Enter a keyword below to search for articles and products.
There’s no doubt that dogs are affectionate creatures. And they have numerous ways of showing it. One of these ways is by licking their owners. You may enjoy it when your furry friend comes up and gives you a big ol’ pooch smooch. But why do dogs lick you? In a poll* of dog owners, IAMS™ found a large majority (75%) believe dogs lick people to offer signs of friendliness. That’s definitely a correct assumption. Let’s dive a bit deeper for a better understanding.
Licking has been a social behaviour among dogs since the days of the great-great-great granddaddy wolf. 'It’s a standard canine greeting to lick others around the face,” agrees James Serpell, B.S., Ph.D., Professor of Humane Ethics & Animal Welfare at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. “Junior members of the pack will run around and lick the mouths of more senior members.” But is that all that there is to dog licking behaviour? Or are there more reasons why dogs lick people? Let’s find out!
Here are a few reasons that can explain why dogs like to lick.
For dogs, licking is equivalent to kissing or showing affection. You may have noticed female dogs licking their puppies which is a behaviour that is intended to show affection. And your dog considers you part of their pack, so they show you affection the same way their kind does - by licking.
Dogs are oral creatures and gather a lot of information about their surroundings through taste and smell. Maybe you’re salty after a sweaty run. Maybe you’ve got barbecue sauce on your face. “Dogs can smell a lot better than we can,” says Dr. Jo Gale, BVetMed CertLAS MRCVS, Senior Manager, Global Science Advocacy at Waltham Petcare Science Institute, “so they find a lot more things interesting to lick than we can.” This is despite the fact that dogs only have about 1,700 taste buds compared to around 9,000 in humans.
Have you been too busy with work lately? Or has anything kept you inattentive toward your pooch? If so, it’s probably one of the reasons why your dog is licking you. It is also possible that your dog just got too bored and wants you to play with them, which is why they’re suddenly licking you.
That’s true. Much like humans, dogs can also suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, which can be concerning. It is often triggered due to stress and anxiety and makes the dogs suddenly begin licking. You will need to visit your vet if you suspect this to be the case.
Unlike humans, no other animals have knowledge about or access to proper healthcare. So, when they get injured, their first instinct is to lick their wounds. This helps them numb the pain to a certain extent, and also clean the wound. Thus, when your dog sees a wound on you, their natural instincts kick in and they try to help you by licking the wound, thinking it will clean the wound and lower the pain.
In fact, in ancient Greece, dogs at the shrine of Asclepius were trained to lick patients. In the Middle Ages, Saint Roch was said to have been cured of a plague of sores through his dog’s licking. The French even have a saying, “langue de chien, langue de médecin,” which translates to, “a dog’s tongue, a doctor’s tongue.”
Don’t cancel your health insurance just yet. While a dog’s saliva does have some possible bactericidal properties against some types of bacteria, it can put you at risk of exposure to others. Too much licking can also reopen the wound and cause further infection. With modern medicine, you’re much better off hitting the first-aid kit. And that myth about dogs’ mouths being cleaner than humans’? Not true — both contain over 600 types of bacteria.
While an occasional canine kiss is “aww”-inducing, some dogs can overdo it to the point of annoyance. When this happens, the best thing to do is “completely ignore it and give no attention,” suggests Dr. Jo Gale. “When they stop, provide them with attention.” This acts as a form of positive reinforcement. Over time your dog will learn to scale back on the smooches. Another thing you can try is training them to cut back on the licking. Remember to use positive reinforcement in this case too - reward them with treats or toys when they display good behavior.
Yes, but not always. For dogs, licking is also a way to explore and understand the world and the beings around them. Sometimes it can also be an indication of their OCD.
Your dog may be licking you because of either of these reasons - to show affection, to seek your attention, because they like how you taste, or because they are feeling stressed or anxious.
If a dog keeps licking constantly, it may be because they are feeling anxious or stressed. Sometimes these feelings also trigger OCD in dogs, which can make them lick obsessively. They may also do it when they are bored and want your attention.
Sometimes, dogs choose to show dominance via licking. They may do this with either other dogs of the pack or with humans. Dog licking may indicate dominance especially when the licks are uninvited, and the dog begins showing dominant behaviour. This can include not obeying commands and acting in a demanding way.
A dog’s licking may indicate several things. They are either showing affection or are just bored and need your attention. They may also lick you if they think you taste good or interesting.
Nutrition and bodyweight management are crucial for the health of a pregnant dog and her puppies. While your dog may not require as many doctor visits as people do during pregnancy, you will still need to understand how to take care of a pregnant dog. This can be achieved by consulting your vet who can evaluate and treat her for both internal and external parasites that could pose a threat to her or her offspring. Pregnancy in a dog is one of the most exciting, yet delicate times in the life of a female dog. Hence, providing sufficient care during the early weeks of pregnancy is critical.
Pregnancy in a dog is one of the most exciting, but delicate, times in the life of a female dog and her unborn puppies. As a result, providing sufficient care during the early weeks of pregnancy is critical.
