Some dog owners report such behavior from their pets. But is it bizarre or normal?
What are the reasons for this? Is it dangerous for dogs? What is the right thing to do if your dog regularly does this?
You will be surprised how versatile the reasons may be! I’ve tried to summarize this info for you below.
Why Does My Dog Lick My Moisturizer?
- They like the taste or smell of the moisturizer and want to eat it;
- They like your body odor and want to remove the product;
- They want to clean your skin;
- They are curious to understand what it is about;
- They have a condition called pica.
Before we go through these five points, let’s see the dog’s nature behind licking.
Why do dogs like to lick their owners?
Dogs are attached to us. They are affectionate animals, showing their love for us in various ways, primarily by licking.
When dogs lick us, their brains release endorphins, which calms them.
They are trying to tell us they want something. Maybe food, water or a walk. In any case, you must learn how to interpret their behavior.
Dogs love to be loved. They crave to be cared for, like children and will try many tricks to get your attention.
Dogs use their nose and tongue to study objects and people. We explore the world through our senses, while dogs use their sense of taste to recognize things around them.
They can recognize us by taste. They do this by licking the skin, which produces salt from the pores when we sweat.
It becomes a habit if they like the taste of their host’s skin. If the human encourages the dog to lick it, it understands and repeats it.
However, if the human punishes the dog after licking, very soon, the dog realizes that the human doesn’t like it and quickly stops.
These are the reasons why dogs lick us.
Now that we have the general picture, it is easier to explain why a dog licks us when smeared with moisturizer. Let’s take a look at the most important ones.
They like the taste or smell of the moisturizer and want to eat it
Our pets use their noses to explore the world around them.
Their sophisticated olfactory system allows them to sense and detect scents unreachable to humans.
It is possible that the smell or taste of the moisturizer we use appeals to them.
They like your body odor and want to remove the product
Our dogs know our smell, and they love it. Anything that smells like their owners makes them feel content and relaxed.
Our dogs smell our clothes primarily because they find the smell comforting.
If the moisturizer’s scent is not typical for you, your pet would like to remove it by licking you.
They want to clean your skin
Our four-legged companions have their habits to keep themselves clean – they lick their paws, feet and, in general – the parts of the body they have access to.
They want to remove dirt, secretions or other irritants clinging to them.
They are likely to consider that your skin needs cleaning, too, due to the unnatural smell of your cream.
They are curious to understand what it is about
Many intelligent and inquisitive dogs explore the world and like to do things their way.
The moisturizer on you is something they want to explore.
Does the dog happen to be searching around the house? If yes, maybe your dog is that type.
They have a condition called pica
Pica is an eating disorder that occurs in both humans and pets.
In dogs, it is characterized by the desire to consume non-nutritive substances such as paper, soil, glass, metal, plastic, cloth, garbage, dirt, rocks and even faeces.
Usually, in quadrupeds, this is a psychological, compulsive behavior-related problem, but sometimes it can be the result of a medical problem or an unbalanced diet.
No matter why your dog is consistently eating foreign objects, it is vital to work towards eliminating this behavior because it can be dangerous for your pet.
If you notice signs of Pica in your pet, be sure to consult your veterinarian. You will determine the cause with the specialist and develop a treatment plan.
Is it dangerous if my dog licks my moisturizer?
Ingestion of large amounts of moisturizing creams can cause drooling, vomiting and diarrhoea in pets.
These products can contain many chemicals and compounds that act as moisturizers and softeners.
Softeners become oily with body (or stomach) heat and can cause gastrointestinal upset.
Be cautious with Aloe vera plant and aloe vera-based products.
The plant’s prickles can injure a dog’s skin if it is short-haired, and the gel in the leaves can give it a painful and massive rash.
If swallowed, aloe would give the four-legged pet a stomach upset, and if the animal is allergic, it could be fatal.
Is sunscreen dangerous to lick?
If the sunscreen has zinc oxide or para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), it could be toxic to the dog.
A small amount of these substances is unlikely to be fatal, but it’s a good rule of thumb to enforce to avoid allowing your dog to lick you when you’ve applied sunscreen.
How to prevent my dog from licking skincare?
If, for some reason, this behavior annoys your dog; there are a couple of ways you can get them to stop doing it.
Avoid encouraging them.
If your dog has remembered that they will be rewarded, it will help to shift the focus and only praise them if they behave the way you want.
Ignore them while they are licking you – that way, they will make the association that this behaviour doesn’t lead to anything more exciting for them and will gradually stop doing it.
Distract your dog.
When they start licking, you give them a favorite toy or occupy them with something to distract them. This will redirect their focus.
In conclusion
Now we know the answer to the question, why does my dog lick my moisturizer? It may be due to several factors related to curiosity, scent, food, or psychological disorder.
This is not strange behavior of the dog and has its explanation. Moreover, it is up to us to explore the case and decide whether it is necessary to take action.
Thank you for reading!
Valeria
