All dogs lick, and often, the behavior is perfectly natural. However, some dogs may lick too much, which could be worrying. If an underlying behavioral or medical cause exists for excessive licking, it might require some intervention on your part to help your pup feel better.
Why do dogs lick?
It's not uncommon for a dog to lick because of behavioral reasons rather than medical reasons. Licking that is more than grooming , exploring their world or showing affection should be considered excessive. When considered excessive, licking can cause harm to the underlying skin, or can be compulsive and difficult to curb.
6 behavioral reasons dogs lick
There are quite a few behavioral reasons that could motivate your dog to lick a little too much. Often when this is the underlying cause, it will be just the front feet that are licked, likely because they're easiest to access!1,2
Dogs may lick because they like the salty taste of their owner's skin, or as a sign of affection, or out of habit and boredom. Licking can also be calming or soothing to some dogs, much like when people receive a relaxing massage, or a nervous habit, like biting your finger nails.
If the behavior isn't disruptive or causing trauma to the skin, intervention may not be warranted in every case. Here's an overview of six common behavioral causes for a dog to excessively lick themselves, objects or you.
1. Boredom and/or anxiety
If your dog is feeling bored, she might choose to lick herself as a way to alleviate the boredom. Or if she's anxious, she might lick too much as a way of working out some of that angst.3 The act of licking can release hormones that help your pup relax, like dopamine and endorphins.3 This is a similar mechanism to a nervous person twirling their hair, for example.
Look for clues that could indicate why she's licking. If it's when you're gone, it might be separation anxiety. If it's while you've been at home working all day, it might be boredom.
2. Affection for the person or animal they're licking
If the excessive licking is on you or another pet, this is likely behavioral. Many dogs lick as an affectionate way of showing the person or animal that they're fond of them. She might even be picking up on your behavioral cues and attempting to calm or soothe you! Her mom licked her when she was a puppy, and now she wants to do the same to show companionship and caring.3
3. Seeking attention or saying hello
Sometimes dogs lick us as a form of communication.1 They may lick you to get your attention if you're focused on something else. If you notice the licking happens when you first come home, or when greeting new people, it might be a way to say hello.3 Just like we pet our dogs when saying hello, dogs use their tongues to give their own greeting.
4. Habit
Your dog may simply be excessively licking out of habit. In cases like these, redirecting his attention to other things when he's licking could help.2
5. Liking the taste
A dog may also lick you simply because she likes how you taste.1 Try to look for connections that might indicate this is the case, such as if she licks you after you've been cooking or exercising.
6. Hunger
A dog may lick instinctually out of hunger. In the wild, when a mom returns from a hunt with food, her pups might lick her lips to show they're ready to eat.1
6 Medical reasons why dogs lick excessively
Excessive licking could also be a sign of an underlying medical issue.6 The symptoms are often similar to those caused by behavioral licking, such as hair loss, skin redness or irritation. If your dog is licking too much, it may be a good idea to visit a veterinarian to rule out these possible causes.
1. Allergies
Potential medical causes for licking include allergies that cause the skin or paws to itch. Allergies can be airborne, such as pollen or molds in the air. Food allergies can also be an underlying cause for itchy skin which can lead to licking. Dogs can even develop an allergy to fleas or even cats in the house!4
Allergies are frustrating, time consuming to treat, and often require chronic treatment to keep at bay. Pets Best pet insurance can help reimburse you for your pet's allergy treatments, as long as the allergy isn't pre-existing.
2. Skin conditions
Certain skin conditions are linked to immune response related diseases, or other underlying illnesses that affect their entire body (like endocrine disorders). These conditions can have itchy skin as a symptom, which can lead to excessive licking or even hot spots. Hot spots are essentially regions of dermatitis or infected skin that a dog can't seem to leave alone. In the case of an underactive thyroid, areas of hair loss may be apparent as well.
This is always an indication that a trip to the veterinarian's is necessary. A complete physical exam (and likely blood work) will help your vet check to see if there is an underlying systemic cause for the skin licking. If the underlying disease is treated or managed, often the licking goes away.
3. Infections
Infections from bacteria, fungi or parasites can also cause itchiness that leads to excessive licking. A trip to the veterinarian's office may include skin scrapes and fluid samples (cytologies) of the skin to see if there is microscopic evidence of yeast (malassezia) or mites (Demodex).
Flea bites alone can cause skin damage that leaves your pet prone to infections that can be intensely itchy. Ticks can cause a host of issues, like Lyme disease, that leave your pet uncomfortable and needing to lick.
4. Underlying pain
Underlying pain from an injury or arthritis can cause dogs to lick, similar to when a person rubs a sore muscle or joint. The licking releases endorphins, which are the body's natural painkillers, to help soothe the pain.
