Why Does My Dog Lick Other Dogs?

Why does my dog lick other dogs? The Short Answer

Why does my dog lick other dogs? Dogs lick other dogs mainly for the same reasons they lick you — greeting, social bonding, and appeasement — plus one function unique to dog-to-dog interaction: reinforcing social structure between individuals who already know each other’s place in the relationship.

Greeting and Bonding

Licking around the face and mouth is one of the most common greeting behaviors between dogs that know each other, especially after any separation. It mirrors the same mouth-focused instinct dogs direct at people, rooted in the same wolf-pup-to-adult food-solicitation behavior that shaped licking as a species-wide social tool.

Appeasement Between Familiar Dogs

A lower-confidence or younger dog will often lick the muzzle of a more confident or older dog as an appeasement gesture — a way of signaling “I’m not a threat, we’re good” that helps keep interactions calm. This isn’t really a status contest in the outdated dominance sense; it’s closer to a diplomatic gesture that smooths social friction between individuals.

Maternal Grooming Carried Into Adulthood

Adult dogs, especially in multi-dog households, sometimes groom each other the way a mother licks her puppies — cleaning ears, faces, or hard-to-reach spots. This mutual grooming (called allogrooming in behavioral literature) reinforces social bonds between dogs who live together and generally signals a comfortable, low-tension relationship.

When Dog-to-Dog Licking Is a Concern

Watch for a shift in body language rather than the licking itself. Licking paired with stiffness, a tucked tail, whale eye (showing the whites of the eyes), or one dog persistently avoiding the interaction suggests the dynamic isn’t as relaxed as ordinary greeting or appeasement licking — worth supervising and, if it continues, discussing with a trainer.

Quick Answers to Related Questions

Is it a problem if one dog licks another excessively?
Only if the recipient is trying to avoid it (turning away, moving off, showing stress signals) or if it’s paired with any of the tension signs above. Mutual, relaxed licking between dogs is normal social behavior.

Why does my dog lick other dogs’ ears specifically?
Ears carry a strong, distinct scent and some texture variety that dogs find engaging to investigate and groom — similar to why dogs are drawn to human ears during grooming-style licking.

The Bottom Line

So, why does my dog lick other dogs? Licking between dogs is mostly a social lubricant — greeting, bonding, and low-stakes appeasement between animals who already understand each other. The behavior itself is rarely the concern; the body language surrounding it is what’s worth watching.

Related Posts

Why Does My Dog Lick Me?
Dog Body Language Guide

Sources

Merck Veterinary Manual — Social Behavior of Dogs.
Horowitz, A. (2009). Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know. Scribner.

All factual claims on Pawsidor trace to peer-reviewed research, university studies, or books by credentialed animal scientists.