Why Does My Dog Lick My Hands Constantly When I am Stressed?
Why Does My Dog Lick My Hands Constantly When I am Stressed? Do you ever find yourself lounging in the living room and just feel a wave of doom wash over your very soul, like a great dark storm cloud is descending over the planet? Then suddenly, a small furry body will push in against your legs, or gently shove their nose into your hand. It is their dog sense picking up your misery, and they are trying to fix you.
If you’ve wondered to yourself “Why does my dog lick my hands constantly when I am stressed?”, rest assured that you are not the only one to do so.
The behavior can be a great comfort and a complete enigma to owners. Let’s look at the reasons why your canine companion will suddenly transform into a licking machine when you are experiencing stress.
Why Does My Dog Lick My Hands Constantly When I am Stressed?
The Deep-Rooted Bond: Empathy and Emotional Contagion
Why Does My Dog Lick My Hands Constantly When I am Stressed? They’re Empathic Hands down the biggest motivation your dog has to lick you during stressful times. We can’t pinpoint the inner workings of a dog’s psyche, but we can find plenty of evidence that says dogs are incredibly attuned to our moods.
Sensing Your Stress More Than Just a Feeling
Why Does My Dog Lick My Hands Constantly When I am Stressed? Dogs are great observers. Dogs are listening not only to the words coming out of your mouth, but also your overall state of emotionality, reading you from:
- Body language: you droop shoulders, you tense your muscles or you avoid looking into your eyes.
- The tone of your voice: If you are using an impatient tone, if you seem sad or angry with a soft voice.
- The scent: The most important way by which dogs are alerted is their ability to smell the scents you transmit; that the dog smells stress.
Your body emanates stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.
A Study in Comfort
Why Does My Dog Lick My Hands Constantly When I am Stressed? One study by Deborah Custance and Jennifer Mayer in 2012 concluded that dogs were much more likely to go and lick a person who was crying, compared to someone who was talking and singing . The study showed that when the dogs heard crying they behaved submissively, to try to comfort the distressed individual, and licking was one of those actions. What this shows is that when your dog licks you they are not just curious about a sound they haven’t heard before. They understand that you are sad and want to provide reassurance and to help.
That is why experts often call this phenomenon ‘emotional contagion’ .
More Than Empathy: Other Reasons for the Licking
Empathy: Why You Feel So Unstoppable When you’re feeling really low, the top driver for your dog licking you seems to be that their sensitivity kicks in at that moment.
Other reasons your dog might constantly lick include: All of these other motivations have built upon one and reinforce your dog’s desire to lick your hands.
A Soothing Mechanism for Both of You
Licking can be a self-calming behavior for dogs. Your dog’s body is flooded with the “feel good” hormones, endorphins, when he licks-just as we do when we relax. When he can tell that you’re experiencing any kind of distress, he can tell you that he can help. As licking can calm and comfort, he’s helping him, too.
Tasting Your Stress (and Your Day)
Your hands are constantly picking up information from the world around you. From the food you touch to the objects you handle, your skin is covered in tastes and smells . The salt from your sweat is also appealing to dogs . When your dog licks your hands, they are essentially “reading” the story of your day . This is an instinctive investigative behavior. When combined with the scent of your stress hormones, your hands become a fascinating and potent source of information for your dog.
The Appeal of the Hands
Let’s be honest, your hands are just convenient! They are easy for your dog to reach, and they are the primary way you interact with them. You pet them with your hands, feed them with your hands, and point to things with your hands. To your dog, your hands are a central point of interaction, making them a prime target for licking .
When is Constant Licking a Concern?
While licking can be a sign of affection and empathy, it’s important to know when it crosses the line into problem behavior.
Normal Licking: If your dog just gives a few casual licks when you’re having a tough day or greet you.
