![\"pitbull](\"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/mark-broadhead-NWl6KA6CxAA-unsplash-768x1024.jpg\")
Why does my dog lick my face? 7 reasons why<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nDogs lick their owners’ faces as a regular part of their behavioral repertoire. Dogs can\u2019t speak to us, yet they can tell us a lot through their body language<\/a>. Dogs will frequently lick each other’s faces, and face licking often reveals information about how your dog is feeling.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nLet’s delve in and figure out why your dog is licking your face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Licking faces can be an appeasement gesture<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Appeasement gestures are generally a dog\u2019s way of saying: \u2018\u2019I come in peace. I mean you no harm\u2019\u2019. Face-licking may then mean that they\u2019re just showing their friendliness to others. Even strangers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You might also hear this type of face licking called social deference or submissive licking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Dogs lick faces to be affectionate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s simply a fact that your dog really loves you. It can\u2019t be much of a surprise that they want to kiss you then, is it? Licking brings in your scent and lets your dog feel close to you, making them feel great. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Licking is pleasurable to dogs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Licking releases endorphins and feel-good chemicals to the brain. This is sometimes why dogs often lick their paws, your feet, or your hands sometimes – you know, if they ever need an extra kick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Dogs like to lick food off your face<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll commonly see the family dog waiting patiently underneath the highchair for scraps or doing a clean-up operation on a toddler\u2019s face and hands after dinner. This one is pretty self-explanatory – licking food off a human will simply be very enjoyable for a dog. Face and finger licking good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Face licking to seek attention<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Your dog may have worked out that the perfect way to wake you up from an afternoon nap is with a lovely slap of their tongue on your face. That will give them some much-desired attention they\u2019re looking for, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. Face licking to indicate stress or overwhelm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Stressed dogs will often face-lick, particularly if they\u2019re put in situations where they feel overwhelmed. We talked about body language before. It might mean your dog is trying to say, \u2018I don\u2019t like it. Please stop\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Face licking might be your dog encouraging you to be sick<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Wild canids such as wolves and coyotes regurgitate food for their young. So your dog licking your face might be their way of expressing, \u2018hey I\u2019d like some of that too\u2019 Cheeky,<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Labrador](\"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/james-barker-v3-zcCWMjgM-unsplash-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by James Barker<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIs it bad that my dog licks my face?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nA dog licking faces isn’t a bad thing. It depends on the person and whether they want to be \u2018\u2019the lickee\u2019\u2019. Yes, it\u2019s true that dogs’ mouths carry some germs and bacteria, but not as much as you might think. Do remember that they lick all sorts of things other than people\u2019s faces, and sometimes any poo lying around. You might want to keep that<\/em> off your face. <\/p>\n\n\n\nI personally don\u2019t want a dog giving the inside of my mouth a wash, but a little lick under the chin or the ear is okay. Your mileage may vary. There\u2019s no judgment from us if you don\u2019t mind your dog licking every crevice on your face!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Should I let my dog lick my face?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhether you let your dog lick your face is up to you. It won\u2019t do much harm unless you\u2019re immunocompromised or have an open wound, so the risks of infections are very low. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we said before, us humans actually carry a lot more nasties in our mouths than dogs. <\/strong>But dogs can carry certain parasites and diseases such as hookworms, ringworms, and salmonella in their mouths. Some of these can be zoonotic, meaning they can be passed from humans to dogs. Gross!<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow do I stop my dog from licking my face?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIf you have a dog who is obsessed with face licking and want to stop them from doing it, it doesn’t make you boring. Everyone just has different preferences. Here\u2019s what you can try:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Remove your face<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s as simple as that. Too often, we get in our dogs’ faces to greet them when we come home. For them, it\u2019s like we\u2019re extending our hand for a handshake. If we give them our face, it can invite our dogs in for a face lick as affection. It can be that they\u2019re overwhelmed, so they go for your face as appeasement behavior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Removing the thing your dog wants to lick is a great way of managing their behavior as it stops them from practicing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Offer your dog something else to lick<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
If your dog is keen to say hello and does this by licking your face, then you could let them lick your hands<\/a>, and offer them a lickimat or puzzle toy<\/a> to distract them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Redirect them onto a toy<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
If your dog is going to lick you, offer them a toy to hold instead; they can’t lick you when holding a dog toy<\/a>. Simple as that.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen should I be worried that my dog is licking my face?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAny behavior out of the ordinary that suddenly comes on may be a cause for concern. If you think this is the case, it might be worth speaking to your vet or a behaviorist if you see anything that\u2019s bothering you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You might want to check if there\u2019s any obsessive face licking. This is where your dog doesn\u2019t seem to be able to control themselves and can be your dog\u2019s way of communicating that something\u2019s wrong. They might be saying that they\u2019re in pain, have allergies, feeling anxious or bored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"dog](\"https:\/\/zigzag.dog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/tamas-pap-kA967nN0jAA-unsplash-1-1024x819.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThere we go – that wasn\u2019t too bad. Hopefully, we haven’t made you dizzy. Most of the time, your dog licking you is harmless, but maybe skip the licks if you know they\u2019ve gone for a full pig-out in the woods. Sometimes we don\u2019t know where that mouth has been, but often we do. Ew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You might want to carry on the licking vibe and learn all about why does my dog lick their paws<\/a>. Or if you\u2019re in the mood for something different, why not teach your dog some basic cues <\/a>or even introduce them to puppy training games.