Our furry little buddies are the best companion, and their presence brings humans the most joy.Our pet animals can be adorable and soon get accustomed to our behavior. Sometimes it is pretty hard to understand what our pets want to convey.Dogs are the most faithful animals, and they like to accompany humans. Being animals that can’t talk, they can’t convey their problems, and therefore we must try to understand what they are trying to tell us. It might look very normal when a dog is trying to lick the air and putting its tongue out. We might think they are doing it cause they are happy or thirsty, but several other reasons can affect a dog and make them show this behavior. Dogs need a lot of affection to stay healthy, and the lack of it can lead to compulsive behavior or deterioration in health. A pet deserves a lot of love and should never be put under situations that can make them stressed or make them have seizures. Owners must keep the mind and bodies of their pets safe and take them to regular checkups with the vet.You might want to learn more about other fun facts about your furry little friends. So go ahead and look at some other articles like why do dogs lick each other and why do dogs like belly rub.Do they lick the air only when they’re happy?Some might think that it is normal for a dog to lick the air, but on the contrary, it is not normal.We see pups running around and then licking their nose by flicking their tongue out in the air most of the time. Licking the air is normal when they are doing it to keep their noses wet or trying to detect any smell. A dog licking the air can be for many reasons, and being happy is not one of them. Dogs don’t lick the air when they are happy, but they show this behavior when they are stressed or anxious due to someone or something. When a dog meets someone or another dominant dog, their response is to lick the air or their nose to show that they mean no harm. If this situation makes them scared, they start to lick their nose to get assurance from their owner.Another reason for this behavior might be that the dog is put under a lot of stress or receives physical punishment from its owners, due to which it becomes anxious. This can lead to the dog licking the air. In this case, the owner should not make fun of their pet or even ignore these behaviors, which can lead to the dog developing anxiety. This stress response can also come when they feel the absence of someone who they are fond of. Any animal behaviorist would attain that dogs need to be given proper attention and care to be healthy.What is the importance/relevance of air licking?It is not always bad for a dog to be licking the air, but excessive licking can be a sign of something quite concerning. It is also essential that a dog licks air as it helps it to keep its noses moist so that it can smell better. A dog also licks the air when it has something stuck to its mouth. While eating, there might be a possibility where food gets stuck inside the dog’s mouth, and then it licks with its tongue out to get the stuck food out. They can also lick their mouths when saliva is dripping down before food is served or they are hungry. Sometimes their intaking of smell can be confused as excessive licking. This is simply called the flehmen response, where a dog starts licking the air trying to get a good smell. The Jacobson’s organ or the vomeronasal organ in their nasal cavity makes them smell hard so that they can differentiate between people and their mother.If a dog is given peanut butter that gets stuck to the dog’s mouth or to the dog’s teeth, then they start to lick, which might seem as if they are air licking. But it simply is the dog trying to clean its mouth. Sometimes they seem to be licking the air because they have a toy or something they were chewing on stuck to their mouth, which you can easily remove. If you are struggling to help your pet remove something stuck from their mouth or throat, you should take your dog to a veterinarian, especially if they show signs of distress. Licking the air isn’t always dangerous, but it is always better if the dog is kept under the check of a veterinarian.If a dog frequently licks the air, it might indicate an underlying medical or health issue. Licking of the nose or the air can be related to both psychological and physical health concerns. A dog with digestive issues tends to lick the air, especially when they feel a sense of nausea. Any animal behaviorist will state that this happens when dogs have gastrointestinal issues, dogs start licking the air. Excessive licking is a sign of underlying health issues like gastrointestinal disorders, pancreatitis, irritable bowel disease, decreased appetite, and so on. Dental pain or dental injury can also be a sign of this behavior. In these cases, it is better to take them to the veterinarian and let the doctor perform physical tests on the pup.Seizures also lead the dogs to lick the air. A partial seizure can lead dogs to lick the air continually, and the dog might snap at the air while having a partial seizure. The owners need to notice these partial seizure syndromes and take the dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Dogs can also suffer from a compulsive disorder which can make them lick the air. Skin issues are also quite common in breeds, and a pet can continually lick its skin to soothe itself, or if they have something stuck to their skin or paws, they tend to lick it.Do all breeds do it, or do some breeds do it more than others?Licking the air is typical among all breeds. The owner needs to notice the difference in behavior that the dogs portray to understand if the licking is regular or the sign of an underlying disease.There is no specific breed that licks the air more than others. All dogs show this behavior for different reasons, and when the licking becomes compulsive, it is serious. If licking the air becomes a habit, dogs can show canine cognitive dysfunction, which is quite severe. If a dog develops canine cognitive dysfunction, it develops a lot of stress and won’t survive for long. Therefore, it is crucial for pet owners to notice these signs, especially if you see your dog lick the air and provide medical help to the dog by taking it to the vet.Dogs tend to lick air when they eat something like peanut butter, and that gets stuck inside the dog’s teeth. They can also chew on things like toys and such and start to lick the air. Whenever this happens, it means they have something stuck inside their mouth, which can cause pain to the dental region. If possible, whatever is stuck can be taken out at home, or you should take your dog to the vet. If a dog is licking the air all the time, there are several signs of its discomfort. They might have medical issues, stress, gastrointestinal disorders, seizures, or something more serious, which can cause pain to the animal.Does it cause them to hiccup?It is pretty heartbreaking when a pup suffers as humans tend to be quite fond of their little pet.It is pretty common for a dog to lick the air and hiccup. This happens if they have pancreatitis disorders. Licking air happens due to acid reflux and can lead to vomiting, nausea, or other worse diseases; therefore, dogs should be checked by the vet every week to keep them healthy and disease-free. Gastric reflux is quite painful for a dog, and they can keep on vomiting till the vet provides appropriate aid.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for why do dogs lick the air, then why not take a look at why do dogs paw at you or Belgian sheepdog facts pages?
Our furry little buddies are the best companion, and their presence brings humans the most joy.
