Why do dogs lick human ears?
This question is perhaps one of those that you would like an answer to.
Why? Because your dog may be one of those fur noses who really like doing it.
Why is he doing this and what are the reasons behind it?
You can find out in the following guide.
In a nutshell: Why do dogs lick human ears?
Dogs lick human ears because of that Licking Part of canine interaction or communication is.
Licking & nibbling on ears Meaning: That’s behind it
Licking is part of canine communication with the first little puppy squeak. Because here it is the dog mom who licks the little mice and thus stimulates the blood circulation, among other things.
Licking each other is accordingly an important part of communication among dogs. And you as a dog owner are part of the pack.
So what could be more obvious than including you in this communication?
It is therefore not unusual if your dog licks your hands, for example.
But why the ears? What is so fascinating about it, that your dog not only licks them, but maybe even nibbles on them?
your dog loves you
Again, this behavior is to be found in puppies. And come most likely in a puppy before. In fact, licking your ears means your dog is licking you particularly dear to the heart has.
Your dog has accepted you as the pack leader
We even go one step further. your dog has you accepted as alpha animal or as pack leader.
At least experts agree that ear licking and biting is an expression of this fact.
Your dog wants to be petted
Dogs are not cats and therefore not quite as cuddly. Nevertheless, a dog also wants to be cuddled.
As a rule, dogs lick you off or lick your hand. The signal: please pet me. If you do that, he has given you a “command” to a certain extent.
Licking hand = caressing. Maybe he’ll achieve the same thing by licking and nibbling your ears?
Your dog is stressed
stress is a factor that you should never completely rule out. Because it can be «worked off» in the most curious ways.
How can you tell if stress caused the ear licking? Among other things, that it’s almost compulsiveso your dog can hardly and will not let go of your ears.
Good to know:
If this makes you uncomfortable, you should Naturally prevent transfer performance between licking and stroking ears.
The best way to achieve this is to teach your dog a corresponding sign or command. Among other things, it is suitable a loud and clear «No!»
Can I stop my dog from licking his ears?
We already told you a trick.
A resounding “No!” can be enough to get your dog to stop licking and biting their ears.
After all, not all of us are keen on having that wet and slobbering dog tongue right against our face.
And for a perfectly understandable reason. dogs will eat and lick just about anything at what gets in their way.
That also includes some rather unsanitary things you probably know.
Last but not least, the tongue is also used to clean certain body regions. And you don’t want these suspected small particles on your ears.
Establish clear rulesis about the only thing you can do to make your dog stop slobbering.
You can also try your ears to provide with an odourthat dogs don’t like.
Vinegar is an option that few of us want to smell like. With a bit of luck, your dog won’t like one lavender.
The advantage: the scent is harmless for dogs – in contrast to many other smells that could make your dog sick.
Does all this not help and your dog is even slightly obsessive when it comes to ear licking and biting?
Then can a dog psychologist or a dog trainer Help you get this behavior under control.
Good to know:
In fact, it’s not uncommon for a dog to give its human a intestinal parasites transmits.
The risk is particularly high when dog and human mucous membranes come into contact with each other.
In the worst case, certain bacteria can even become life-threatening for humans, while the dog survives them without symptoms.
At this point we call the bacterium Pasteurella multocida. It can be both meningitis as well as one blood poisoning trigger.
Conclusion
If your dog licks your ears and maybe even nibbles on them, that doesn’t have to be unusual.
Actually hides behind it often a sign of affection. However, «excessive» ear licking can also be a sign of stress – and should therefore be stopped.
You should also keep in mind that there are definitely one or two health risks if your dog licks you.
What about your dog and the statement “My dog licks and nibbles my ear”? Can he lick your ears or are you against it?
We’d love for you to share your experiences with us in the comments!