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re ready to teach your puppy how to be the best-behaved canine in town, download the Zigzag puppy app<\/a>. Our personalized program will teach your pup all about socialization, being home alone, potty training, manners training, and life skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere at Zigzag, we understand that raising a puppy can be challenging and talking to someone who knows what they\u2019re doing can make you feel much better. Our team of puppy trainers<\/a> will be happy to talk to you via text, email or a simple phone call. Go ahead. They\u2019d love to hear from you. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Let’s delve in and figure out why your dog is licking your face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Licking faces can be an appeasement gesture<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Appeasement gestures are generally a dog\u2019s way of saying: \u2018\u2019I come in peace. I mean you no harm\u2019\u2019. Face-licking may then mean that they\u2019re just showing their friendliness to others. Even strangers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You might also hear this type of face licking called social deference or submissive licking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Dogs lick faces to be affectionate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s simply a fact that your dog really loves you. It can\u2019t be much of a surprise that they want to kiss you then, is it? Licking brings in your scent and lets your dog feel close to you, making them feel great. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Licking is pleasurable to dogs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Licking releases endorphins and feel-good chemicals to the brain. This is sometimes why dogs often lick their paws, your feet, or your hands sometimes – you know, if they ever need an extra kick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Dogs like to lick food off your face<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll commonly see the family dog waiting patiently underneath the highchair for scraps or doing a clean-up operation on a toddler\u2019s face and hands after dinner. This one is pretty self-explanatory – licking food off a human will simply be very enjoyable for a dog. Face and finger licking good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Face licking to seek attention<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Your dog may have worked out that the perfect way to wake you up from an afternoon nap is with a lovely slap of their tongue on your face. That will give them some much-desired attention they\u2019re looking for, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. Face licking to indicate stress or overwhelm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Stressed dogs will often face-lick, particularly if they\u2019re put in situations where they feel overwhelmed. We talked about body language before. It might mean your dog is trying to say, \u2018I don\u2019t like it. Please stop\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. Face licking might be your dog encouraging you to be sick<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Wild canids such as wolves and coyotes regurgitate food for their young. So your dog licking your face might be their way of expressing, \u2018hey I\u2019d like some of that too\u2019 Cheeky,<\/p>\n\n\n\n A dog licking faces isn’t a bad thing. It depends on the person and whether they want to be \u2018\u2019the lickee\u2019\u2019. Yes, it\u2019s true that dogs’ mouths carry some germs and bacteria, but not as much as you might think. Do remember that they lick all sorts of things other than people\u2019s faces, and sometimes any poo lying around. You might want to keep that<\/em> off your face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I personally don\u2019t want a dog giving the inside of my mouth a wash, but a little lick under the chin or the ear is okay. Your mileage may vary. There\u2019s no judgment from us if you don\u2019t mind your dog licking every crevice on your face!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether you let your dog lick your face is up to you. It won\u2019t do much harm unless you\u2019re immunocompromised or have an open wound, so the risks of infections are very low. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As we said before, us humans actually carry a lot more nasties in our mouths than dogs. <\/strong>But dogs can carry certain parasites and diseases such as hookworms, ringworms, and salmonella in their mouths. Some of these can be zoonotic, meaning they can be passed from humans to dogs. Gross!<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have a dog who is obsessed with face licking and want to stop them from doing it, it doesn’t make you boring. Everyone just has different preferences. Here\u2019s what you can try:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s as simple as that. Too often, we get in our dogs’ faces to greet them when we come home. For them, it\u2019s like we\u2019re extending our hand for a handshake. If we give them our face, it can invite our dogs in for a face lick as affection. It can be that they\u2019re overwhelmed, so they go for your face as appeasement behavior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Removing the thing your dog wants to lick is a great way of managing their behavior as it stops them from practicing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your dog is keen to say hello and does this by licking your face, then you could let them lick your hands<\/a>, and offer them a lickimat or puzzle toy<\/a> to distract them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your dog is going to lick you, offer them a toy to hold instead; they can’t lick you when holding a dog toy<\/a>. Simple as that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Any behavior out of the ordinary that suddenly comes on may be a cause for concern. If you think this is the case, it might be worth speaking to your vet or a behaviorist if you see anything that\u2019s bothering you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You might want to check if there\u2019s any obsessive face licking. This is where your dog doesn\u2019t seem to be able to control themselves and can be your dog\u2019s way of communicating that something\u2019s wrong. They might be saying that they\u2019re in pain, have allergies, feeling anxious or bored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There we go – that wasn\u2019t too bad. Hopefully, we haven’t made you dizzy. Most of the time, your dog licking you is harmless, but maybe skip the licks if you know they\u2019ve gone for a full pig-out in the woods. Sometimes we don\u2019t know where that mouth has been, but often we do. Ew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might want to carry on the licking vibe and learn all about why does my dog lick their paws<\/a>. Or if you\u2019re in the mood for something different, why not teach your dog some basic cues <\/a>or even introduce them to puppy training games.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re ready to teach your puppy how to be the best-behaved canine in town, download the Zigzag puppy app<\/a>. Our personalized program will teach your pup all about socialization, being home alone, potty training, manners training, and life skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here at Zigzag, we understand that raising a puppy can be challenging and talking to someone who knows what they\u2019re doing can make you feel much better. Our team of puppy trainers<\/a> will be happy to talk to you via text, email or a simple phone call. Go ahead. They\u2019d love to hear from you. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Is it bad that my dog licks my face?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Should I let my dog lick my face?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How do I stop my dog from licking my face?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
When should I be worried that my dog is licking my face?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n