You may wonder why your dog likes to lick another dog’s ears. There are several reasons why your dog may feel an irresistible compulsion to engage in ear licking, and most of the time, this behavior is harmless. Here are the most common explanations of why your dog sometimes seems to have an ear fixation.
Your Dog Is Grooming the Other Dog
Dogs show affection and bond with each other through grooming. While your dog can lick most of his body to keep his fur clean, he cannot reach certain areas on or around his head – obviously, he can’t lick his own ears!
- A mother dog will lick her puppies to groom them and show affection. Therefore, a pup may learn from his mom that licking is a sign of love and the tongue a tool for grooming.
Your Dog Is Greeting the Other Dog
Ear licking may be a form of greeting. When the ancestors of modern dogs lived in packs, a pack reunion would mean lots of ear-licking as a way to greet each other. Specifically, dogs on the lower end of the totem pole would lick the ears of more dominant dogs to demonstrate submission. So if you observe your dog licking the ears of another dog, it may have something to do with dog hierarchy.
Your Dog Is Self-Soothing
Compulsive self-reassuring behaviors in dogs are not uncommon. Some dogs prefer to gnaw on objects to self-soothe, while others tend to pace or spin around. Therefore, your dog may need to lick another dog’s ears if he’s feeling stressed.
- If you’re concerned that your dog may be stressed, try redirecting the excessive licking by providing stimulating alternatives such as tasty chews or squeaky toys.
Is It Ok to Let Your Dog Lick Another Dog’s Ears?
Most ear-licking behavior is entirely harmless. However, there are some situations where you do need to intervene, and these are discussed below.
Earwax: Earwax contains a lot of salt, so your dog may be satisfying a craving for this mineral. If this is why your dog is engaging in ear licking, it’s generally not something to worry about. However, the love of ear wax may not be for the best if it becomes excessive. If your dog is mad about ear wax, he may drive other dogs crazy, so you will need to try and stop this behavior.
Ear Infections: One of the strangest reasons is that your dog may lick another dog’s ears because the ear of the dog being licked is infected. Dog’s may be able to tell when something is wrong with another dog, including issues with their ears. This behavior may be an indication that a dog has an infection in its ear.
- If your dog’s licking behavior develops suddenly and appears compulsive, it’s worth determining if the recipient dog has an ear infection. If this is the case and you allow the ear licking to continue, it can lead to your dog consuming a lot of dangerous bacteria.
- If your dog is so obsessed with ear licking that the other dog’s ears are visibly soaked, you should call a halt to the behavior to prevent an ear infection from developing, which will cause the behavior to worsen.
At Midlands Pet Care, we understand the depth of affection you have for your dog. If you live in our area, we can provide the best send-off for him at the end of his life. In addition, wherever you live, please visit our shop to choose a memorial to honor your best friend’s memory.