If you have a dog as a pet at home then you must be aware of the answer. A dog licks hands or feet of a person to show his affection and trust for that person. But it may baffle you sometimes when you find your dog constantly licking you. If that I so, let’s find out why do dogs lick in first place?
Licking your hands or feet is not just about love and trust. It is about taste as well. The dogs like the taste of your skin when it has layers of leftover food or some other eatables. Even when your hands are not smeared with anything, the dogs love to lick your skin because they like the taste of your skin due to presence of natural oils, salt and sweat that collect on your hands naturally through the course of the day.
Dogs also lick when they want to show you their submission towards you. It is a dog’s instinct to show his submission towards his master through licking. In wilderness, the dogs live in packs and they show their submission towards the leader of the pack by licking him. They obviously consider you their leader in the home and show their love by licking you.
Licking is not only a way of showing their submission to you; it has got something to do with dog’s mood also. Actually licking doubles up as a mood booster for the dogs since it leads to release of endorphins in them and helps in relieving stress.
In some dogs, licking develops into a compulsive behavior. If your dog does not stop licking after your directions and keeps licking fervently then it could be a sign of compulsive behavior. Check with your vet for the same. It could arise due to some trauma or accident in his life.
