Ever wished your dog could communicate? Your dog is already communicating with you, and we want to let you in on a little secret. Yes, although your dog may not be 'talking' in the traditional sense, they are constantly expressing themselves to you through body language and various physical cues. Their swinging tail is the most well-known feature, but they also have a tongue that is less well-known. Today, we'll look at six causes of dog licking and what your dog might be trying to tell you. Are you equipped to decipher their code? Read on…

1. Greeting

Dogs have comparable greetings to humans when they want to say "hi" to other dogs or even humans. We may wave to say "hello" when we see someone we know. A classic greeting from dogs is a lick on the hand or the mouth, combined with a wagging tail! Puppies are particularly prone to this. Dogs may lick their own lips as a form of deference while greeting other canines. They might wish to make it clear that they are not a danger.

Your dog will want to know where you've been if you've been away from the house, and they'll utilize licking to do so! Dogs can learn important information by licking our hands in addition to using their sense of smell. Don't lie to them because they are excellent detectives, so don't!

2. Comfort

One of the most common causes of dogs licking is when they've been injured in a paw or other body part (e.g. a cut, allergies etc). When they are in pain, licking comes as a natural response as they attempt to calm and comfort themselves. Keep an eye out for any unusual licking by your dog. Humans can learn a lot about changes in our dogs' health by observing variations in the patterns of licking dogs. Be very careful if your dog licks itself constantly because this can aggravate any existing problems. Whenever in doubt, consult your veterinarian.

If your dog suffers from seasonal allergies, which can cause them to lick themselves excessively, our customer support staff at Dorwest Herbs is always here to help. To aid with any itching and possibly reduce any excessive licking, our specialists can offer guidance on our all-natural allergy medication for dogs. For chapped paws or sensitive skin, our calming natural paw balms and skin balms (which are lick-safe) can be a useful supplement.

3. Keeping Clean

While it's true that many of our dogs enjoy nothing more than digging up something filthy to roll in, dogs generally prefer to keep themselves clean. Another justification for dog licking is this! Dogs have an amazing tool for cleaning their fur and paws—their tongues.

If you've been caught in the rain while taking your dog on a walk, you'll notice this especially well. They frequently roll around to get themselves dry and lick themselves to get rid of any extra water. Watch out the next time you are trapped in a downpour.

4. Affection

If you have many dogs in your home, you might notice that they occasionally give each other a good old wash and brush-up! Dogs frequently lick because it can be a great way for them to bond with people. Your dog was probably licked clean by their mother when they were puppies, which was probably one of their first sensations. They frequently like recreating this with others they view as members of their pack, such as other dogs or even people!

Licking by dogs affects their hormones as well. Endorphins are what they are, and they flood your dog's body to make them feel wonderful. Obviously, endorphins are released more frequently when they lick. We now comprehend why it would be so alluring to them. It provides them a valid cause to be kind to other people!

5. Attention Seeking

Puppy puppy eyes are a traditional approach for dogs to get their people' attention. Licking is still another and offers a further justification for why dogs lick, believe it or not! Your dog will frequently lick at you with the intention of getting some attention from you if they want to interact with you. For instance, a typical human response to getting their hand licked is to take their hand away from their dog's mouth, but where does that hand end up? Yes, it almost always results in petting your dog! If your dog realizes this, it can turn into a habit. Our dogs are incredibly intelligent, don't you think?

6. Anxiety

Your dog may lick himself or herself when stressed. As we've stated above, certain licking, such as self-soothing and cleaning, is quite normal. Are you perplexed as to why your dog keeps licking the carpet and various household items? However, if your dog is overly stressed, this could result in excessive, even compulsive, licking of oneself or household items.

Your dog may be apprehensive for a variety of reasons, so if this behavior develops into a problem, you should seek expert assistance from a veterinarian or behaviorist.

Conclusion

There you have it, then! How can one deed have so many distinct meanings, isn't that amazing? Will you now pay closer attention to your dog's actions to understand what they are trying to tell you? If you've seen any changes in your dog's licking, please let us know.