Monday, June 27, 2011

Explaining the Licking Behavior

By Jerry Welsh


Dog owners know that their pets have the inclination to lick. Dogs love licking themselves. Dogs have the inclination to lick other animals too. A dog is commonly seen meeting the master with wet sloppy kisses on the arms, hands and face. Even if they love dogs, some people would detest the feel of the dog's raspy tongue especially the slobber that gets on their faces. The pet's tendency to lick is a concern of pet owners especially if the dog also has the habit of eating its own and other animal's feces. Some dog owners would not mind being licked by the pet but if it is a concern for you it is necessary to curb the dog's inclination to lick.

Licking is a natural behavior of dogs as they have learned this behavior from the mother dog from the time they were born. Licking is done by the mother dog to clean and to promote the circulation of the newly born puppies. Licking is done every time the puppy defecates or urinates. Puppies have learned to lick and whenever they want to be fed, they would lick the dam's mouth to encourage her to regurgitate food.

Dogs are seen licking themselves clean. Dogs would be seen using the tongue to clean themselves although they are not as fastidious as cats that would lick themselves clean for hours. Dogs are also noticed to lick their wounds. This is probably the reason why some people believe that wounds and other injuries can be healed by the dog's saliva.

The dog's licking behavior can be a way to communicate and to show their affection. Dogs are known to have high levels of intelligence. A dog that receives treats from the owners would return the favor with slobbery licks. Puppies lick their mother and litter mates to show affection. Licking is the dog's manifestation of affection for the human family

The inclination to lick the human family can be the dog's way of communicating. Dogs would always demand attention because these animals are social by nature. Neglected dogs often develop unwanted and destructive habits. Neglected dogs can become excessive lickers so that lesions can form on the dog's body

Licking is really not a dangerous behavior of the dog as the owner can always wash after being licked by the dog. Licking becomes a concern if it is already causing the dog harm. Owners should consider the possibility that the pet is neglected thus it developed this excessive licking habit. This habit can be the dog's way of attracting the owner.




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