Often the licking will be confined to the area above a joint. A trial of arthritis medication or pain relievers prescribed by your veterinarian may help to better determine if underlying joint pain is a cause for licking.
5. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
If a dog develops obsessive-compulsive disorder, this can manifest as excessive licking.1 These dogs seem compelled to lick and find it difficult to stop. Compulsive lickers may spend hours licking themselves or objects, floors or furniture.
Often these are dogs with other underlying behavioral issues, such as anxiety or over-reactiveness. Redirecting the behavior can help, but sometimes you might need a veterinarian or dog trainer's advice, or even medications to help curb obsessive tendencies.
6. GI or stomach issues
A final medical cause of licking is gastrointestinal issues, like an upset stomach, reflux or nausea. This may actually be one of the most common causes after allergies and skin infections are ruled out. A study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior suggests that up to 60% of dogs with excessive licking behaviors actually suffer from a gastrointestinal disorder.5
To relieve the GI pain, a dog might lick strange surfaces, and even the air, or may excessively swallow. Occasionally the licking will be directed at the flanks or abdomen when GI distress is the cause. Your veterinarian will want to run diagnostic tests and potentially perform drug or diet trails to better pinpoint this as a potential cause for licking.
How to stop your dog from excessively licking
It is always pertinent to rule out medical causes for excessive licking and treat those issues as needed. If the behavior isn't obsessive, disruptive, or causing self harm, you might not need to institute any sort of intervention.
However, when behavior-driven dog licking is excessive, resulting in hot spots, hair loss or skin irritation, knowing ways to help curb self harm is crucial. Always avoid punishing your dog. Instead, try one of the suggestions below to help curb your dog's licking.
- Redirect your dog's focus by giving alternative activities to keep her occupied.2 This might be a game of fetch, for example, or distracting her in another way.
- Positive reinforcement training can help curb licking behavior by rewarding your dog when he performs the desired behavior. For example, if you say "Leave it" and your dog stops licking, you can reward him with a treat.
- Don't reinforce the dog's excessive licking by giving attention when they exhibit this behavior. If your dog excessively licks because she gets your attention that way, you may need to ignore her when she licks to break that association or move away the part of your body that she's licking, while avoiding eye contact.1
- Remove the source if it's allergy-related. You may need to keep your dog inside when the lawn is mowed if he's allergic to pollen, for example. Dogs with diagnosed allergic disease will often benefit from prescription medications to help stop the itching that is causing the excessive licking.
- Use flea and tick preventative medicine. This can at least help you avoid certain causes of licking that might crop up in the future, especially in endemic areas. Flea dermatitis especially can be very itchy!
- If she's licking out of boredom, leave interactive toys while you're gone. Find ways to engage and play with her more.2
- Exercise him more. Sometimes dogs lick just because they have too much energy. Increasing activity has been shown to help with compulsive behaviors as well. Try going for or more walks and play more games inside the house too.2
- If there's a medical reason for your dog licking, a consultation with your veterinarian is required to diagnose and treat your dog's condition.
The bottom line: When in doubt, check it out
Investing in pet insurance is a great way to help afford the best treatment available to your dog for conditions such as excessive licking. At Pets Best, our dog insurance plans cover chronic conditions and can be customized for your pet's unique needs. In addition, Pets Best policyholders can speak to a veterinary expert anytime through a 24/7 Pet Helpline. This can be especially useful if you're trying to help a dog who licks a lot.
Sources:
1"Why Does My Dog Lick Me So Much?" The Kennel Club, https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/health-and-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/why-does-my-dog-lick-me-so-much/. Last accessed September 26, 2022.
2Kennedy, Madeline. "Why Does My Dog Lick Me? 6 Things Your Dog Is Trying to Tell You." Insider, January 7, 2022, https://www.insider.com/guides/pets/why-do-dogs-lick-you. Last accessed September 26, 2022.
3Robbins, Mary. "Why Is My Dog Licking Me?" American Kennel Club, September 21, 2022. Last accessed September 23, 2022, https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/advice/why-is-my-dog-licking-me/. Last accessed September 26, 2022.
4Barnette, Catherine. "RAST Testing in Dogs," VCA Animal Hospitals, https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/rast-testing-in-dogs. Last accessed September 26, 2022.
5Véronique Bécuwe-Bonnet, et al. Gastrointestinal disorders in dogs with excessive licking of surfaces. J Vet Behav. July/August 2012;7(4):194-204. 35
6Leticia M. S. Dantas DVM, PhD. Animal Behavior Case of the Month. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. ISSN: 0003-1488. Publication Date: 01 Oct 2016 https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.249.7.747 Volume 249: Issue 7