Why Is My Dog Obsessed With Licking My Feet?

It’s the wet, tickling sensation that all dog parents have experienced: your dog licking your feet. Whether it’s when you’ve come back from a sweaty run or got out of the shower, some dogs can’t get enough. And you’ve probably wondered why they seem to love this rather odd activity. While we may find it a little disgusting, it’s actually a very normal behaviour in dog world.

From figuring out where you’ve been and what you’ve been doing to bonding with you, read on for all the reasons why your dog loves your feet. 

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It’s stimulation

One of the big reasons is simply because your feet smell. And as we all know, dogs’ main goal in life is to sniff, thanks to their sense of smell being so much better than ours. (Around 1,000 to 10,000 times better than humans, in fact.) 

Now, we may not like the smell of our feet. But for our dogs, the scent contains lots of information, including biological information from you and scent particles that you’ve picked up from wherever you’ve been. Plus, a healthy dose of salty sweat, which some dogs particularly love.

It’s a way to bond

Dogs don't just lick feet (and other body parts) because they taste and smell interesting. They can also do it to bond with you. 

Some dogs may lick when you come home as a way of saying hi. Others might do it when they want a bit of attention and you’ve been holed up with work for hours or you’re watching your fourth Netflix episode of the night. 

It also just feels good to them. Licking releases endorphins and can soothe your dog. They may want to do this if they’re feeling worried and stressed and want some help to relax. Or just because they feel like it. 

It’s a habit

Licking can be a learned behaviour, too. My dog definitely falls into this category. When he was a puppy, he used to lick any body part he could easily access. Mainly the hands or face but he’d go for a foot every now and then. And what did I do every time he did it? Gave him lots of attention. So now, whenever he wants a bit of fuss or wants to say hello to someone, he gives them a good old lick. I helped turn it into his favourite habit.

Even if you give what you think is negative attention like saying ‘no’ or trying to redirect your dog’s licking elsewhere, they may still perceive this as the attention they wanted. And that means you may have accidentally reinforced the behaviour so they’re more likely to do it again in the future.

It’s a medical issue

As licking can help dogs feel better, the root cause of the behaviour may be something internal. In research, excessive surface licking has been linked to gastrointestinal conditions in dogs. It’s also a sign that a dog may be feeling quite stressed or anxious and has developed a compulsive disorder as a result. 

If you’re concerned that your dog’s feet licking is becoming compulsive, speak to your vet to double check there’s nothing going on medically. Signs of this can include:

• they seem to be licking for excessive periods of time 

• the licking is becoming more frequent or intense

• you’re struggling to redirect them

• They're drooling a lot or developing sores on their tongue 

If a vet can't find anything wrong, get in touch with a qualified behaviourist for support. 

How to stop the licking

Redirect them

Redirecting your dog to do something else is the kindest way to stop feet licking in its tracks. While you can do this if they start licking your feet, you ideally want to try and pre-empt the behaviour. In other words, look for a warning sign they're about to do it then redirect them then.

Or if they tend to do it at a certain time of day or certain situation, offer an alternative activity just before that time to prevent them even attempting the behaviour.

What that activity is will differ from dog to dog. If they're showing that they like licking, then something else to lick such as a lick mat or Kong can work well. Others may be happy with things like play, a puzzle toy or a sniffing game. 

Make it hard for them to do it

If you want an easy way to stop your dog from licking your feet, then think about how you can prevent them from doing it. After all, the more they practice it, the stronger the behaviour will become.

For example, can you just wear socks or slippers indoors for a while to help break the habit? Or what about putting up a temporary barrier so your dog can’t get to your feet while watching TV? Things like pens where your dog can have their own comfy section of the room or even just putting a pouffe in front of you may do the trick.

And if you think they may love licking your feet because of the smell or salt, then quickly wash your feet after things like exercising or a long day at work to see if that helps.

Train a specific behaviour

If the above doesn’t work, you may need to do a bit more training with your pup. There are a few options:

• A ‘leave it’ cue, which can be used if they start to approach your feet. You’ll want to train this with easier things first then work up to the more challenging situations.

• A different way to greet you. This could be teaching them to target your hand with their nose whenever you come in, for example. Start by putting some food in between two of your fingers and let them eat from it. After a few goes of that, show your empty hand and reward them when they touch it. Then add a verbal cue such as ‘touch’ before you present your hand.

• A place to settle such as a mat or bed. Reinforce them heavily for going here and they’ll soon get the idea.

Remember everyone in the house will need to be consistent otherwise your dog will struggle to learn what you’d like them to do instead. 

Do I need professional help?

If you’re struggling to figure out why your dog is licking your feet or can’t seem to reduce the behaviour despite consistently trying the above, speak to a behaviourist. 

It’s also important to contact your vet or a behaviourist if you feel your dog’s licking is impacting their welfare as it’s becoming very frequent or intense or has suddenly started.

Of course, if they’re causing any physical damage to you or themselves, that’s another sign professional help is likely the best next step.

But if your dog's licking isn’t an issue and doesn’t really bother you, you can just carry on as you are. After all, it may be odd to us but is completely normal to them.