As a dog owner, you might have noticed your pet’s habit of coming up to lick your legs. This might be strange behavior when it happens for the first time, but nothing is alarming about this habit. Your dog licking your legs can be due to varying reasons, but what you must understand is that licking is your dog’s way of communicating many things.
The two typical answers to why your dog licks your legs are that it is either trying to show you affection or something appetizing to your pup is on your legs. These answers are not set in stone and may vary according to the situation, but dogs cope, interact and do a lot of things by the action of licking.
Just like how you would assume that your dog is trying to kiss you when it licks your face, you should understand that this behavior is normal. In this article, I shall try to explain more about this phenomenon!
What Does A Dog Licking Your Legs Mean?
Licking is an instinct for your dog. They lick to taste, communicate, send messages and show affection. My pet dog used to lick any new substance he did not know of – which certainly did not end well, but the point is to tell you that dogs lick because it’s just a dog thing to do.
Since mother dogs lick their young ones to keep them clean and show affection, the action comes naturally to all dogs. Dogs also have the roof of their mouth connected to the nasal cavity which helps them stimulate their sense of smell as well.
Licking can mean a lot of things, hence below is a list of the most common reasons behind your dog licking your legs.
- Your Legs Are Stinking
The most common reason behind dogs licking legs is the fact that they are attracted to the sweat and slight dirt stuck on your body. We all know for a fact that dogs love to get messy and enjoy activities that may seem unhygienic. Similarly, they are attracted to scents that may be slightly stinky as they taste salty. From my observations, dogs love the flavor of sweat on human legs!
Notice if they start licking you when you return from a workout or from somewhere you had to sweat. If they do, you might want to wash your legs.
- Grooming You To Show Affection
As mentioned before, the act of licking to show affection can be traced back to your dog’s day as a puppy when its mother used to groom it that way. Your dog very obviously loves you and wants to take care of you as well. So it shows its affection and the fact that it cares for you through the act of licking.
- Sending A Message
No matter how calm of a person you are, when licked by surprise somewhere as odd as your legs, chances are that you would have reacted with a jerk of surprise. Dogs are smart creatures and from what I know about them, they would have picked this observation quickly and just want to use it to their benefit.
Since dogs cannot speak, your pet is probably trying to tell you they want something – perhaps going out for their daily walk, or that it’s hungry and thirsty, or that it simply wants you to play with them. They might also be in pain and you must check for signs of stress, mood drop, or anxiousness.
- Asking For Attention
Similar to when they are trying to send you a message, dogs will lick at your feet when they want your attention. Dogs love basking in love and praise and if your pet knows that licking your legs will get them sudden attention from you, they will do it.
Licking legs for attention mostly happens when you have been away for a while or when you have not been paying as much attention to them as you did before.
Most dogs make whiney noises while trying to stick close to you when they miss you, so if you are confused about the cause of leg licking, check for this behavior.
- Taking In Information
Dogs lick and sniff to gather information. Since their noses and mouth cavities are interlinked, their incessant licking could be them trying to soak in the information about a new smell, substance, or presence on your body.
To explain with an example, when I would come home from work and perhaps would have happened to pet a dog along the way, my dog would be all over my feet and body to trace the new scent. They would also lick my feet and the places the other dog may have smelt to get rid of the unfamiliar smell as dogs are territorial creatures.
This is also the reason a newly adopted puppy might lick around the house, at your legs, at the walls – it’s trying to take in all the familiar smells and tastes.
- Trying To Cope With Stress
Licking is also an act of stress relief for dogs. It soothes and comforts them as the act of licking releases endorphins in their bodies. You should be worried if they look a bit scared or seem to be sad when licking at your feet.
If they lick continuously at their paws, you need to contact the vet immediately as this can have various meanings – from anxiety to skin problems.
How To Stop Your Dog From Licking Your Legs?
If you are worried about your dog licking your legs and do not want to encourage this behavior, there are things you can do to stop this habit of theirs.
- Do Not Encourage Them
If you want to stop your dog, the first thing you must do is stop encouraging them. Send a clear message and do not let it pass some days while acting negatively or coldly on other days.
- Train Them
You can also avoid getting your legs licked at by training your dogs. This can be done through positive reinforcement.
- The moment your dog starts licking our legs, walk away or leave the room if necessary.
- Go back to giving it affection after a while and immediately turn away if they start to lick your legs again.
- Repeat these things and reward your dog with a treat if they stop licking when you go back to them. Your dog is a smart animal and will quickly learn what it is being rewarded for.
- Encourage Plenty Of Exercises
Sometimes, dogs lick your legs simply out of boredom. The fact that they can be licking your legs for attention can also be because they are understimulated and bored.
To avoid this, try to have lots of playtime with your dog so that it drains out its energy for the day. This would ensure that he rests well at home and does not engage in unnecessary leg licking. A playful dog is also a happy and healthy dog.
- Distract Your Dog
When you cannot win against your dog, the best thing would be to distract them. Try giving them toys or bones to play with. Also, make sure it gets enough attention from you so that it does not resort to licking.
You can also distract your dog with their favorite thing in the world – you! Playing with them will surely take their attention away from leg licking.
If all else fails and your dog continues this strange habit, make sure to contact the vet or a behavioralist to understand the root of the problem so that you can deal with it accordingly.
What Should I Do About My Dog Licking My Legs?
If your dog is licking your legs, there can only be two possible reactions from you – you do not mind the licking, or you are uncomfortable with it. In both cases, the first thing you need to do is not react immediately.
If you do not mind your dog licking your legs and even enjoy it to some extent, there is no problem in letting your pet indulge in the habit. Judging from the possible reasons behind the licking, they may even be trying to show you affection in their way.
If you hate the feeling of it and do not want your dog to continue this habit, you can try to teach him not to.
Never, in any case, react in an immediate negative manner to it. Imagine if you were to tell a loved one how much they mean to you and you simply pull away, scream or react violently – that is what it looks like to your dog when you give panicked reactions. Hence, try your best to be gentle, not react, and then slowly walk away.
Can My Dog Get Sick From Licking My Legs?
Your dog cannot get sick from licking your legs in general, but if it’s licking at an open wound, a fungal infection, or skin rashes, the germs can prove dangerous for your dog and may make him sick. Some diseases can be transferred from you to your dog. These include:
- All types of fever like flu, mumps, and viral
- Tuberculosis
- Ringworms
- STAPH infections
- Giardia
Final Thoughts
Dogs are extremely affectionate and fantastic creatures that have learned to become man’s best friends over time. Just as they do their best to learn the commands we teach them to understand us, we must put in the same effort to make sure our four-legged friends are given the same treatment.
It is not possible to try and completely understand the language of our canine friends, but actions are our common ground. Showing your dog that you appreciate their initiatives to deliver affection will boost their confidence as well as make them extremely happy.
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