Why does my dog lick my legs?
A dog’s tongue is a funny thing because you can expect to find it even in the worst or grossest places on planet Earth. You know when you are a kid and your parents are always scolding you about putting anything in your mouth and you don’t understand why? Well, dogs keep doing that even in adulthood and then, after licking some pretty gross stuff, they come to you and give you kisses, lick your hands or lick your legs and so on. Now, it depends on you and if you let him do that, but you’ve probably wondered why is he licking your legs, right? You can check out https://www.canine-by-design.com/programs/board-and-train/ for the best dog training program to install the foundation of obedience in your dog.
Some dogs might have developed a kind of obsession for licking legs and the thing is that they don’t care if you’ve just had a shower or come home from your 8-hour-job. You’re probably letting him do that because you might think he’s actually trying to tell you something with his tongue or that he’s in the mood for a little snack. (yeah, that was gross). The truth is, there is no real 100% answer to why your dog lick your legs.
So, what’s with the licking?
As far as behaviors go, licking can be difficult to pin down. We could only re-enact a puppy’s life journey and see what experiences he can go through. Basically, from the very first moment he comes into this world, a pup is relying a lot on his licking to discover, communicate and interact with the outer world. His mommy will lick him in order to help him start breathing, then she will lick him in order to stimulate his digestion and also, in order to keep him clean. So, he’s introduced to licking ever since he comes out of his mother’s womb. He’ll start licking his mom’s face to show submission.
Dog behavior scientists claim that licking release endorphins for dogs, which make them feel good in the act. Still, why the legs? Dogs might be encouraged to do this because it gets their owners attention. It’s much like a social activity on the dogs’ side. Let’s say that after a whole day home alone, dogs feel happy when their owners get home and want to engage in a social interaction with them.
He’s probably tried this once and saw a positive reaction from your side so know he’s licking your legs to get your attention all the time. There is another way in which you can interpret this behavior: your dog is taking care of your skin. He’s caressing your skin, showing he cares and loves you very much. Sometimes, feet licking is not about the owner, but about the dog. Your dog might have developed a soothing mechanism and that is licking your legs. It helps him relax and let all the hard time and stress go away. In this case, your legs are not that important. Your dog is just licking stuff around the house in order to feel good about himself.
Your feet’ sweat might be what attracts dogs
If your dog is mostly licking your feet, then it means that he gets something from your sweat that helps with his gastrointestinal issues, trying to replace a mineral or two that are missing from his diet. And, least but not last, why not suppose that your dog is actually in love with your taste (a nasty thought, right?)
As you have seen, there are various reasons why your dog licks your legs. You need to observe him closely and make out which one of these above applies to your dog. If it annoys you, you can always use those legs to walk away and break his licking habit.