Reasons for the Leg-Licking
Dogs lick your legs for a variety of reasons, including affection, attention-seeking, stress, and anxiety. Understanding the motivations behind this behaviour can provide insight into your dog’s emotions and needs.
As A Way To Show Affection
Unfortunately, our dogs can’t communicate with us the same way that we communicate with each other. Instead, our dogs show affection in different ways, like licking us. This is one of the reasons that we often refer to dogs licking us as “dog kisses.” Dogs are social animals that communicate with body language, and licking is one way that they can show affection.
Dogs Like The Taste
Sometimes dogs will lick your legs after you get out of the shower. You probably used some sort of good-smelling soap or lotion. Your dog is licking your legs because they like the taste!
This is the same reason that your dog may lick your legs after you work out. After you exercise and sweat, you may find that your dog is prone to licking your leg. Your body naturally excretes salt when you sweat, and your dog may like the salty taste!
Your Dog Is Seeking Your Attention
Sometimes licking you is an easy way for your dog to get your attention. Chances are that when your dog is licking you, you are acknowledging and talking to your dog. In these situations, giving your dog attention is rewarding the behaviour of your dog licking you.
There’s a saying that “behaviours that get rewarded are repeated.” The more attention you give your dog when he’s licking you, the more likely he will continue licking you in the future.
Licking Is An Appeasement Behavior
As we mentioned above, dogs communicate with body language. In some situations, licking can be an appeasement behaviour. Dogs are very skilled at ready our own body language and verbal tones. If your dog picks up any kind of negativity, he may begin to lick you as an appeasement behaviour. This means he’s trying to make you feel better!
Licking Can Be A Greeting Behavior
Dogs get so excited to see us and greet us! When you combine that with their desire to express affection, licking can become a greeting behaviour! When you open the door after being away from home for a while, your dog probably circles around your legs, wags his tail and tries to lick your hands or legs. Some dogs may even try to jump up to lick your face.
Dogs Like To Groom Each Other
Have you ever seen a dog like another dog? They do this because they like to groom each other! Your dog could be opting to lick your legs as a way to groom you or to give you a makeshift shower.
Dogs that are attempting to groom you will do so in a slower, more methodical way of licking. They may also move on from your legs and to other parts of exposed skin, like your arms or face.
Licking Can Be A Sign Of Anxiety
Sometimes licking can be a sign of a larger problem. When a dog is feeling anxious, scared, or unsettled, they may lick as a way to self-soothe and make themselves feel better. In severe cases, dogs can become obsessive about licking.
If you’re concerned that your dog is licking excessively or if your dog is exhibiting other symptoms of anxiety such as whining, pacing, or inability to settle, you should contact your vet.
Dogs Get Bored, Too
Dogs get bored when we’re away from home too much or don’t have time to play with them. In these instances, your dog may be licking out of boredom. Typically, when a dog is licking out of boredom, they will often lick inanimate objects that are easy to reach, such as carpets or chair legs.
Redirecting the Licking
Licking is a self-soothing behaviour which can release endorphins and make dogs feel calmer and more relaxed. Because of this science, there are actually products on the market called LickiMats, that exist to give your dog an outlet for safe licking.
To use a LickiMat, you simply take some sort of wet food and smear it all over the mat. Then, you give it to your dog to enjoy. Not only does it slow them down when eating, but it also encourages them to lick, which releases those endorphins to make them feel calmer. You can even freeze the LickiMat so that they last longer. Giving your dog a dedicated toy and outlet to lick will give you something to redirect him to when you want him to stop licking your legs.
How To Get Your Dog To Stop Licking
Sometimes the constant licking can be annoying. In severe cases, a dog consistently licking inanimate objects or even himself can become problematic and can result in things like hot spots or hair loss.
The best way to get your dog to stop licking is to redirect him to something else. This is when those LickiMats could be useful! You could also teach your dog an “all done” cue or ask him to perform an incompatible behaviour.
To teach an “all done” cue, simply do a regular training session with your dog. At the end of the training session, be sure to end on a positive note, then say “all done.” At that point, put away any training equipment and move on to doing something entirely different with your dog, like relaxing.
If you want to get your dog to stop licking before you’ve taught an “all done” cue, ask your dog to perform an incompatible behaviour. This means asking your dog to perform an entirely different behaviour, like lying down and settling or high five.
These methods are based on positive reinforcement training techniques. This helps to stop the excessive licking by rewarding your dog for a more desirable behaviour.
Conclusion
Dogs lick our legs, and lick in general, for many different reasons, most of which are innocent and nothing to be worried about.
Consider getting your dog a LickiMat if you want to redirect your dog’s energy from licking your legs to a more appropriate outlet.
Licking is a natural behaviour that dogs do. More than likely, your dog is licking for simple reasons, like wanting to get your attention and communicate with you.
