One fine day when you’re
relaxing on a sofa with a book in your hand, engrossed in reading and suddenly
your pooch jumps with a wagging tail on you and with love comes a slurp on your
face, how does it feel? Do you feel the same amount of joy for your pup when
you’re slobbered over by your adoring furry friend or you just sit there minding
your own business by ignoring his annoying licks? Well! Sometimes you don’t
have a choice about that. There’s a set of default human nature which cannot be
changed that easily or at all. Similarly, licking is a dog’s nature as they
have a natural licking instinct.
But, despite this adorable
licking gesture, many pet parents are sceptical about the lick-mindedness of
their pooch. There arises a question about why a dog likes to lick its pet
parent? Is it really safe to allow them to do the same? Here we will explore
why dogs like to lick certain parts of the body and whether we should let them.
Why do dogs lick and what does that mean?
Puppies are deaf and blind when
they come to this world, the only thing they have is a sense of taste through
which they learn about their mother and another environment until they develop
other senses. Though, licking remains a prime mode of communication between
dogs throughout their lives it’s important to know that it hasn’t developed
into a pattern. When your dog licks your face, it conveys several different
meanings-from expressing their joy and respect towards you, to concern and fear
for your safety.
We might have heard the heroic
tales of first-aid of your dog including the stories about the ability of dogs
to clean a wound with their tongues. But, when unfolding its other side it is
found that there are bacteria in most dogs’ mouth. Let’s understand how a dog’s
licking can affect you.
Is it hygienic to let your dog lick your face?
A dog’s mouth consists of various
bacteria and organisms and humans are not built to fight those nasty creatures.
Most of the bacteria may not be that harmful but there’s a high likelihood of
your dog’s mouth containing zoonotic organisms. You don’t know where that mouth
has been, your dog may be playing with other furry friends or may be licking
its genitals right before it decides to lick you. Your dog may carry parasites
or sepsis that can be detrimental to your health.
Parasites
Dogs can carry parasites such
as hookworm, ringworm and Giardia which causes diarrhoea and intestinal upset.
These parasites can easily pass to a pet parent when a dog licks their face.
The parasites can be harmful to the immune system of the human body because it
damages the intestinal tract and digestive system.
Sepsis
A dog’s mouth is a house of
organisms and these organisms is the cause of severe sepsis infection. Sepsis
makes a person fall ill immediately and it may take weeks to recover. Sepsis
infection can cause symptoms such as fever, fatigue, sweating or experience
chills. Therefore, it’s better to stay away from your dog’s licks rather than
contracting this infection.
Debunking the myth of a dog’s licking tendency
There’s an old myth that a
dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s. But, it is crucial for pet parents to
know that a dog’s saliva can contain mucous membrane found in the nose, eyes
and mouth. A dog’s muzzles are packed with germs, viruses and bacteria where
some of them can be potentially detrimental for a human body. Dogs tend to
stick their nose into everything, so, it might be adorable to see your dog
licking your face but it’s equally dangerous.
What are the ways to prevent your dog from licking
your face?
Divert
Their Attention
When you are playing with you
Fido and you are aware that he’s about to or trying to lick your face then try
to divert their attention by initiating a playing session or by offering a
treat.
Train
Your Dog
Though it’s a dogs’ tendency to
lick something they like, you can train them to show their affection in another
manner. You can encourage their other ways to show the affection and joy such
as wagging their tails, circling you or jumping. It may be a slow process for
your dog to change their lick-mindedness but their favourite treats and extra
rubs on their belly can surely fix it eventually.
Should you let your dog lick you at all?
No
matter how much you constrain your dog, they will find their way of expressing
their emotions by licking your face. So, sometimes it’s fine to let your dog
lick you but responsible pet care is immensely required in order to reduce the
chances of contracting any diseases to you and your family. Therefore, here are
the things you need to pay heed on.
- Make sure that you regularly provide vaccinations, flea and tick controls and dewormers to keep him free of parasites such as worms and fleas and ticks.
- Keep your pet well groomed
- Wash your hands after cleaning up your pet
- Keep your dog’s water and food fresh.
Do
not let your dog lick children as they can be at greatest risk of picking up an
infection from a dog’s lick. But, when it comes to you, allowing your dog to
give you an occasional lick or kiss strengthens the intimacy and bonding that
helps your pet feel connected to you. So, it’s okay to play it safe when your
dog comes to lick your face.
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