Why Do Dogs Lick Their Fellows’ Ears?

Communication between dogs occurs constantly. Almost everything these animals do, even the smallest movement or behavior that may seem bizarre, is actually a communicative act. An example of this is the tendency of dogs to lick the ears of their own kind. 

To communicate with each other, dogs use gestures, body and the sound of their voice, just like us humans, but through a more “rudimentary” system. This form of communication can include the action of licking another dog’s ear, which is usually a sign of cleanliness or “preparation”.

Two dogs that live, play and spend a lot of time together consider themselves members of the same pack, which makes grooming each other completely normal.

What does the act of licking each other mean?

In addition to hygienic needs, the action of licking each other can be interpreted as an act of respect and affection between members of the same pack.

Another reason for dogs to behave this way is to protect themselves from hearing diseases. Not being able to lick and clean their ears by themselves, they rely on the help of other dogs, so as to always maintain high levels of hygiene and avoid any health problems.

Another, less pleasant hypothesis is that  dogs like the taste of ear wax.

When you consider that the earwax is salty, this idea may not seem all that strange; dogs are omnivorous animals with carnivorous preferences, and they prefer salty tastes. Furthermore, by licking the ear, they are able to capture the salinity of the skin inside these areas.

All a matter of senses

Just like us humans, dogs also experience the world through the five senses. However, they can enjoy different sensations from ours, as their hearing and smell – the latter strongly linked to taste – are more developed.

This explains why dogs use taste to experience the world around them, through their tongue and snout. Therefore, a behavior such as that of licking the ears of other specimens, is completely normal; it means that they are recognized within the pack, that they identify with it and that they have achieved adequate emotional development.

When to pay attention to this attitude

While licking other dogs’ ears is perfectly normal, if you notice that this practice has become compulsive, you will need to be especially careful.

Repeated or frequent similar behavior can cause damage to the other dog’s ear and health problems, due to excess moisture inside the ear canal.

This is a situation that must necessarily be corrected. We therefore invite you to check:   

• If the inner ear area of ​​the dog is red.
• If the dog scratches constantly and shows symptoms of distress.
• If you have blood in your ears.
• If you have pus or clear fluid.
• If the session lasts more than 15 minutes.
• If your ears smell bad.
• If the dog has scabs or bumps.

What if the dog licks his owner’s ears?

Just like with fellow humans, the practice of ear licking is a sign of trust. In the event that it is addressed to the masters, the meanings can be different. Wolves, coyotes, and dogs tend to lick the alpha member’s face as a symbol of submission or as a request for food.

Furthermore, licking is a technique used to obtain information about us by becoming familiar with our smell.

Image courtesy of Megan Coughlin.