7 Reasons Why Do Dogs Lick Each Others Ears

Dogs have some weird behaviors that are hard to explain. Dogs lived in the wild before domestication, and even many years after domestication, they still do some things that are hard for dog owners to understand. If you have noted that your dog licks other ears, you might want to know the meaning behind it, whether it’s safe and how you can stop it. Scroll through to get all your answers.

Dogs lick each other’s ears as a way of greeting, they like the taste and smell of the ears, grooming, as a soothing effect, curiosity, to get attention, or out of boredom.

7 Reasons Why Do Dogs Lick Each Others Ears

 1.To Say Hello

 Dogs can lick each other’s ears as a way of greeting. It is the same way they sniff each other’s butt as a greeting but now in a way that is not much gross. 

Dogs of a lower hierarchy mostly use it to show submissiveness. It also shows respect for other dogs. Other gestures normally accompany licking to show submission, like lying down.

Some nervous dogs won’t lick the inside of another dog’s ear first. Some will lick the outer part first to test the other dog so they can proceed or stop.

2. Like the Taste And Smell Of Infected Ears

As gross as it sounds, your dog might like the smell and taste of infected ears. When the ear has infections, it produces a stinky smell which might attract the dog. 

Also, the wax might be appealing to your dog because it contains some salt and other body secretions. Additionally, wax is bitter, which might be another thing that might appeal to your dog. 

Some of the other components in a dog ear wax include;

• Pollen
• Microbes
• Dirt and debris
• Dead skin cells.

3. Grooming

Your dog might be helping each other to clean up their ears. Since a dog cannot clean his ears, they don’t mind helping another dog. 

While licking your dog’s ears may help prevent ear mites, excessive licking can irritate your skin. If the other dog licking them is too aggressive, your hound’s ears may have irritable skin.

Your pup’s aggressive licking could result in ear infections, so check, clean, and try to control the licking.

Some dog breeds require licking services more than others because they produce more wax. According to PetMD, these breeds are;

• Bassets
• Poodles
• Bulldogs
• Cocker Spaniels.

4. Licking Has a Soothing Effect

 Dogs lick themselves to get rid of their nervousness. They can either lick their paws or lick other dogs’ ears. Maybe that’s why your anxious dog keeps licking other dogs’ ears.

This licking requires immediate attention to determine the reason behind the anxiety and nervousness.

5. Curiosity

Dogs use their noses and mouths to explore their surroundings. Additionally, dogs have a very strong sense of smell.

This implies that their keen nose will have no trouble picking up a change in odor coming from a friend’s ear. They frequently lick as their next step, not only because dogs can be gross but also because doing so satisfies their curiosity.

6.To Get Attention

It might be one dog’s strategy to draw the other’s attention. For example, the other dog will frequently lick the sleeping dog’s ear to awaken them gently. Also, to get the other dog to play, one dog may lick their ear.

7. Out Of Boredom

When a dog is bored, he might do a lot of funny and weird thin to entertain himself. So, the next time you see your dog licking each other’s ears, you should give them a play toy to keep them busy.

Risks Associated With Dogs Licking Each Other Ear

It can cause an infection

Excessive licking can lead to ear infections. You might have heard that a dog’s saliva is antibacterial, so how does it cause infections? Excess licking provides a good environment for the growth and multiplication of bacteria. 

Can Become A Habit

What started as a single lick can become an obsession for your dog. This is mostly if your dog is licking out of anxiety. However, if this habit continues, it may lead to other problems.

Can lead To the Ingestion Of Ear Medication

If a dog makes a habit of licking other dogs’ ears, he might end up licking ear medication. Depending on the type of medication licked, your dog might have stomach upset or toxicity.

How Do I Stop My Dog From Licking My Other Dog’s Ear?

Divert their attention

If your dog licks others as a greeting or bonding, you can just let him be. However, if it is becoming a habit and he is licking ear wounds, you need to divert his attention by exercising and playing games.

Most importantly, you should not distract your dog using treats. It will make him think that he is being rewarded for the habit hence doing it more.

Know The Root cause

It will be hard to deal with the problem if you do not understand why he is doing it. For example, the method you can use to stop a dog from licking ears out of boredom differs from the method you can use if your dog is doing it out of anxiety.

Teach them the ‘Leave it’ command

 You can teach your dog the “Leave It” command to ensure they understand that dog ears are forbidden to reinforce the desired behavior. Even after the ear-licking issue has been resolved, teaching your pup this command is still beneficial because it is very useful in everyday life.