It is a common behavior for dogs to lick their owners' hands and feet, reflecting the intimate relationship between dogs and their owners and the unique way of communication between individuals. To understand the meaning behind this behavior more deeply, we might as well first explore dog behavior and how they express their emotions.
Dogs socialize, express emotions and explore the world through licking. Newborn puppies can lick the bitch's mouth to cause their mother to vomit food, which is one of the ways they get food. At the same time, licking between dogs is also a behavioral way to promote social interaction and establish social rankings. From this perspective, the dog licks the owner's hands and feet may contain the following meanings.
First, licking, as a sign of intimacy, means that the dog regards you as a member of his "family". In this way, they strengthen their emotional connections and express their trust and dependence on you. Just as dogs maintain social relations through licking, their licking of human friends is also a social act, showing a desire to seek care and attention.
Second, it is an exploratory behavior. Dogs have excellent sense of smell, and licking can help them better sense the smell on their owners, thereby understanding their owners' health status, emotional changes, etc. When they lick your hands and feet, they are actually observing and understanding your emotions and physical condition.
Third, it may be an act of comfort. When a dog senses human uneasiness, tension or pain, it may comfort its owner by licking it. They try to reduce their owner’s anxiety levels by licking, one of their natural nursing behaviors that show their sympathy and concern for humans.
Fourth, licking may also be a sign of compassion. In the dog group, lower dogs often show weakness and comply by licking the upper dog's mouth. So, when your dog licks your hands and feet, it may be showing you its respect and obedience to you in this way.
Fifth, it may be the habit of seeking food. In the dog world, puppies ask for food by licking their female dog. Even as adults, this behavior may be preserved with a gesture of licking the owner as a sign of food seeking, especially if they have successfully obtained food or snacks through this behavior.
After understanding these possible reasons, we can take some actions to deal with dog licking. If you feel that this behavior is a positive social interaction, you can respond to them in moderation and strengthen your relationship by touching or playing with them. If you want to reduce this behavior, gently guide dogs to do other things while licking, such as giving them toys or instructing them to perform a task.
If the dog licks his hands and feet frequently or compulsively, especially when it is accompanied by anxiety or other abnormal behaviors, the owner may need to pay attention to the dog's emotional status or consider consulting a professional animal behaviorist to ensure that the behavior is not caused by stress or health problems.
The dog licks the owner's hands and feet is a multi-dimensional behavioral expression, and there may be different emotions and needs behind it. Understanding the meaning behind these behaviors and responding accordingly can not only enhance communication between people and dogs, but also promote deeper understanding and closer relationships between each other. For whatever reason, we should value this unique way of communication with our loyal partners.