Why does my dog lick me after I shower?

If your dog licks you after you shower, this post will show you why and what you can do about it.

So, why does my dog lick me after I shower? Possible reasons why your dog licks you after you shower are that it likes the way you taste, it likes the moisture on you, or that it is grooming you.

Your dog might actually do it for a number of different reasons and it might be due to a combination of them. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.

Why does my dog lick me after I shower?

Below are a number of possible causes and what you can do about them.

It likes the way you taste

A likely reason why your dog licks you, after you shower, is that it likes the way that you taste. This would be especially likely if it does it more when you use a certain type of body lotion in the shower and your skin smells different.

It likes the moisture

Another possible cause is that your dog likes the feeling of licking the moisture on your skin. This would be more likely if your dog licks you more on the areas that are still slightly wet such as on the hair. In this case, it would help to ensure that your dog has access to water when it might need it.

Encouraging the behavior

It could also be the case that your dog has learned that the behavior gets rewarded. If you tend to give your dog things such as toys, treats or extra attention, when it licks you after showering, it will likely do it more in order to get more rewards. Instead, it would help to reward your dog when it behaves the way you want it to and to avoid rewarding it when it does not.

It is grooming you

It is not uncommon for dogs to lick themselves and each other when they are wet. The reason why your dog licks you could be that it is grooming you. This would be more likely if it does not seem to be excited when it does it and it does not seem to be doing it due to liking the taste or thirst.

Things to consider

Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.

If your dog has always licked you after you shower

If your dog did not always lick you after you used to have a shower, it would help to consider what else happened when your dog first started doing it. If your dog started doing it suddenly, it might have something to do with you using a different smelling lotion, or because your dog stopped having as much access to water causing your dog to lick your wet skin for the moisture.

What else is different when your dog licks you after you shower

If your dog does not always lick you after you shower, it would also help to consider what is different when it does it. For example, if it does it when it does not have access to water, it might want some water.

How to get my dog to stop licking me after showering?

Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.

Avoid encouraging the behavior

As mentioned earlier, it could be the case that your dog has learned that the behavior gets rewarded. Instead, it would help to stop it from licking you and then to wait for it to calm down before giving it attention.

Get it to sit elsewhere

If you do not want it to lick you, after you shower, one option would be to get your dog to sit somewhere else after you have just had a shower. By doing this, it will not be possible for your dog to lick you.

Alternatively, you could move it when it starts licking you. Eventually, by doing this, your dog should learn that licking you results in you moving it.

Give it distractions

Another option would be to give your dog things to be distracted by such as toys or bones while you are drying off from the shower.

Redirect its focus

In addition, you could redirect its focus towards something else when it seems likely to start licking you. You could redirect its attention towards things such as toys or treats.

Give it access to water

If your dog seems to do it more when it has not got access to water, it would also help to make sure that your dog has access to water.