Here are a few signs that will tell you if your dog is pregnant –
It can be difficult to notice anything unusual in your dog during the first few weeks of her pregnancy. However, you can watch out for subtle signs of pregnancy in dogs.
Reduced activity
Your pregnant dog will get tired easily and spend more time napping. For dogs that usually have a high energy drive, this decrease in activity should be considered carefully. It may be difficult to spot a decline in energy in dogs who love resting all day. So, if this is the case, take pay attention to how quickly she feels wearied on walks.
Strange behavior
You will observe certain changes in your dog's behaviour if she is pregnant. For example, she may crave her owner's comfort more frequently. A pregnant dog will spend more time around you, seeking extra attention. At times, she will also prefer solitude and would not want to be bothered. And when given attention, she may appear depressed or even irritated.
Alterations in appetite
Appetite fluctuations are another sign of pregnancy in dogs. She may eat less and even vomit on occasion, early or midway through the pregnancy. However, she may consume more than normal and be unhappy with her meals. These changes are caused by your dog's shifting hormones.
Weight gain and belly enlargement
Your dog's abdomen will grow in size as the puppies grow. This can be one of the most obvious signs of a dog's pregnancy, particularly if your dog hasn't gained weight for any other reason. However, because enlargement of the abdomen happens late in a dog's pregnancy, and if you detect this sign, it’s time to take her to the clinic.
Proper nutrition for pregnant dogs is important in this period. Therefore, extra caution and care should be given while providing food for pregnant dogs and caring for them.
Pregnancy and nursing are not only responsible for many changes in a dog's body, but for changes in her lifestyle as well. If your dog is pregnant or nursing, pay special attention to her changing nutritional needs as she carries, delivers, and nurses her puppies.
| Weeks 1 and 2 |
|
| Weeks 3 and 4 |
|
Weeks 5 and 6 |
|
Weeks 7 and 8 |
|
Week 9 |
|
Before dog pregnancy
There are certain vaccines that you should consider giving your dog before she’s pregnant.
The Canine Task Force of the American Animal Hospital Association believes the following canine immunisations to be essential:
During dog pregnancy
In general, normal pet owners will not need to vaccinate a pregnant female dog. If she is up to date with all her vaccinations, there is usually no need to give her an additional booster shot just because she is pregnant. Moreover, even veterinarians discourage vaccinating pregnant dogs.
The nutritional requirement for large-breed dogs differs from that of small-breed dogs. While you would want to shower your pregnant dog with endless foods and treats, it is best to refrain from it. Overfeeding could lead to obesity towards the end of pregnancy. This will increase the risk of difficult labour, which will thereby cause stress to the dog. Hence, during these delicate times, following the feeding guide provided by your vet is a must.
A small breed dog needs more calories per pound than a large breed dog to sufficiently sustain her puppies during pregnancy as well as breastfeeding. The to-be mother dog’s food consumption should be increased by roughly 15 to 25% as she nears the date of delivery. Small dog breeds should be fed a small breed puppy food. Therefore, choose a highly nutritious puppy diet for your dog based on the size of the breed.
If you're planning to breed your female dog, it’s important to assess her body condition well in advance. Due to the physical demands of pregnancy and nursing, a dog with less-than-ideal health can experience problems.
Be sure to feed the proper amounts of a complete and balanced diet. This will support the mother's healthy weight and body condition before breeding and help maintain her health and that of her babies throughout pregnancy and lactation.
The gestation period for dogs is nine weeks. Pregnant dogs gain weight only slightly until about the sixth week, and then gain weight rapidly.
The energy requirements of pregnant dogs are reflected in the pattern of weight gain. Pregnant dogs will need to consume 25% to 50% more than their normal food intake by the end of pregnancy, but energy requirements do not increase until about the sixth week.
The best diet for pregnant and nursing dogs is a high-quality, nutrient-dense pet food formulated for all life stages. Although puppy diets are generally recommended for pregnant or nursing dogs, large-breed puppy formulas may not be appropriate for this use due to their adjusted energy and mineral content.
Raw foods are not recommended for nursing or pregnant dogs. Most dogs can get by on high-quality dog food alone, so unless your veterinarian suggests otherwise, you should avoid giving your dog any additional vitamins or supplements.
A good option is to give your pregnant dog IAMS™ PROACTIVE HEALTH™ Mother and Baby dog food. It supports the mother’s gestation and milk production for healthy puppy development while also boosting your puppy's training capacity with vital DHA for healthy brain development, making its first year of life a pleasant one.
Pregnant dogs lose weight after giving birth, but their nutritional needs increase dramatically. Depending on litter size, nursing dogs might need two to three times their normal food requirement to nourish their pups. Be sure your nursing mom has plenty of water, so she can generate the milk volume she needs to feed the litter.
To help your nursing dog get enough nutrition, you can try several tactics:
By four to five weeks after birth, most puppies start showing an interest in their mother’s food. Gradually, the puppies will begin eating more solid food and nursing less. At the same time, the nursing mother will usually begin eating less. Most puppies are completely weaned around age 7 to 8 weeks. By this time, the mother's energy requirement is back to normal, and she should be eating her normal pre-pregnancy diet.
