Dogs love to clean themselves after a day of fun at the beach or just rolling in the garden.To clean themselves up, dogs may lick themself but it depends on how clean they want to be. Sometimes excessive licking has been observed in some cases and there are many reasons to know why dogs lick themselves.Dogs like grooming themselves and they will do it at every chance they get. Even after coming from the bathroom or after a series of sessions lying on the grass, dogs will start their grooming routine. However, cleaning is not the whole reason why dogs are known for licking. A dog licks the areas of wounds and infections as licking is meant to prevent infection. The saliva of dogs is believed to have some form of healing properties that can help reduce irritation and infections from bacteria in the body of the animal. Dogs licking themselves is very common, however, if the habit becomes compulsive, it is time to put an end to it.Excessive licking becomes a habit in many dogs where dogs are known for obsessive licking in the same part of the body over and over until the skin is gone. This behavior can lead to the formation of hot spots which is the area that becomes bare. You will notice the dog is licking the area constantly even when nothing seems to be wrong. Excessive licking can lead to many other problems, so as dog owners, you need to take care of it before it is too late.A dog may even lick itself out of boredom which is actually a kind behavior. Sometimes anxious and tense behavior can also bring abnormal licking. It is important to notice these changes and take your pet dog to the veterinary clinic to see a vet if necessary. Licking excessively would require constant attention.There are some other medical reasons due to which a dog licks itself. Allergies, infections, excessive pain, open wounds, fleas, underlying diseases, and dermatitis can cause a dog to lick its own body.If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about why do dogs lick their lips and why do dogs lick wounds, right here on Kidadl.What does it mean when male and female dogs lick themselves?Everything a dog does might not be as amusing as people think it to be. Sometimes a dog might lick its private parts in public and that can turn out to be really embarrassing for the owners.There is no difference between male and female dogs as both sexes have these behavioral issues. A male dog may lick his private parts out of boredom while a female dog licks her genital area. In the world of dogs, some kind of licking is always a part of their grooming. A male and a female dog might lick their organs after going to the bathroom. This is usually done to clean the area.Sometimes dogs are seen carrying out obsessive licking in the tail area. This might indicate that the anal glands are required to be expressed. It might also mean that the dog is itching from a food issue or allergies. This itching needs to be controlled by the vet.Apart from this, compulsive licking by a dog in the genital area might indicate infection or some other underlying disease. You need to visit a veterinarian as soon as possible. Treatment of infection is best done by a professional veterinarian in a veterinary clinic. Some signs of infection in your pets can be - swollen private parts, skin pimples or pustules, urination problems, rubbing the rectal part of the body on the ground, and unnatural discharge from private parts.It is very necessary to check for behavioral changes in your pets. Underlying diseases are not normal and need to be checked immediately by a veterinarian.Morning, Night, And After Baths: Dog Licking As Part Of Their RoutineLicking in a dog is very natural and happens to each one of them. There are some medical conditions that can bring a change in the behavior of the dog, but mostly a dog is known for licking to show affection or to clean itself.The primary use of licking in a dog is to groom itself. This is completely normal and natural behavior for a dog as the pet does not have hands as we do. Mother dogs are seen licking their puppies to groom them properly. Grooming and keeping themselves clean is an important part of a dog’s life and they do it aggressively and attentively.A dog might resort to licking if they have allergies to food ingredients or other environmental elements like mold, pollen, or dust. This can increase their licking and cause infections if not taken care of.Dogs might lick themselves after a bath as they need to dry themselves quickly. Dogs don’t like being wet, filled with shampoo. So the best course of action is to dry them with a towel right after the bath. Dogs also groom themselves before sleeping as it is their nature. It relaxes them.A dog licking themselves in the morning has the same reason. It needs to groom itself for an eventful day ahead.You will observe pet dogs licking their itchy skin caused by allergies, flea bites, and other skin problems. There can be an anal gland problem too, which we have already discussed. Dogs also lick their skin when there is an irritation in the skin due to bacteria or injury. However, this licking by the pets can also increase the infection. Pet dogs also have a behavior of smacking their lips when they are hungry or want a taste of something delicious. Apart from taste, some dogs might even start licking with excitement. Nausea can make a dog lose the usual calm demeanor and lick to spit out the extra saliva and the bad taste of the harmful or damaged food. Stress and anxiety are real and dogs feel them too. Stress is usually brought about by separation anxiety. Self-licking their skin in these times helps them soothe their nerves. Pain is another reason due to which dogs lick their skin. Pain can arise from a wound, or pain can also come from an underlying condition in the body, and in both cases, pet dogs resort to licking the skin. Treatment of the dog’s skin should be done immediately in these medical cases. Sometimes dogs do not need a reason to lick and they do it just for fun.Excessive licking: should you stop your dog and how?There are many ways due to which pet dogs resort to licking apart from cleaning, grooming, and affection.Excessive licking is a behavioral issue in dogs that makes them lick an area of the body repeatedly until hair loss in the skin takes place. Dogs may even scratch in those areas along with chewing. This obsessive licking can cause hot spots. These are red raw spots where the skin and hair are now gone. Hair loss shows bare skin and it can be really painful for the dog. Excessive licking can also happen with carpets and the floor and not just the dog’s body. Allergies, dry skin, over-grooming, yeast infection, hormonal imbalance, bug bites, and boredom can cause these excessive licking medical conditions.Once you find the cause of the excessive licking in the dog, begin the treatment immediately. Medicines like allergy medications can help release some of the pain in those bare skins. We need to stop dogs licking themselves excessively and there are many ways to do it.Dogs licking people: are they really kisses?Dogs are loving animals and share a special bond with their owners.There is a 100% chance that if the dog is licking you, it really loves your company. This is why these licking habits are called kisses. Licking is natural for dogs and is a way to convey a message. Yes, there are many different reasons for a dog to lick itself, but if the dog is showing affection for you by licking, know that he loves you with all its might. Dogs will even lick your face if they can reach it and this method of showing love is taught by their mothers as they groom them when they are little puppies.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 themselves, then why not take a look at why do dogs pant or Chipoo facts.
Dogs love to clean themselves after a day of fun at the beach or just rolling in the garden.
