, it may be a significant ritual of bonding, a relaxing activity, and it could even be pleasant.
Why Do Dogs Lick You?
Jacobson’s organ (generally known as a further sensory organ in dogs) joins the nasal cavity with the roof of the dog’s mouth. So this animal can taste and smell at the same time because of this organ, which helps them to process more data.
Kissing puppies is to show affection and provide them with the attention they need. Dogs may utilize licking to indicate a variety of other emotions, such as obedience and nervousness. Dogs with anxiety difficulties may lick you, themselves, or other things excessively. Some dogs even develop a compulsive licking behavior.
However, excessive licking in dogs may be highly upsetting for owners since it is similar to biting their nails.
Why The Feet?
Sweaty, stinking feet contain a wealth of biological data, including pheromones. Additionally, sweat includes salt, which many dogs find to be tasty.
Since a dog’s sense of smell is between 10,000 and 100,000 times better than ours, your dog can read your feet like a book, telling them what you’ve eaten, how you’re feeling, where you’ve been, and what you’ve been up to.
However, there is a distinction between licking on occasion and habitual licking. If your dog overdoes the licking, there may be a behavioral issue.
There’s a good chance you react right away when your dog licks your feet. If your dog perceives it as a game, this can easily turn into an attention-seeking habit. The good news is that you can protect your toes from additional harm with a little practice.
Is It Acceptable for Dogs to Lick Your Feet?
Dogs may typically lick your feet as long as you frequently wash them. Just watch out that the puppies don’t lick your feet if you’ve recently applied harmful lotions or ointments or if you have an open wound on your foot. We don’t want our dogs’ lips getting into open wounds since we know where they’ve been.
Why Does My Dog Lick My Feet After I Take a Shower?
Although it may sound quite particular, this is really rather typical. Dogs frequently lick our feet after a bath or shower, or even after you’ve applied moisturizer to them. Because they think whatever you used to bathe them all smell or taste appealing.
It’s likely that you smell different after a shower. Your dog may be licking you in an effort to detect your signature scent that may be hiding behind the fragrance of your shower gel.
When Your Dog Licking Their Feet
Why Does My Dog Lick Their Own Feet So Much?
Ask your vet for guidance if your dog has recently become much more inclined to lick its paws. Obsessive licking might be a sign of stress or anxiety, as well as an indication of pain, nausea, discomfort, or itching.
How to Deal With a Dog Who Constantly Licking His Paws?
While it’s totally normal for your dog to be curious about your feet, if he’s constantly licking his paws, there might be a medical issue at play.
Dr. Jerry Klein, the Chief Veterinary Officer for the AKC, advises looking for wounds or abrasions if your dog is just licking one paw (or even an insect bite).
Although licking their paws is an instinctive behavior, licking the wounds can be harmful and result in more inflammation and infection.
Final Words
If there is one thing we can be sure of about dogs, it’s that they enjoy getting licked. They kiss their paws, their furry family members, and yes, even with humans. Don’t worry if your dog constantly licks your feet when you’re cleaning the dishes, relaxing on the couch, or attempting to do anything else without socks. Most experts agree that it’s a harmless activity that shouldn’t bother dog owners.
However, although this practice could be amusing at first, if it persists excessively, it can become tiresome. It is always better to see your veterinarian to determine whether your dog has any underlying medical concerns if no matter what you do, your dog can’t manage to keep their tongue in their mouth.
After reading through our article, you might understand how much it amuses when a dog licks you and how to solve the related issues that you might encounter. Stay tuned for our other articles about this furry adorable animal!