Watch Now: If Your Dog Could Text, They Would Say This
Dog trainer and behaviorist Turid Rugaas coined the phrase “calming signals” to refer to lip licking and similar dog behaviors. Lip licking is also often referred to as an appeasement gesture. Dogs exhibit certain behaviors and actions when they feel stressed or uncomfortable. Its usually because there is something going on around them that they perceive as a threat. Dogs who are licking their lips are usually sending the message that they are worried.
Dogs lick their lips to appease and soothe a person or animal they see as a threat in order to ward off aggression. An example of this can be seen in dogs who are scolded when their owners return home to find the dog has had an accident in the house. A dog might not connect the scolding to relieving himself indoors. Instead, he sees his owner as a threat. The owner may be yelling and looming over him. The dog may offer an appeasement gesture by licking his lips and averting his gaze. This is the dogs way of saying that he isnt a threat to the person behaving in an aggressive manner.
Sometimes dogs exhibit appeasement gestures like lip licking and yawning when they are frustrated or confused. Many owners notice this during training sessions when their dogs are having trouble understanding what is being taught. If you notice lip licking, yawning, scratching, or ground-sniffing while training your dog, it might be time to stop the training session. A dog cannot learn new things when stressed. To end on a positive note, ask your dog to do something simple he already knows, like sit. Reward with a treat and praise, then end the session. Try playing with your dog for a little while to bond and help your dog relax.
Another important possible reason for excessive lip licking in dogs is a health-related issue. A dog might lick his lips due to nausea, dental disease, or mouth pain. Look for other signs of illness and keep a close eye on your dog. When in doubt, contact your vet.
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Your dog keeps licking their lips – should you be concerned?
As much as we love our canine companions, sometimes dog behavior can be annoying. From incessant barking to the late-night zoomies, dogs can try our patience. But sometimes their habits are downright adorable. Dogs licking their lips ranks high up on the list of the most adorable canine quirks, but why do dogs lick their lips? Sometimes, it’s because they smell something yummy. However, if there’s no food in sight, you may feel puzzled. Contents
Like wagging their tails, dogs lick their lips as a form of communication. Have you ever wanted to find out why dogs lick their lips? You’ve come to the right place. We’ll take a closer look at one of the most common dog behaviors and figure out what all this lip licking is about — and when you should be concerned.
Because our pups can’t speak to us using words, they send signals using their body language. It’s up to us as their pet parents to learn to read that language. According to animal behaviorist Patricia McConnell, there are several reasons why dogs lick their lips. Those reasons include:
Let’s take a closer look at the different reasons why dogs lick their lips, what you should do about it, and when you should seek help from a veterinarian.
One of the most common reasons dogs lick their lips is simply because they smell something appetizing. Whether you’re opening a can of your dog’s favorite food, or you’ve just made a tasty treat for yourself, the scent can cause your dog to lick their lips. It also causes their mouth to water. Not only is this an involuntary response to the anticipation of food, but saliva production also helps prepare the teeth to chew and the stomach to digest its upcoming meal. The same biological response happens to us.
Why is my dog licking his lips a lot?
Dogs will lick their lips non-stop as an appeasement gesture when feeling threatened, anxious, or nervous, or when they experience a health-related problem such as nausea, oral discomfort, allergies, or internal pain.
The Reasons Why Your Dog is Licking Their Lips All the Time (are they in pain?)
Our dogs have plenty of everyday quirks. Sneezing, barking at the delivery driver, napping in strange spots…the list goes on. Youre probably used to seeing your dog lick parts of their body, objects in their environment, other pets, your leg, or even the air.
Dog lip licking is a common behavior. In and of itself, it’s not a major cause for concern. As youll learn below, dogs lick their lips for many normal reasons. However, its possible for licking to occur frequently or without stopping, and excessive licking usually indicates that something is wrong.
Lets explore the reasons why your dog is licking their lips. Then, youll be able to tell whether or not this behavior is something you should be concerned about. If it is, youll want to work with your veterinarian to make sure your pet gets back to normal as soon as possible.