Your dog licks your eyes due to wanting to groom you
When your dog licks your eyes, it could be viewed as a normal grooming activity. But it could also be a pathologic behavior if done repeatedly or incessantly to the point of causing discomfort to the owner.
This relates back to their pack mentality. It’s seen in so many dog behaviors such as them wanting to sleep on top of you, or following you around the home. Some dogs will lick any part of your body that can reach, even your feet.
Your dog licks your eyes due to canine OCD
There is a growing body of research exploring the occurrence of obsessive-compulsive behavior manifesting as excessive licking in dogs. Two examples are excessive licking of paws leading to canine lick granuloma, and excessive licking of surfaces.
Canine lick granuloma, also known as Acral Lick Dermatitis (ALD), is the formation of well-delineated, bald, thickened, or abraded areas of the skin of the paw, anywhere from the foot to the elbow, due to excessive licking.
Dog breeds predisposed to this condition include Doberman Pinscher, Labrador Retriever, Golden retriever, Great Dane, Boxer, Weimaraner, and Irish Setter (view study source).
You might think what does that have to do with you. Well, dogs with this OCD have been known to lick their owners more, and that can extend to the eyes.
Do Dogs show empathy when we cry?
Yes, they do, most dogs will comfort whoever is crying whether it’s their owner or even a stranger. They not only show empathy but also show sympathy, which means that they have a desire to comfort anyone who is in emotional distress.
The mind of a dog is very similar in behaviors and capacity to the mind of toddlers from 2 to 3 years old that’s why they have fairly complex emotions such as empathy and if you do have or had a toddler then you can see that toddlers begin to show the beginnings of empathy around two years old.
According to researchers, when your dog sees your emotional distress, they get affected then they come to nuzzle you which means that they do not only comfort you but themselves as well.
Some other scientists suggest that dogs are not showing empathy and they approach us when we are sad because they are curious.
So, to settle this, two psychologists from Goldsmiths college in London, decided to get the final answer to see if dogs really had empathy when their owners are in emotional distress and not just curious.
They tested 18 dogs in their owner’s homes, the experiment was pretty simple, they asked a stranger 6 feet apart from the dog’s owner and one of them hummed and the other one pretended to cry.
If dogs are just curious they would go to the person who is humming since it’s something new for them but if they do show empathy they will go to the person who is crying.
15 of the 18 dogs went to the person who was crying. This clearly shows that it’s not curiosity, dogs really do feel empathy and want to comfort us.
14 Signs Your Dog REALLY Loves You, Confirmed by Science
Why does my dog lick my eyes? If you’re one of the many pet owners asking this question, you’ve come to the right place.
Dogs lick the eyes of their mother dog to show their love and affection. But when they lick their owners’ eyes, it may feel invasive and gross on the part of the human.
Many pet owners also find it embarrassing when their dogs start licking their guests’ eyes and do not stop even when commanded.
Dogs communicate using their body language, barking, biting, licking, and so on. A dog’s licking behavior has many hidden messages depending on the situation and its needs at any given time.
If you want to delve into the complex psychology of why dogs lick, this guide has all you need to know. We also discuss if such behavior is harmful and if you should get your dog to stop licking.