07
May
Why Do Dogs Want To Lick Your Cuts. First of all a dogs saliva is very clean as compared to a humans. Cheri Wulff Lucas a dog behavior specialist and rescuer suggests that the most common reason for dogs to lick their paws is because something is on or in them. Dogs are known to be naturally affectionate animals and have many different ways of showing their love. Once that dog gets to licking you it might realize you have an intriguing human taste that is a bit salty.
Licking might offer some protection against certain bacteria but there are serious drawbacks to letting your dog lick wounds. Licking wounds seems an instinctual reaction to the injury. When dogs lick their own wounds sometimes it can be because they want to tear open their stitches or the wound is bothering them. They clean it by licking like a sort of healing. Pica in dogs is one such disorder which can explain why your dog is licking metal things. In certain cases the licking behavior can be interpreted as a sign of affection.
Unfortunately it is also a condition which is poorly understood even by the veterinary medical community.
Licking can play a role in the solicitation of resources as when pups lick their mothers as a precursor to feeding or when lower-ranking pack members lick their superiors in the hopes of an invitation to dine on communal prey. Your dog means well when it tries to lick your wounds. Its just another sensory tool say some researchers. Part of this is due to affection and their presumed duty of care towards you. Just like how your dogs mother would have licked any wounds your. Unfortunately it is also a condition which is poorly understood even by the veterinary medical community.