Why Does My Dog Lick Me So Much?

Is a dog lick a kiss? We’re quick to say that a dog licks you because they love you, but what about when they are incessant about it? Do they really love you that much, or could something else be going on? It’s helpful to know when dog licking is a warning sign, if the location matters, and what to do when they are spreading entirely too much love. 

Why does my dog like to lick me?

Your dog may lick you for a variety of reasons, ranging from joy to anxiety. Let’s explore some likely reasons, below. 

Instinct

In the same way a human explores the world with their hands, a dog uses their snout and mouth. This behavior is learned from infancy, starting with licking their mom to solicit what they need, such as food or a potty break. Using licking to communicate is the underlying logic behind a lot of the rest of this list.

Read this related article on Kinship

Why Does Your Dog Lick You When You Pet Them?

What this common behavior means about your dog and you.

Affection

Dogs lick and groom each other as a form of bonding and to provide comfort. Since dogs are the best, this behavior is often displayed towards other species as well, including people. They are also quite adept at reading our body language and can respond to a smiling face by licking it, channeling the excitement they feel when you’re excited, too. When we say dog licks are kisses, this is what we’re talking about.

Attention

As they did with their mom, if a dog needs something, they may lick you. They will do this especially if they learn that licking you leads to you petting them, looking at them, or giving them food or toys. Similar to barking, this is a learned behavior that can sometimes escalate and get out of hand.

Los Muertos Crew / Pexels/

Taste

Since dogs have a strong sense of taste and smell — especially because moving hair through their mouths is actually how they assess pheromones and subtle smells — licking a person is like licking where this person has been and what they’ve touched. If you’ve been eating, sweating, or interacting with other animals, your dog will be that much more interested in giving you a sniff and a lick.

Anxiety

Signs of anxiety in a dog can be subtle. Although a session with a trainer or behaviorist can tell you more about which signs of anxiety your dog displays, lip licking can be one of them. Lip licking is when a dog licks their own snout — but similarly, if you’re near, this behavior can be displaced onto you as well. Since licking is also a way to provide comfort, your dog may lick you if they sense you’re upset. And if they’re upset, they may also lick you in hopes of encouraging you to comfort them.

Compulsion

In rare cases of compulsive disorders in dogs (primarily in senior dogs facing cognitive decline), dogs may exhibit a number of compulsive behaviors, which can include licking. If they lick themselves excessively, they may cause sores. If they lick their environment, they may swallow foreign objects, swallow enough hair to cause obstructions in their intestines, or damage furniture or objects in their home. When you’re the focus of their licking, it may put you at higher risk of what are otherwise incredibly rare complications from dogs licking people.

Appeasement

Similar to licking when anxious, an upset, stressed, scared, or injured dog may offer you licks to encourage you to give them space. In these cases, they will usually give quick licks of possibly increasing strength, and then move their head away from you. They may roll on their backs, spin, or take steps away from you afterwards to create space. It’s helpful to recognize the difference, because some dogs will lick you for attention, while others may be asking for the opposite as nicely as they know how. Ignoring these cues can lead to aggressive behaviors in some dogs, so when in doubt, check in with your vet and maybe a behaviorist.

Related article

Why Do Dogs Lick Everything?

Licking can indicate anything from affection to anxiety to things just tasting good. Here’s what it may mean for your dog, plus tips on how to lessen the behavior.

Illness

One of the most common underlying causes of increased licking is nausea. Several gastrointestinal (GI) diseases have been linked to canine licking, as have some diets and side effects of medications. In more extreme cases, specific types of seizures can present as repetitive behaviors, including licking. If your dog has a sudden change in licking behavior, you should check in with your vet about it.

Pain

An ouchy dog is going to be prone to licking you more. Some of this is related to seeking comfort, or letting you know something hurts, especially if they lick you when you touch a certain area on their body. Other times, it’s because the pain is coming from their mouth. Dental disease can cause increased licking and drooling, but so can nausea. For help identifying why your dog is licking you, always bring up these behavior changes to your veterinarian. 

Does where a dog licks you mean anything?

Where a dog licks you doesn’t have to mean anything, but it certainly can in some cases. When they lick your fingers or face after you eat, this is most likely tied to smelling or tasting food on you. Since dogs are so good at reading our facial expressions and using this to assess our moods, they may concentrate on your face to provide comfort as well. In other cases, they may lick what they can most easily reach, or where they have learned to lick, to elicit the biggest reaction. 

Should I let my dog lick my face?

In most cases, whether or not you let your dog lick your face is a matter of personal preference. A dog licking your face is highly unlikely to do you harm. But if you know your dog is prone to eating poop, drinking toilet-bowl water, having anal gland issues, has rotten teeth, or has been vomiting, you may want to spend more time considering if this is OK.

When is licking a problem?

Most of the time, a dog licking you is no big deal. But there are a few situations where it can be a red flag worth checking out. 

