Why does my Labrador lick my feet?

If your Labrador has a habit of licking your feet you might be wondering why and what you can do about it. In this post, I will show you common causes and what you can do to get it to stop.

So, why does my Labrador lick my feet? Possible reasons are that it wants attention, thinks that it is grooming you, is being affectionate, is doing it compulsively or it could be the case that you have inadvertently rewarded the behavior.

Your Labrador might lick your feet for many reasons. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main reason and there are a number of things you can do about it.

Why your Labrador licks your feet

Below are some common reasons why Labradors lick their owner’s feet and what would make them more likely to be the reason why yours has been doing it.

It wants attention

The reason why it does it could be that it is trying to get extra attention from you. This would be more likely if it does it more when you have not been giving it much attention and if you tend to give it more attention when it does it.

Instead, it would help to give it attention throughout the day by playing with it, training it and exercising it but to avoid rewarding it with attention when it licks your feet by redirecting its behavior when it starts.

It is grooming you

Labradors will often groom themselves by licking. They will also groom others such as when a mother Labrador licks her puppies. This is could be why your Labrador has been licking your feet.

It’s being affectionate

The cause could also be that it is being affectionate. When it’s licking you it’s letting you know that it trusts you and that you are a part of its tribe. This type of licking is normal and will often happen when you try to pet it.

It is exploring

When Labradors are young one of the first ways that they will explore the world is by licking and sniffing things. If your Labrador is a puppy then it is likely to be the case that it is exploring when it is liking your feet. The habit of licking things will stay with it as it gets older which is why they will naturally lick quite often.

Compulsive behavior

It might also be the case that it has been doing it due to a compulsive behavior. This is where your Labrador has an urge to lick things and it cannot stop itself from doing it. This would be more likely to be the reason if your Labrador does it excessively and it has been doing it for more than a few weeks.

If it seems like it might be doing it obsessively the best option would be to seek the guidance of a local vet.

Encouraging the behavior

It could also be the case that you have encouraged the behavior by giving it things it wants when it does it. If you tend to give it things such as toys, treats or extra attention, when it licks your feet, it will likely do it more in order to get more rewards.

Instead of giving it rewards when it licks your feet, try to recognize when it is likely to start doing it and to redirect its focus on to something else.

Things to consider

Below are some things you can consider when figuring out why your Labrador has been doing it.

How often it does it

It would help to consider how often your Labrador has been licking your feet.

If it has been licking your feet constantly then it would be more likely to be compulsive behavior and something you’ll want to get help on from a vet or dog behaviorist.

When it started doing it

If it did not always lick your feet, it would also help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it.

If your Labrador started doing it suddenly it would make it more likely that it started doing it because you inadvertently rewarded it, you stopped giving it as much attention or possibly because something caused it to start being anxious. It would help to consider what else happened when it started.

When it does it

It would also help to consider if there is a certain time that it tends to do it more. It could be the case that the timing has something to do with it.

For example, if it seems to start licking your feet more just before you leave home it could be the case that it is doing it due to separation anxiety.

Whereas, if it does it at random times it would make it more likely to be natural behavior or that it does it because it’s learned it gets rewards.

How to get your Labrador to stop licking your feet

Below are some things you can do in order to get your Labrador to stop licking your feet.

Don’t reward it

As mentioned above, it might be the case that you have encouraged the behavior by giving it rewards when it does it. Instead of rewarding your Labrador when it does it, try to redirect its focus onto something else such as a bone before it starts doing it.

Reward it for not licking your feet

Another option would be to reward it when it does not lick your feet but it normally would. By doing so you will be able to reinforce the behavior that you want.

Give it exercise

Labradors are meant to get a lot of daily exercise. When they do not get enough exercise they will often look for ways to stimulate themselves and it might be a part of the reason why yours has been licking you. Generally, it is advised for them to get an hour of exercise per day as healthy adults.

Take it to a vet

If you cannot figure out why your Labrador has been doing it or it has been doing it excessively the best option would be to take it to a vet. By doing so you will be able to get expert advice tailored towards your particular Labrador and to rule out medical causes.

Give it distractions

In addition to the above, you could also give it things to be distracted with so that it is less likely to want to lick your feet. Things you could give it would include toys, bones or puzzle games.