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Our dogs seemingly constantly keep our minds reeling, wondering what they are thinking or why they behave the way they do. If your dog seems to lap at your legs with their slobbery tongues, you might wonder why in the world they’re doing it.
Like many other actions, this could happen for several reasons. Dogs may lick legs for attention, social interaction, exploration, or because they enjoy the taste of salt on the skin, among other reasons. You will have to pay attention to other non-verbal cues to spot when they do it and what might trigger it. Let’s explore some of the reasons you might be getting a leg bath every time you sit down.
The 5 Common Reasons Dogs Lick Human Legs
1. Showing Affection
Some dogs can’t get enough of you. It could be that they are just trying to show you affection, especially if you are sitting on the couch and they are sitting on the floor in front of you. Licking can be part of normal social bonding behavior in dogs.
Our cute, furry pals learned to give “kisses” from their mama. When puppies are born, their mothers clean and show affection to their babies by licking them. If they want to show you the same, licking your bare legs seems like a pretty good way of communicating how much they love you.
2. Attention-Seeking
If you flinch or giggle if your dog licks your legs, they could look at it as an excellent way to get attention. After all, if you react to their advances, it will encourage the behavior. They might think you’re ready to play with them, making them even more excited.
Even if it’s unwanted, you shouldn’t react negatively to your dog when they do this. That could be confusing to them, especially if it seemed like you were having a good time at first. Instead, try not to react and redirect the attention to a favorite toy or activity.
3. Your Dog Is Grooming You
Dogs may lick people as part of normal social behavior, similar to how dogs sometimes groom each other. If you have bare legs, this could be their way of interacting with you or exploring scents and tastes on your skin. If your leg is uncovered, it’s pretty fair game for a bath session.
Dogs that groom your legs might also lick your arms or face—or any exposed part of you because they think they’re helping you. Grooming is a profoundly social activity that dogs do with one another to interact with those they love.
Consider yourself lucky.
4. Anxiety & Other Behavioral Disorders
Sometimes, your dog might get uncomfortable in certain situations. If your dog is feeling a little bit unsure or restless, they might lick your legs as a way to cope with stress or seek comfort. Consider this your dog’s way of communicating how they feel. Notice what’s going on around you when the dog acts this way.
You might also notice that they don’t just stop at leg licking. These behaviors might lead to excessive grooming or lapping at other objects, like blankets or fabrics. It might be a self-soothing behavior triggered by underlying anxiety and behavioral issues.
Addressing the cause might be essential in curbing the behavior in these cases.
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5. Salty Sweat on Your Skin
Dogs tend to impress us with their impeccable olfactory senses. Their sense of smell is tremendously more advanced than ours, having over 300 million olfactory receptors compared to our measly 6 million. That boils down to a dog’s sense of smell being far more sensitive than humans.
Whether you know it or not, your body is constantly secreting body odors and chemical compounds. Humans can’t pick up many of these smells, but dogs certainly can. If you’re sweating, your dog might be licking the salty scent from your skin.
So, even if you aren’t aware that you’re actively sweating or have dried sweat on your legs, your dog can smell and taste it. Many dogs are simply attracted to this, and it isn’t abnormal at all. Dogs just enjoy the taste of your skin.
Should You Stop Dogs From Licking Your Feet?
There is really nothing to worry about when it comes to the actual action of your dog licking your legs occasionally. But if you think it’s due to stress or anxiety, you might want to uncover the root cause. You don’t want your dog feeling insecure or out of sorts, after all.
If you think your dog might have an anxiety-related issue, you can work with your vet to determine why. There will be options to help your dog, including medication if the situation merits.
Also, it’s important to note that excessive licking, in general, can signal:
- Stress or anxiety
- Pain
- Allergies
- Underlying health conditions
So, while leg licking can simply be a product of the reasons we discussed in this article, you need to keep an eye on other visual cues.
Final Thoughts
If you find good ol’ Fido licking your legs, it is probably totally normal behavior. There is usually no negative reason unless it is accompanied by other behaviors that cause concern. If you believe the excessive licking could be because of an underlying health issue, never wait. Always consult your vet for further guidance or advice.
Featured Image Credit: Alby83, Shutterstock