• There’s new or excessive licking: If your dog’s licking behavior is new, has changed, or becomes excessive, this is a sign to see your vet.

• Your dog’s licking takes over your life: If your dog’s licking is negatively impacting your life, and a vet has screened for medical causes, you should seek a trainer or behaviorist to help curb the habit and bring everyone some peace. 

• You are immunocompromised: For anyone immunocompromised, a dog’s mouth can spread a number of dangerous or even deadly bacteria to humans. For this reason, you also shouldn’t allow your dog to lick any infants. 

• You have an open wound: Although dog saliva has been shown to inhibit the growth of some bacteria, it can lead to the growth of other bacteria. So it’s best not to let your dog clean a wound for you.

Pragyan Bezbaruah / Pexels/

How can I stop my dog from licking me?

If you feel like your dog is constantly licking you, the best way to address that is to first understand the underlying cause. If this is a behavior issue, training can help. Here are some things to teach your dog so they lick you less. 

Remember, licking is a normal form of communication for them, so you will likely not see zero licking. If you’re struggling with progress, contacting a local trainer can do wonders. 

• Turn away or neutrally move away the body part they are licking.

• Keep yourself away from your dog until you’ve showered after exercise.

• Don’t engage (or provide attention in any way) when being licked. This includes avoiding eye contact.

• Teach a replacement behavior such as sitting or picking up a toy.

• Focus on exercise and enrichment to limit boredom.

• Reward other preferred behaviors, such as sitting, booping, leaning against you, offering their paw, or whatever it is you want them to do instead.

• Consult with your veterinarian about possible medical causes.

Commonly asked questions

Why does my dog lick me more than anyone else?

Your dog might lick you more than anyone else because they love you most, need something from you, or if you’re the person they find most fun to lick.

Why do dogs lick when you pet them?

Dogs lick when you pet them to give you comfort. We pet our dogs to provide comfort and bond with them. They, in turn, lick us to do the same.

Why do dogs lick your face when you cry?

Dogs lick your face when you cry for two reasons. The first is that tears are salty and can taste good. The other is that dogs rely on our facial expressions to understand our moods, and when you cry, their instinct is to comfort you. They will target the area that seems harmed — such as your face, when you’re crying — the same as they would any other wound. 

Why do dogs lick your mouth?

A dog will lick your mouth because they probably want to smell or taste the last thing you ate. Breathing out through your mouth further increases food smells, so your dog may want to lick you in that area.

Why does my dog lick my lips?

Dogs lick your lips because of the scent there. Your lips will carry traces of whatever you last ate and whatever food is on your breath.

Why does my dog lick my hands?

If you’ve been touching anything tasty, your dog will want a lick. This is also the part of your body you’re most likely to offer to your dog. While we interact with things with our hands, they interact with their mouths — so when you offer your fingers to a dog to lick, think of it as a handshake.

Why does my dog lick my legs?

Your dog licks your legs because it’s what your dog can reach. You also may have brushed up against some other dogs, or if you’ve been sweating, your dog may be enjoying some of the electrolytes your body left on your legs. 

References

Albuquerque, Natalia, et al. “Mouth-Licking by Dogs as a Response to Emotional Stimuli.” Behavioural Processes, vol. 146, Jan. 2018, pp. 42–45, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2017.11.006.

Bécuwe-Bonnet, Véronique, et al. “Gastrointestinal Disorders in Dogs with Excessive Licking of Surfaces.” Journal of Veterinary Behavior, vol. 7, no. 4, July 2012, pp. 194–204, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2011.07.003.

CDC. “About Capnocytophaga.” U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 9 May 2024, www.cdc.gov/capnocytophaga/about/index.html.

Custance, Deborah M., and Jennifer Mayer. “Empathic-like Responding by Domestic Dogs (Canis Familiaris) to Distress in Humans: An Exploratory Study.” Animal Cognition, vol. 15, no. 5, May 2012, pp. 851–859, research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/7074/, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10071-012-0510-1.

Hart, Benjamin L., and Karen L. Powell. “Antibacterial Properties of Saliva: Role in Maternal Periparturient Grooming and in Licking Wounds.” Physiology & Behavior, vol. 48, no. 3, Sept. 1990, pp. 383–386, https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9384(90)90332-x.

jshryock. “Kiss or Dismiss? - Family Paws Parent Education.” Family Paws Parent Education, 11 Nov. 2010, www.familypaws.com/kiss-or-dismiss.

Tammemagi, Martin. “Hazards of Dogs Licking Humans’ Faces.” The Canadian Veterinary Journal, vol. 30, no. 12, Dec. 1989, p. 929, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1681343.

Tynes, Valarie V. “Help! My Dog Licks Everything.” DVM 360, Apr. 2008, www.dvm360.com/view/help-my-dog-licks-everything.