Dogs lick themselves for a lot of reasons. Reasons may be from simply grooming themselves, cooling their bodies, boredom, anxiety, or psychological reasons.
Before you decide that your dog’s licking is excessive, pay close attention to his behaviors. The time of day that your dog licks himself or the activity leading up to the licking.
Why Do Dogs Lick Their Paws?
Dogs lick their paws as part of their normal grooming routine, but anything more than that may be abnormal. Additionally, when dogs lick themselves, endorphins are released in their brain, giving them pleasure and comfort.
Here Are A Few Other Reasons Why Your Dog Might Lick His Paws
Food Allergies
Food allergies cause facial and feet itchiness. Check if your dog is licking his paws and scratching his ear or other parts of his body.
Consider switching your dog’s food to see if that stops his excessive licking, like changing their protein (chicken and beef) diet to a lamb and rice diet.
Seasonal Allergies/ Skin Allergy
An underlying allergy may be the reason why your dogs lick their paws. Pay close attention to your pup to figure out if he has a seasonal allergy. If he starts licking and stops licking at the same time each year, that may be an indication of seasonal allergy.
The Vet’s Best Allergy Itch Relief Shampoo is a great solution for allergy dogs. It has natural ingredients and essential oils that cure skin irritation.
Skin Diseases
Skin disease might be a reason why your dog is licking his paws. Dry skin may be caused by a food allergy or Atopic dermatitis, which is caused when your dog inhales or comes in contact with allergens like molds, grasses, and other tree pollens.
Your veterinarian can treat this seasonal condition by prescribing medications like Atopica for dogs. If you suspect your dog has any skin disease, don’t use any harsh soap or chemicals to treat it; get your dog treated by your vet instead.
Fleas and ticks can cause severe itchiness that can lead to compulsive paw licking and chewing. Boredom or anxiety can sometimes cause your dog to lick himself excessively to relieve stress. Don’t punish your dog for his behavior. Use positive reinforcement training techniques as a way to distract your dog from licking himself.
Ask your veterinarian to do a thorough examination to determine the exact cause and best possible treatment to cure your dog’s excessive licking.
Why Do Dogs Lick Their Nose?
Dogs lick their noses to transfer all sorts of scent particles to their scent detection glands to interpret better and understand their environment, and these particles stick better on wet surfaces.
A dry nose is uncomfortable for your dog, and it interferes with their ability to be great sniffers. Sense of smell is one of the dogs’ strongest strengths.
The moisture in your dogs’ noses helps them analyze and understand the world around them. Dogs cannot smell efficiently without a wet snout, which can cause them to become agitated.
Dogs also lick their noses to cool down because their noses are densely filled with blood vessels and capillaries that cause the blood circulating in their nose to cool down when they lick their noses.
Why Do Dogs Lick Your Feet?
When your dog licks your feet, he gathers information through the millions of scent receptor cells in his nose and mouth to process information. Sweat glands release moisture that contains salt, water, and waste products. Sebaceous glands release sebum and are located near hair follicles.
The sweat can mix with these secretions to provide a more complex message for the dog regarding the person they just licked. The salt in your sweat may also be tasty to them.
It is your pooch’s way of expressing his need to bond with you in a way that makes sense to him. He might be trying to say, hello, I am here, pay attention to me or let us play.
Why Does My Dog Lick Me?
Dogs lick your face as their way of demonstrating friendliness or a pacifying gesture. It’s your dog’s way of affectionately bonding with you or gathering information about you. Endorphins are released in your dog’s brain when he licks you, which calms and makes him happy.
Your dog may also lick you to communicate to you that he is hungry. If your dog licks you around feeding time, he may be trying to let you know that he is ready to eat. Licking is a natural instinct relating to your dog’s wild ancestors. Your dog may lick you as a sign of submission and a way of showing his respect and obedience.
Licking is a natural instinct relating to your dog’s wild ancestors. Your dog may lick you as a sign of submission and a way of showing his respect and obedience.
