Why Does My Dog Lick Me After I Shower?

Understanding The After-Shower Licks

If you’re curious about the constant licks your dog gives you after every shower you take, take a step back and ponder why they’re doing it. They might be doing this as a habitual act or be trying to tell you something.

The reasons are different each time, so let’s find out.

1. Licking Could Be Your Dog’s Love Language

You can say that dogs wear their hearts on their sleeves. But unlike humans, they express themselves differently. Through their licks, your dog could just be expressing their contentment at seeing you again.

Physical touch is one of their love languages which speaks the loudest. Your dog’s instant lick when you come out of the shower might be their way of welcoming you back from the short time you spent in the bath.

And they cannot do it anyway better just by touching you; their excitement meets fulfillment once they lick your shower-fresh body.

2. They Want To Groom You 

Yes, you’re just out of the shower, perfectly clean and smelling fresh, but if you’ve got some water dripping over your body, that’s a no, at least for your dog.

For dogs, a dry body is their definition of clean. You’ll find they love to lick themselves right after you bathe them or even when they’ve stepped into a puddle of water. And they love to lick those that they care about.

So if they consider you as part of their duty to protect, they’ll most likely perform their grooming routine on you. Now you know licking your body dry is your dog’s way of showing they care.

3. The Water Droplets May Pique Their Curiosity

Parenting a dog means playing along with their innocent quests of exploring everything around them. And the water on your body could well just be a reason to trigger their curious side.

But you’re a lucky parent if your dog licks you; it just shows how they want to keep tabs on everything about you. They won’t even let the water droplets in your body unattended.

4. Your Dog Might Be Thirsty

This is a rare but possible reason. And it is especially true at times you prefer to stay in the shower for some extra minutes or until you’ve listened to all the songs in your playlist. Maybe your time in the shower was a little too long for your canine, who’s been waiting for you to refill their water bowl.

And when they see their favorite human come out of the shower with water dripping off their legs, they’ve got something to quench their thirst from! Yes, your dog won’t wait for you to fill its water bowl, and that’s another sign your dog is head over heels for you.

5. Maybe Your Dog Just Loves The Water

There’s no telling what might be on a dog’s mind, but past instances can give you hints to read them. If your dog is always excited by ditches during your walks or likes playing with the water sprays from the garden hose, you most likely have a dog who loves water.

Licking you after a shower is just another of their many water games, so be prepared to have some tickly after-shower moments.

6. Your Shower Products Could Stimulate Their Senses

Scents lead a dog’s mind, and the products you use during and after the shower will emanate from your damp body. And if they love it, they’ll lick you until they’ve had all the taste of this new-found scent.

There’s another side to shower products and dogs, and it’s more of an investigative one. Dogs can be quite possessive of their humans, and if they notice some new scents from you, they’ll lick you just to go all Nancy Drew and find out what you’ve been up to in the shower. They might even go sniffing around the bath if you leave the door open.

7. Your Dog May Be Asking You For Some Petting

If you’ve always rewarded your dog’s licks with a head pat or something else, they could be craving for similar treatment after your shower. Yes, dogs sometimes get sneaky when they are bored and need attention.

How Should You React To The Licks?

Should you be furious and give your dog some no-no signs, or should you reward them? Depending on your response, it can improve your dog’s social skills or develop submissive behavior (you definitely don’t want to go for the latter).

Regardless of whether you enjoy the lick, your fur buddy will never lick you if they’re not happy. And if you want to fulfill their contentment, you know they deserve a reward for their show of affection. It can be in the form of good petting or a delicious treat. 

Give them a pat on the head, a nice hug, a belly rub, or even something that your dog personally likes. And if they seem to be licking your mouth, give them a treat.

Is It Unhygienic To Let Your Dog Lick You?

After all the things your dog has been sniffing around and licking the entire day, your dog’s saliva probably contains a lot of bacteria. You might question if bacteria get transferred to your skin when they lick you.

Well, they do, but not in a harmful way. That’s because the bacteria in a dog’s saliva doesn’t get absorbed into the skin of a healthy individual. But don’t be grossed; even human saliva contains numerous harmless bacteria.

There is one exception, though. Children, infants, and anyone with a weak immune system may suffer the aftereffects of a good lick from a dog. So if you’re in this category, you may not be able to enjoy a human-paw relationship as you’d imagined having.

Also, if you’re allergic to a dog’s saliva but still love them and keep them around, you shouldn’t blame them for licking you. Just be ready with some over-the-counter medications. 

Is It Safe For Your Dogs To Lick You After A Shower?

Yes, your dogs are safe, and you shouldn’t worry about them licking some residual body lotion or oils. Most of these are safe for accidental ingestion in small quantities.

If you’re still worried about it, try coming out of the shower without any cosmetics on.

But what if you’re sick and fear the infection will spread to your fur friend? Don’t worry about that because dogs probably lick only the legs after a shower. So it should be fine as long as you cover the infected parts of your skin, and if you have flu, don’t let them near your nose and ears.

How To Stop Your Dog From Licking You After A Shower

No matter how much they love their dogs, many dog owners disapprove of the constant licks these canines can give. They can be gross, especially when you’re straight out of the shower and feeling fresh.

But to stop them from licking, you don’t have to go the hard way; you can do some tricks.

• Eliminate your dog’s reason to lick you: If you start tackling the source, the solution seems easier. Your partially wet body after a shower is probably the main reason you get a lick. Simply pat dry your body (especially the legs and feet) before you come out of the shower, and your dog won’t have much reason to lick you.
• Give them a different water source: You can try refilling their water or even let them play with the shower in your bath. Once their focus is shifted, you’re free of licks.
• Prepare a distraction: If you know there’s no way to stop your dog from licking you, take a treat with you to the shower. Grab this treat as you open the door and immediately give it to your dog. They’ll likely be more interested in the treat than licking water off your legs.
• Give them a cue to stop: You know what cues to give when you want your dog to stop doing something. Use the same cue you use to stop your dog from chewing your socks when they’re licking you, and they should stop.

The Verdict on Why Does My Dog Lick Me After I Shower

A dog’s behavior can keep you on your heels; they’re always ready for a little exploration and getting their noses and saliva to places. But after-shower licks can come as adorable or gross to different people.

Whatever your reason, your dog deserves to receive the love back, even if you dislike it. And if you want the licks to stop, just be prepared with a solution before you shower.

After all, it is just an expression of their love, and you shouldn’t try to break your bond for the sake of a lick.