Do you know that? Your dog stands happily at the foot of your bed in the morning, one of your feet peeks out from under the blanket and then «licks».
Your dog licks feet – what does it mean?
In this article we want to explain to you what your dog is trying to express by licking its feet.
In a nutshell: Dog licks my feet – What does that mean?
For the dog, licking is one innate habit with him happiness hormones pours out.
He shows you his affection by licking your feet and also gets a lot of information about you and your state of mind.
So licking makes your dog happy and it should make you happy too!
Dog licks feet – 4 reasons
Why the feet? Often your dog can get to your feet more easily than your hands or face.
In addition, there are a lot of sweat glands on your feet tell your dog a lot about you.
But the dog also has a few other reasons to lick your feet. Your dog licks feet – what other meanings are there?
affection
When your dog licks your feet, that’s close equivalent to a kiss.
He learned from his mom that licking always means something positive – for the licker and the licked.
The licker gets a boost of happiness hormones and the licked one is calmed down or bodily functions are stimulated.
information
There’s a lot of information about you in your sweat, both about your physical condition and your mood.
So your dog collects information about you. How are you doing? Are you stressed, anxious, happy. Your dog licks your feet and then knows it all.
communication
In fact, your dog uses licking your feet as a means of communication. He wants to greet you, he might want something to eat or fresh water.
But he might also want to tell you that he has to go outside or that he’s bored.
Next time, pay attention to whether your dog wants to tell you something when you lick your feet.
stress
Your dog licks feet – unfortunately one importance is stress relief. Your dog is also overwhelmed by new situations or circumstances.
One outlet is the almost exaggerated licking of your feet.
Danger
Shut down your dog’s stress factor. Stress makes your dog sick over time.
Is licking my feet a sign of dominance?
No, your dog is not showing any behavior of dominance. Your dog licks feet – the meaning is much more of a social behavior.
In other words, your dog doesn’t tag you when he licks your feet. Rather, he wants to show you that he likes you. Or he wants to communicate with you in his canine way.
If he’s a bit too pushy because he wants your attention right now, you can also stop that. More on that later.
Is it unhygienic if my dog licks my feet?
Always be aware that bacteria reside in your dog’s saliva. If these enter your body through wounds, infections can occur.
Around ¼ of all dogs have the bacterium Capnocytophaga canimorsus in their saliva. This can even lead to death in a weakened immune system.
But rest assured, if you’re healthy and have a stable immune system, there’s nothing wrong with your dog licking your feet.
How can I stop my dog from licking my feet?
With consistency and alternatives, you can stop your dog from licking your feet.
You don’t like licking your feet at all or for health reasons is it better if your dog doesn’t? Then train it off.
Here’s how to kick your dog’s feet away with a combination that includes the word «no.» Then put your feet near him again.
If he tries again, repeat until he stops. Then follows a big reward with treats.
Offer your dog alternatives to foot licking. Give him enough attention and a cuddle together. Then he will lick less.
Is it normal for my dog to lick other people’s feet?
This is actually normal if your dog is a very outgoing, friendly dog.
He is curious about the new person and wants to get to know him. So he collects information and satisfies his curiosity.
He is also happy about the attention of the new person.
If the person doesn’t want your dog to lick their feet, stop them.
Conclusion
Your dog licking your feet is normal social and communicative behavior.
He shows you that he likes you and would like to know how you are doing. If you don’t have a problem with that, take it in the amounts that are okay with you.
If you don’t like it that much, train it off. But offer him an alternative for his normal social behavior.
Does your dog lick your feet? Do you know what he’s trying to tell you? Feel free to share your experiences with us.