Some cats like their owners' feet and sniff, bite and lick them. Because feet aren't always pleasant, this obsession can be bothersome for some of us. Cats attach to their feet because it is one of the most accessible body parts to show love and affection. The sweat glands on our feet also say a lot about us and where we've been.
Cats have a Jacobson's organ that allows them to sense odors and pheromones produced by their feet. They are also comforted by the scent of their host, which is emitted through the scent glands. Many cats also tend to attack their owners' legs to play or improve their hunting skills. If cats smell unfamiliar odors, they will rub their cheeks against their feet and pass on their scent to gain territory.
Feet are extremely sensitive, and overzealous cats can cause pain by biting or scratching them. Although your cat's obsession is primarily instinctive, you must set boundaries for it.
Showing love in dogs
The mother constantly licks the puppies before and after feeding - this is both a necessary hygiene measure, a massage to improve digestion, and a way to calm the little blind creature and let him know that he is not alone. Having matured, the puppy begins to lick its mother in response, demanding affection or showing that it is hungry. And when a person replaces the mother, he automatically begins to show his needs to him in this way. An adult dog, expressing devotion and joy, can run its tongue over the face and hands of the owner, unable to otherwise show feelings.
The dog constantly licks the puppies - this is both a necessary hygiene measure and a massage to improve digestion
Health problems and licking of front or back paws
The first step is to determine if there are any paw health problems. Dogs may lick their front or back paws excessively if they are itchy, irritated, or painful.
Damage to the paw or the presence of a stuck foreign object can explain the sudden manifestation of changes in behavior, expressed in paw licking. The dog may have stepped on something causing discomfort. For example, a sharp object or hot pavement. The animal may have been bitten by an insect or other animal. Or is it simply an object or substance stuck or stuck to the paws that requires human help to remove it. Foreign objects such as splinters and pieces of plants can get stuck in the paws and cause irritation.
Another possibility is that the dog has a mass on one of its paws, like a cyst or tumor. Or the dog has arthritis, injury to the soft tissue or bones of the paw. The latter cannot be seen with the naked eye.
A paw injury, foreign object, or swelling is most likely if a dog focuses on one paw more than the others. However, these problems can affect more than one limb at a time.
Allergies often cause the paw pads to become itchy or irritated, causing the dog to lick them excessively. Many dogs have food and/or environmental allergies that cause discomfort in their limbs. Food allergies most often cause itchy paws.
Infections also cause dogs to lick their paws. Many individuals develop bacterial or fungal infections of their paws. These infections can occur for a variety of reasons. However, sometimes they are secondary to allergies. When a dog licks his paws excessively, they remain wet and are more susceptible to bacteria and fungal spores. External parasitic infections, such as fleas or mange, can also cause itchy paws, leading to excessive licking.
If there is no physical reason for your dog to lick his paws excessively, it is acceptable that your dog has behavioral problems.
Your pet wants to chat with you
Dogs' wild ancestors, wolves, use licking to communicate with each other. For example, if a puppy licks its mother, it means that it is hungry and is trying to find some food in its mother’s mouth. Of course, not all dogs have retained such an instinct - it all depends on how far the breed of your faithful friend has moved away from the wild wolf. However, if the puppy suddenly starts licking your face, then you should think about the last time you gave him food - it is quite possible that he is very hungry and is trying to tell you about it.
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Causes
There are several reasons why dogs love to lick their feet. The factors behind such strange behavior of an animal from a human point of view are different.
- This is how the dog shows its affection for family members. Animals do not have the ability to express their emotions like humans. And they do it in a way that is accessible to them. That is why a dog licks the feet of its owner or mistress, by doing this it shows its sympathy and love. When bored, she can lick other parts of the human body: hands, face, neck. Licking simply shows the dog's intense feelings.
- The animal attracts your attention - when your four-legged friend feels lonely or bored, this is how he tries to interest the person. For dogs, licking is a way of establishing contact with their beloved owner.
- Out of a sense of respect: dogs are pack animals, their behavior pattern was formed according to the hierarchy and relationships in the pack. Often the pet considers its owner to be the leader and thus expresses its respect for him.
- Bitches are influenced by maternal instinct. They often lick children's feet, showing care for them as if they were their own puppies.
- The physiological reason is that the animal does not have enough salt, and thus the pet tries to make up for its deficiency.
- Showing cunning - often a baby, after licking one of the family members, receives praise or a treat. A small puppy always evokes a feeling of tenderness in the family. They squeeze him, stroke him, kiss him, offer him another cheek or hand to lick. The baby reciprocates, he licks the pets and the owner. It turns out that the owner's reaction positively reinforces this behavior. As an adult, your pet does not forget that for licking you can get a positive response from your family or encouragement in the form of delicious food. And he uses this trick. That is, by showing attention to the owners, the animal tries to get a portion of affection or tasty food. It’s worth thinking about, maybe your puppy or adult dog lacks love and care?
- Many dogs enjoy the process of licking their owner's feet or hands . This is how the animal feels its connection with the person. In this case, the process is one of the ways of self-affirmation.
Is it worth doing something about this?
If you are not happy with this display of dog affection, try to distract the animal from your legs. Put on your socks, play with your four-legged friend, talk to him, pick him up. Try redirecting your pet's attention to the toy. Provide your four-legged friend with enough exercise during your walk. After an active walk and new impressions gained during the walk, the four-legged friend will not demand the owner’s attention just because he is bored and his need for attention and communication has not been fulfilled.
Check, maybe the dog doesn’t have enough salt in its body, and that’s why it behaves this way . Pour some table salt into a bowl and place it next to drinking water. If the problem is a mineral imbalance, the dog will occasionally come up to the bowl and lick the salt. After some time, the balance in the animal’s body will be restored, and the habit of licking your feet will disappear.
A person can express his feelings using words, gestures, facial expressions, and movements. Our four-legged friends only have access to non-verbal communication. If a dog can express other feelings with the help of growling, barking, howling, then only dog “kisses” remain to show affection, care and friendliness. Therefore, to establish contact with the owner and family members, to attract attention, show devotion and love, the dog begins to lick various parts of the human body.
What do you think about this? Does your pet behave this way? What recommendations have you heard from experienced dog handlers?
