Why does my dog like licking my other dogs ears

This is when the other dogs prove to be of help. Amy Pike DVM of Veterinary Behavior Consultations in St.

What Obsessive Licking can Mean.

Why does my dog like licking my other dogs ears. A dog continuously licking another dogs ears can give the other dog serious ear problems. It can result in soreness on the lobe or worse an infection in the dogs ear canal. A good solution is to take part in some training sessions where your dog will be able to mingle with others and relearn at what level he needs to execute his social skills.

And when a dog licks another dogs ears it creates moisture within it. This moisture creates the perfect environment for bacteria and yeast to flourish and could set the victim dog up for infection. On the opposite end of the spectrum obsessive licking could also be a sign of infection.

Why Its an Unhealthy Habit. Amy Pike DVM of Veterinary Behavior Consultations in St. Louis Mo both dogs could potentially be at risk.

If the dog being licked has an ear infection and is being treated with topical medication it could cause the dog doing the licking to get an upset stomach due to ingestion of the medication says Dr. Pike although she adds that. Remember one of the reasons dogs lick each others ears is because licking is soothing for them.

Sure they can lick their paw or legs to get the same soothing effect but theyve developed a habit of licking the ears of your other dog. When a dog develops a habit its hard to break it. Many of them stem from some evolutionary behavior or communication mechanism.

Others are just unique to the family dog. You may have noticed your pet licking the ears of another dog cat or even human in the household. This borderline gross behavior is not uncommon among dogs but most pet owners have to wonder why their dog is licking ears.

If one dog persists in licking the other dog may at some point communicate a need for the other dog to move on. Why Does My Dog. Like to Lick My Other Dogs Ear Cavity.

Why Its an Unhealthy HabitAccording to Dr. Amy Pike DVM of Veterinary Behavior Consultations in St. Louis Mo both dogs could potentially be at risk.

In most cases dogs licking each others ears is a healthy and natural behavior that should not ring any alarms. Sometimes however licking can indicate an underlying medical issue be it with the dog being licked or the one doing the licking. Bacterial or fungal infections like a yeast infection can cause a dog to scratch at her own ears.

Do note that if your dog starts licking the ears of other pets in the house that you should work to deter the behaviour. This is because the excess moisture can lead to ear infections in the pets who have their ears licked. However this doesnt apply to humans so if your pup only licks the ears of people it will be fine.

I can tell you that almost every time when I have seen a two dog household where one dog wants to lick the other dogs ears obsessively it is because there is some type of medical issue with the other dogs ears. Usually the problem is some type of infection as opposed to ear mites. What Obsessive Licking can Mean.

Obsessive licking of one dog by another dog can mean several different things and not all of them are bad. However sometimes this over-licking can lead to problems so lets take a look at the possible reasons why this womans dog is licking her other dogs genitals so much. When two dogs lick each others ears it may be a show of affection and an expression of the friendship bond that exists between them.

Similarly when a dog licks his humans ears he may be showing that human affection and respect and communicating the bond he feels with his human. Licking ears sometimes is a dogs way of demonstrating he is. This behaviour has roots back when dogs lived in packs.

Licking another dogs ears showed that the recipient dog had been accepted into the pack. So if your dog is licking your ears it means that it is comfortable and feels safe in your presence. I have a Shih Tzu and he keeps licking my large dogs ears.

We looked in her ears and they are clean of corse but is there anything I can put on her ears so the other dog stops licking them. She just lays there and lets him to it. He will do it all the time if I didnt stop yelling at him.

When you dog licks your ears they may just be trying to tell you that they love you and are comfortable when you are around. You can know your dog is licking your ears for this reason if they have a soft face that is no tense muscles along the brow line or the muzzle and relaxed body positioning. Attraction to the smell and taste of earwax is another reason your dog favors licking your ear versus other parts of your body such as your face hands or feet.

Some dogs have a sophisticated palate and might like the slightly bitter or salty taste of earwax. It might mean your dog has an upset stomach. The same holds true if your dog licks the walls the floor part of your furniture or any other type of odd place including your ears if thats out of the norm for them.

Excessive drool and lip smacking or licking are other indications of nausea. A dog licking another dogs ears is basically the only chance theyve got of having a freshen up in that area. In some ways similar to when monkeys perform a communal and reciprocal picking through of their fur to remove dirt and parasites dogs lick each others ears as a grooming favor.

Though dogs know how to groom themselves but it is not possible for them to reach inside their ears. This is when the other dogs prove to be of help. Dogs always want everyone in their pack to be healthy and thus as a part of their survival instincts they clean the ears of one another.

You do not need to stop this behavior as it will not cause any problems at all. Ear licking is a common behavior in dogs. According to James Glover DVM there is nothing detrimental about this behavior unless it is a question of sanitation.