Why Does My Dog Lick Me?

Since puppyhood, dogs use licking as a form of hygiene and communication — mothers who've just given birth lick their puppies to clean them and show them affection, a primal instinct they'll never forget.

If your dog licks you, it could be for several reasons, from an expression of affection and a sign of calm, to asking for food, or even a way of trying to heal you if it senses you're sick or injured.

At SoyUnPerro, we'll go over every reason a dog licks its human and how it should be interpreted. Ready?

My Dog Licks My Face, Mouth, and Ears

If your dog gives you licks on the face, it's because it wants to show you affection. If you stop to think about it, when our dog licks our face, we usually laugh or give it cuddles in return.

They quickly pick up on that positive energy, learning it's something we enjoy. That's why they often go for our face, mouth, or even our ears — they're all experts at making us feel good.

In the canine language between dogs, when a dog licks another dog's face or mouth, it sends a signal of calm, that everything's fine and there's no reason to get nervous. Dogs also use this same signal with us — it's a sign of calm.

Another reason a dog might lick our face, especially the mouth, is that it detects leftover food or food smells. We all know how food-obsessed they are, and often they're simply tasting what we've eaten, or, in their own way, asking us for a bit of it.

My Dog Licks My Hands or Feet a Lot

When a dog licks our hands or feet a lot, there can be two main reasons. The first is hygiene — dogs lick their own paws to clean them, and in the same way, they try to clean us with licks, even when we're already clean.

It's an affectionate way of grooming us — they don't know we're clean, they're simply grooming us the way they groom themselves and their body. If it bothers us that they lick so much, we shouldn't scold them — we should just redirect their attention with a game or a treat to distract them.

The second reason your dog licks your hands or feet is respect — it's a sign of calm. Canine language is much more complex than we humans think.

Licking a human's hands is a sign of respect and calm, even submission. It shows the dog is very comfortable with you, and that's why it sends you that signal of calm and peace, of respect.

My Dog Licks My Wounds — Is It Good That It Does This?

Dogs instinctively lick their own wounds constantly to disinfect them — their saliva is, in a way, antiseptic, though that doesn't mean it's beneficial for humans.

Your dog licking your wounds is a very positive thing, since it's trying to heal you — it's a way of expressing its affection and respect for you, caring for you. That said, even though we shouldn't scold it for doing this or trying to, we should prevent it by redirecting its attention with something else, like a toy or food.

Dog saliva is beneficial for wounds on dogs, but not for wounds on humans. Humans need to use other things to disinfect our wounds, like hydrogen peroxide or iodine.

If a dog licks our wounds, they're very likely to end up getting infected, which is why we should prevent it. Not through punishment, but through distraction. On another note, it's scientifically proven that dogs are able to detect illnesses.

If your dog sniffs or persistently licks a specific part of your body, like your back or an area near your kidneys, etc... you might be sick without knowing it yet. That said, it may have already detected it. See a doctor and get a checkup.