Excessive Licking: This is licking that can’t be interrupted easily, turns obsessive and the dog actually Licks themselves until the hair is gone and/or their skin is sore
This could signify that there is an medical cause for excessive Licking or intense Anxiety in your dog . If your dog seems to be Licking their fur obsessively and also exhibiting signs of anxiety like paced wandering, excessive whining, and self destruction- you really want to speak to your veterinarian about it. Many GI issues and other medical problems will manifest as a dog to excessive LICK!
Also Check: Natural Joint Supplements For Large Breed Puppies To Prevent Limping
How to Respond to the Licking?
Instead of viewing your dog’s licking as annoying, try to see the underlying comfort that they are offering. You can offer comfort in return by:
- Pat your dog with your hand in a gentle way and speaking to them in a calm voice.
- Move to the side if the licking gets excessive, or hand them a chew toy or puzzle to try and distract them.
- Teach them that not all licking brings you running, by walking away from them or leaving the room without attending to their needs if they attempt to lick you when you’re upset.
Conclusion: A Remarkable Act of Canine Compassion
So the next time you’re stressed out and Fido seems to find every excuse to try to lick your hands over and over again, understand it’s a profound indicator of your unique connection. They are communicating, ‘I understand that you are upset and I am here for you’. It’s a unique combination of an amazing canine knack for picking up our feelings and the most natural of instincts to try to offer solace. He really is man’s best friend, when man needs him the most.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is my dog trying to tell me they are stressed, too?
They probably are. Your stress is a very big indicator of their own stress, and licking themselves in this manner can be an indication that they are feeling some sort of discomfort, anxiety, or are also very sensitive. You and your dog are likely both showing and experiencing a high amount of stress at this moment.
Can my dog actually smell my stress?
They certainly can. Studies show that when you are under a high amount of stress, dogs can literally smell the additional adrenaline and cortisol that you are excreting from your body. They also rely a lot on olfaction when they feel as though someone they care about is in distress, as this smell will indicate such.
Why does my dog lick my hands and not my face when I’m upset?
Your hands are likely very aromatic from all of the places that they have been and the many things they have touched. Also, in addition to that, these are likely where you interact the most when communicating with your dog in person. For those two reasons alone, your hands are likely a key place of your body for your dog to try and use to comfort you.
Is constant licking a sign of a medical problem in my dog?
Sometimes! While excessive licking can sometimes be an attempt at an attempt at self comfort and appeasement with their human, it can also be a symptom of an underlying issue in a dog. Those can include allergies, irritation in the skin or GI tract ,pain or discomfort that the dog is experiencing in his or her body, or any combination of other symptoms.
Should I stop my dog from licking my hands?
You should probably don’t. If this licking has previously been helpful to your dog in offering appeasement for a particular situation or situation and he or she feels that he or she is being an “appeaser” you probably will not be doing your dog any favor by telling them to stop licking or discouraging it completely.
Do all dogs lick their owners when they are stressed?
Not every dog. Each dog reacts a different way when they get to the stressed point, and some may lay on you instead, or push into your personal space. Some dogs are very \”love\” oriented and this’s how they demonstrate their care and concern in the event that there are very big emotion fluctuations going around in your house or for the entire home.
Why does my dog lick me more when I’m crying?
Actually, it’s studies show that in fact, licking seems to be a more intense response than that of other emotional displays. One study showed that when humans cried, the dogs they’d found responded more acutely and intensely compared to when the humans simply hummed or even talked.
My dog only licks me when I’m stressed. Is this normal?
That’s completely normal and a wonderful indicator that you share a close bond with your dog and he is finely attuned to your emotional states! You probably share that bond due to lots of shared experience. You more than likely live together, in close quarters, in a high- stress world.
How can I tell if the licking is a compulsive disorder?
With any of the compulsive behaviors of the kind I just explained about, you usually know that they do not intend on doing anything, but they feel a particular compelled need to continue on with the behavior.
Are certain breeds more prone to stress licking?
Certain breeds are more prone to stress-based issues, including theGerman Shepherd, Labrador Retriever and Bichon Frises to name just three. While each breed can be prone to stresses like the others that they live with, some are predisposed to certain conditions that can make them more likely to lick due to allergies.
