A dog is not only a man's faithful friend, but also a very emotional animal that can express its feelings in different ways.
One of the most common is licking the owner.
Why does a dog lick its owner and what does it mean by this?
Showing love and affection
A dog learns to lick as a puppy, when a mother licks her puppies to clean them and help them breathe.
Puppies also lick their mother to ask for food or to show submission. This instinct remains with the dog throughout its life, and it may lick its owner for the same reasons.
By licking the owner's face or hands, the dog shows its love, recognition and respect. It also remembers his scent and leaves its own on him.
Support and sympathy
A dog may lick its owner if he is upset, sick or injured. This is due to deep instincts, because with the help of the tongue the dog heals its wounds and comforts its relatives.
In this way, the dog tries to help the owner or express its sympathy and support.
Thirst or lack of vitamins
Sometimes the reason for licking the owner may be more prosaic: the dog is simply thirsty or lacks some vitamins or microelements.
In this case, it can lick not only the owner, but also other objects or surfaces. To avoid such behavior, you need to ensure that the dog always has fresh water and a balanced diet.
How to stop a dog from licking
Although licking the owner is a sign of love and trust on the part of the dog, not all people enjoy this type of contact.
In addition, dog saliva may contain various bacteria and parasites that can be dangerous to humans. Therefore, some owners want to wean their pet off this habit.
The following methods can be used for this:
• Ignore licking. If your dog tries to lick you, do not respond to it in any way: do not pet it, do not talk to it, do not look it in the eyes. This will show it that you do not approve of this behavior and do not want to encourage it.
• Turn away or move away. If ignoring doesn't work, you can try turning away from your dog or standing up and moving away from him. This will show him that licking results in the end of attention and contact.
• Offer an alternative. Instead of allowing your dog to lick you, you can offer him something else to do: a toy, a treat, a command, or a game. This will redirect his attention and energy to a more useful and safe activity.
• Reward the desired behavior. If your dog doesn't lick you when you pet or cuddle him, praise him and give him a treat. This will reinforce the desired behavior and help your dog associate it with the reward.
Licking the owner is one of the ways a dog expresses its feelings and needs. To properly understand and respond to this behavior, you need to consider the reasons, motives, and context of licking.
If you want to break your pet of this habit, use kind and positive methods that will not damage your friendship and trust.
