Over the years, the place for certain animals has changed in our lives. From being a strange and beautiful distraction, they have now become an integral part of many families. As the human population is growing, so is the pet population. Many people have pets in their homes and they consider them as a part of their family.
According to statistics, 57% of the people around the world own pets. Out of this 57% of the animal lovers, 33% are dog owners. Dogs have always been the most popular pet of all times. Their loving and loyal nature makes them man’s best friend. If you belong to the lucky 33% of the population owning dogs then this article would be of utmost interest to you.
Like all other members of the family, our pets are equally dear to us. Their health is a serious concern and we make sure to provide them with everything that is beneficial for their health.
Why Do Dogs Lick?
If you own dogs you must be aware of the peculiar habit that comes as a package with these four-legged beauties. Dogs love to lick and they lick almost everything. It is probably their way of expressing themselves as well as exploring things around them.
People have been trying to decipher the exact meaning behind the dog’s licking. There are quite a few possibilities. We have compiled a list below of all the reasons for a dog to lick.
- When a puppy is born, the mother dog licks the new-born clean. It is also a warm display of affection for the baby. You must be wondering why your dog licks everything? Because these babies take on to this habit of showing affection from their mothers and lick people, things and other animals for their display of affection.
- Wild dogs when return home, regurgitate the hunted meat. The puppies lick the meat of their parents’ mouths. This is a well-known reason for dogs to lick their fellows.
- When a dog meets its owner after a gap of a few hours, it greets the owner by licking. It is the dogs’ way of telling their owners how much they were missed and how much the dogs love them.
- Licking someone is also considered as a gesture of showing respect in the dog world. Wild dogs often lick others from their breed to show respect and welcome the alpha and commit their submission to the ones that are higher than them in the social order.
- Sometimes dogs lick their owners face in seek for attention. You must have noticed that when dogs shower us with kisses, we often pat them with love or scratch the back of their ears lovingly. These small gestures mean a lot to the pooches.
- Oftentimes it happens that the dogs feel neglected. They lick their owners to depict the message that they need a little more care or food.
- You must be curious to know that Why do Dogs lick themselves? Well, there are a number of reasons behind it. It can be because of a painful paw or claw or any other part of the body. They might be feeling unwell or might be suffering from some kind of skin disease. They might be infested with lice and fleas. It is their way of communicating the message that things are not right with them.
- One alarming reason for dogs excessively licking everything is they might be suffering from obsessive-compulsive behavior. Although it is very rare in dogs still it is best to consult your vet and get your dog checked and treated by an animal behaviorist. This disorder is often a result of prolonged anxiety or stress.
- Dogs lick themselves to clean themselves. The wild breeds do this to get rid of any odor that might alarm enemies of their presence. Although the pet dogs at our homes do not need to beware of the enemies, they still lick themselves. This may be attributed to their sense of self-cleaning.
Why Do Dogs Lick Your Hands And Feet?
Apart from all the above-mentioned reasons dogs also lick human feet and hands because they might find it salty. Dogs lick everything that tastes different and this is their way of exploring this world.
Salt For Dogs:
We all know how important salt is for our daily intake. Studies have shown that daily salt intake is equally important for dogs. It is very important for dogs to have salt intake in their daily diet as it is a source of electrolytes and minerals. Without salt in their diets, they may get dehydrated and suffer from malnutrition.
Salt is simply sodium and chloride but it plays an important part when it comes to maintaining good health. It maintains pH balance in the body, blood pressure, blood volume and, transmission of nerve impulses.
Sodium is essential for transferring nutrients to the cells and getting rid of the waste substances. Chloride, on the other hand, helps with the production of hydrochloric acid which aids in protein digestion.
In case a dog is deprived of the ideal daily salt intake it is likely to affect its cognitive as well as physical health and growth and this will also be strongly depicted through the dog’s behavior. Low salt diet may cause seizures, coma, lethargy, and weakness which may further cause difficulty in maintaining water balance, loss of hearing, fatigue, and dry flaky skin. Low salt or hyponatremia can also be a result of prolonged diarrhea and vomiting. If anything like this occurs, it is best to consult a vet immediately.
Himalayan Salt Lick For Dogs:
The pink Himalayan salt is known to be the only purest salt present on this earth. This salt is hand extracted from the salt mines situated at the foothills of the Himalayan mountain ranges.
An interesting fact about the natural salt is that it contains sodium chloride and as many as 84 macrominerals and trace minerals in the proper ratio. These 84 minerals of Himalayan salt are already present in the human and animal bodies and help in proper growth and functioning of some of the vital organs.
You can introduce Himalayan salt licks to your dog by placing purpose-built salt licks around the place or dissolving salt in your dog’s food and water.
Saltwater Toxicity In Dogs:
We all know what beaches mean to our pooches. Dogs love to play at the beaches and swim in the cold water. This all may lead to a thirsty dog and chances are your dog may end up drinking beach water.
Saltwater taken in little amount may only cause diarrhea but if the dog drinks up too much of the toxic beach water, it may be fatal. Excessive saltwater disrupts the fluid balance of your dog and raises with toxic degrees of sodium of their systems. while too much salt builds up in a canine’s body, her cells release their water content material to try to balance out the sodium disparity. This, in flip, reasons a litany of great health effects. It can motive seizures, a loss of brain cells, damage to the kidneys, and intense dehydration. Hopefully, all the information compiled in this piece is helpful in taking care of your animal friend.