Why Dogs Lick

When a dog licks a person it can be irritating and uncomfortable, but it all depends on if you have a liking to dogs because otherwise, it's a nice feeling. It's not everybody who would like to be licked by a dog. Dogs also lick other dogs and themselves constantly. It's best to first know the cause of the licking in order to know how to curb it if it gets out of hand. The following are some of the reasons.

For cleaning purposes.

Dogs lick themselves clean. They will use licking as a way to groom themselves, this is by licking their face clean, their pawns and also the body.

We taste good.

Yes, our bodies have a salty taste that the dogs enjoy licking, this will lead to the dog constant licking so as to enjoy that taste. A dog will lick you when you have a new smell and it wants to taste it.

As a form of communication.

A dog may be licking so as to pass a message; maybe it's feeding time, grooming time or it may need something. It's good to check out and see what may be needed and as soon as it's sorted the licking will stop. If its licking another dog maybe it means that it likes the dog.

Attention seeking.

The dog may be neglected and therefore it's seeking to be noticed and recognized. As soon as you take note the licking may stop. A dog may simply want to be included in whatever the owner is doing, maybe they are having a talk and the dog is just out watching.

As a form of affection.

The dog uses licking to show its affection towards the owner and other family members and also towards other dogs. When the dog is constantly licking you, it's a form of affection towards you.

Skin irritation and allergies.

The skin maybe irritable as a result of maybe being dirty and therefore have bred flies which causes constant itching and scratching which the dog will calm down by licking. Allergies also result in a lot of scratching and the dog will resort to licking to calm down. Therefore check the skin so as to be sure.

Injuries and pain.

If the dog has been injured, he will lick the wound constantly to clean it and also because saliva from the dog helps in speeding the healing process. The dog will lick an injured body part to help relieve the pain.

Stress and boredom.

The dog may develop a liking to licking, the reason being bored. When it has nothing to do with its alone, it turns to licking. When the dog has stressed it turns to licking which is good since it helps in relieving stress.

In conclusion, it's advisable to visit a veterinary officer for consultation and also to ascertain the reason behind the licking. When a dog continuously licks one part it should be stopped so as to avoid it turning to a serious wound and to also avoid hair loss.

Source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Dogs-Lick&id=9817422