Why does my dog lick my other dog’s face? Our dogs at times behave very weirdly which is not always easy for us to comprehend. Although once you know where your dog is coming from, their behaviour will start making sense to you.
If you are a dog parent, then by this time you probably know how much your dogs love to lick. They keep licking your hands, face and even other dogs when they meet or come across them. Dogs lick each other’s faces for various reasons, including communication, social bonding, and showing submission.
Do You Know Why Do They Tend To Do This?
Many veterinarians have identified dog licking to be either behavioural or medical. And when it comes to licking other dogs’ faces, it falls under the category of behavioural. Here we will discuss why my dog lick my other dog’s face, and what are the possible reasons behind it.
Understand What Does It Mean When A Dog Licks You
If you are wondering what it means if a dog licks you, then there might be a number of reasons why they might be doing that. When they lick other dogs’ faces or even your hands, it is probably a way for them to signal to you that they are hungry and want to be fed.
The licking also signals the mother to regurgitate some of the pre-digested food for her puppies. Although it might seem weird, it is a useful natural behaviour. Domesticated puppies also exhibit the same behaviour when they grow up. Their licking you refer to their behaviour which naturally means “Please take care of me”!
Most Often Why Does My Dog Lick My Other Dog’s Ears?
We know that you are troubled with the question that why my dog licks my other dog’s face, although it might not just be restricted to their face but also your other dog’s ears. It’s a display of affection and friendship and a way of grooming each other. This can also be beneficial as it wards off ear mites and other worms. However, excessive licking must be prevented as it can cause infections.
The 3 Major Causes Why Does My Dog Lick My Other Dogs Face And Eyes:
Simply thinking about why dogs lick each other’s faces and ears, is not going to answer your question. You need to know the exact reasons why they do so. The three major reasons for doing so are-
- Hunger Pains
Almost all experts are of the opinion that dogs usually lick other dogs’ faces when they have hunger pains. All dogs prefer a good and wholesome meal, and it is their way of showing that they are hungry. Puppies express their hunger by licking their mother’s face. This behaviour is ingrained in almost all dogs since their birth.
- Seeking Attention
Most dogs lick other dogs’ faces to solicit attention. They also lick humans for the same reason. If your dog keeps licking faces and begging you to play, it is probably because they want some of your attention and the same goes with your other dogs.
- Sign Of Respect
Dogs also lick other dogs’ faces as a sign of respect towards them. Even puppies lick their mother’s face as a sign of respect and love. It is a sign of good behaviour as it is the dog’s way of saying please to its elders. It also earns care and protection from older dogs.
Reasons Why Does My Older Dog Lick My Puppy’s Face
The major reasons for adult dogs to lick their puppy’s face are-
1. Playfulness
In order to show playfulness to the puppy, the adult dog/the mother often licks its face. It is a gesture to show the puppy that they are ready to play.
2. Affection And Bonding
Adult dogs also lick the faces of their young ones or other puppies even to show affection and friendship with them. Licking helps dogs to relax and bond with each other.
Is Puppies Licking Older Dogs’ Mouths Natural?
To answer that question, yes it is completely natural for puppies to lick older dogs’/ their mother’s mouths. They tend to do that primarily when they are hungry or when they want their attention.
Do Adult Dogs Licking Other Dogs’ Mouths Cause Them Any Harm?
No, it usually doesn’t cause any harm to other dogs. However, excessive licking can sometimes cause some infections. They usually do this to show love and friendship toward other dogs.
How To Stop Your Dog From Licking Dog Faces?
Now that we have answered your question “Why does my dog lick my other dog’s face?”. Let us discuss some methods using which you might be able to stop them from doing so. Dogs have a natural instinct to lick other dogs’ faces and it is difficult to stop them from doing so. Moreover, it is not aggressive behaviour on their part, rather it is considered to be a sign of respecting them.
It is exactly why there is no need to discourage their behaviour. However, if you find your dog to be constantly licking, you may want to stop them from doing so. Although there is no permanent solution to completely stop this behaviour. These are a few things that you can do to stop them from licking temporarily-
1. Try And Distract Them
The best way to get your dog to stop licking at other dogs’ faces and ears is to distract them. You can try that by using their favourite toys and playing with them. This will take away their attention from other dogs to something else. Although once they are distracted instead of licking other dogs they might start licking you.
2. Try And Train Them Differently
As we have told you earlier, it is extremely difficult to get rid of this behaviour. Training them differently is very difficult. Licking faces is something that dogs do to be rewarded, try and make them believe that they will be rewarded at another place for doing something else. Start distracting them by playing with them. Whenever they come to you, you need to praise them and provide them with some treats.
This will make them realize that coming to you will be rewarding for them and the attention they seek. If you keep training them in this way, soon their habit of constantly licking might be reduced, but it will never completely go away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Why Does My Dog Lick My Other Dog’s Face And Ears?
Ans: This usually happens when two dogs are friendly with each other and they become extremely comfortable with them.
Licking each other’s faces and ears can mean multiple things. Licking each other’s ears refers to showing the level of comfort your dog has with other dogs. Although when they lick each other’s face it might mean they are hungry and needs to be fed. Licking faces is also a display of affection for each other.
Q2. Why Does My Younger Dog Lick My Older Dogs Face?
Ans: All puppies are born with the instinct to lick an older dog’s face. It is mostly used by them to show a display of affection. However, rarely it is done to induce regurgitation in them. A young puppy might lick its mother’s face while it comes inside the room. It is a way of seeking approval from its mother and wants some of her attention.
Conclusion:
Thus, we realize that dogs’ habit of licking other dogs’ faces and ears is their natural instinct and there is not much that can be done about it. We hope we are able to provide you with all the answers to your question of why my dog licks my other dog’s face.
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