Why does my dog lick my ears? 8 (shocking) reasons

Reason 1: Instinctual

 

When dogs are puppies face licking and licking other dogs ears are completely natural. They will often use this to signal to its mother that it’s feeding time. As they grow up they carry this behavior into adulthood. 

 

Reason 2: Greeting

 

In the canine world, you can often see dogs greeting other dogs with a nice bit of slobbery ear licking.

 

Dogs lick ears as a way of saying hello and showing they are friendly. Dogs are pack animals and licking ears establishes a presence in the pack. 

 

If you have a submissive dog then they will lick other's ears as a form of submissive respect.

 

Reason 3: Grooming

 

Not all ear licking is a form of communication. Sometimes when a dog licks your ear it’s simply normal grooming behavior as they see you as a pack member.

 

Similar to monkeys who groom other members of their group, dogs see you as a member of the pack and therefore all pack members should be groomed accordingly. 

 

This is especially common among owners and their dogs as they have such a close relationship together. 

 

If your dog has a best dog friend then you might have noticed that they lick each others ears a lot. 

Side Story: Speaking from personal experience one of my Dobermans best dog friends is a 180-pound Caucasian Shepherd. When they get together my dog will intentionally put his ears in the Caucasian Shepherds face to encourage him to lick it. 

 

The Caucasian Shepherd then proceeds to sucking and licking on my dog's ears!  

 

Reason 4: Submission

 

Sometimes submissive dogs will lick another dog's ears to show that they aren’t a threat and is submissive behavior. 

 

If they are licking your ears whilst rolling on your back then they are trying to communicate to you that you are the pack leader! 

Reason 5: Ear Infection 

 

Most cases of ear licking are normal but can sometimes indicate an ear infection if directed toward another dog. 

 

In most cases, if your dog is obsessively licking your ear it’s unlikely you have an ear infection. 

 

The difference being when dogs have ear infections you can literally smell the infection and it sometimes produces a load of gunk in the ear canal which your dog can smell. 

 

Reason 6: Acceptance & Comfort 

When a dog is close to another dog they may participate in shared grooming.

 

Dogs are pack animals and often have body parts that are impossible to reach on their own so getting a little help from a friend helps ward off bugs and keeps their whole body clean. 

 

Not only is licking a way to groom a friend it’s also a way to show acceptance of one another.

 

When one dog licks another dog's ears they are communicating that they are accepted in the pack and are comfortable together. 

 

The same is true for their human owners. Remember, most pet dogs see their owners as another part of their pack so behave pretty much the same to you as they would to another dog. 

 

By licking your ears they are showing you they accept you, love you, and are comfortable being in the same space as you. 

 

Reason 7: Ear Wax

Most dogs love ear wax!

 

I remember when I first got my dog and went to a puppy class the teacher mentioned a way to bond with your dog that involved using your knuckle on your hand and rubbing it gently in your dog's ear and then putting it near their mouth. 

 

Not only did my puppy let out a pleasurable groan when I was rubbing his ears but immediately afterward was licking my knuckle as he could smell the ear wax on it. 

 

Humans have ear wax too (some people more than others!) and your dog's sense of smell is incredible. 

 

Ear wax is slightly salty too so to your dog this is very desirable! 

 

They might be licking your ears to try to get them clear of any wax that has built up. Dogs have no concept of being gross so happily engage in this activity. 

 

Reason 8: Exploration 

 

Everyone who owns a dog knows that they explore the world using a variety of senses mainly their exceptional sense of smell and hearing but did you know that they also explore the world via their mouths? 

 

You can see evidence of this when they are young puppies, they put everything in their mouth, lick random objects (like the wall) and scope things out by chewing everything. 

 

This is similar to toddlers in the way that they put things in their mouths which improves their sensory-motor development. 

 

Dogs use their mouths as this is one of the only ways they know how to interact with the world and this applies to licking too. They lick things to explore, and they might be licking your ears as a way to identify if you have new information for them. 

 

Is it dangerous if my dog licks my ears?

 

After owning a dog and seeing some of the disgusting things they can put in their mouth or lick (dog wee, human poo, cow poo, the list of poos goes on!) 

 

One would assume that having them lick your ears is going to cause an instant infection however, most people who own dogs have never reported an ear infection after their dog has licked their ears.. 

 

Why is that? Are dogs' ears cleaner than humans? 

 

This was a commonly held belief but unfortunately is not true. Dogs have different types of bacteria that live in their mouths and these can cause severe infections especially if they come into contact with an open wound. 

 

It’s why up to 15% of dog bites become infected and can even lead to death in serious cases. 

 

Saying that most diseases that dogs can carry cannot be passed to humans and vice versa. 

 

If you have a healthy immune system then the occasional lick shouldn’t cause you any issues but to be safe it’s probably a good idea to wash the area with antibacterial soap. 

How can I stop my dog from licking my ears? 

 

Completely stopping your dog from licking your ears is challenging as it's a natural instinct and they are social creatures.  

 

You can reduce the likelihood of them licking your ears by not having them as close to you so they don't get a chance to. 

 

Another way to reduce this behavior is to not positively reinforce it by stroking them or continuing to let them lick your ears when they do start doing it. 

 

Try to redirect their behavior whenever they lick in a neutral calm fashion and over time the licking should be reduced. 

 

Why does my dog lick my ears? - Conclusion

For the most part, dogs licking ears is part of what you sign up for as a pet owner.

 

You are lucky enough to have a pet pooch that holds you in high regard and is communicating its love for you via a slobbery lick!

 

Occasional ear licking is natural dog behavior so is nothing to worry about unless it turns into excessive licking.

 

As dogs' mouths do contain harmful bacteria that can cause infection it’s best to reduce this activity as much as possible and clean the area if they do get a lick in - especially if you have broken skin near your ear.