Why is My Dog Obsessed with Licking Me in the Bathtub?!
It’s one of the weirdest things my dog does… and I kind of love it.
My reaction is probably exactly what non-dog people point to when they say, “this is why I don’t get dog people.” And honestly? They might have a case.
Every time I take a bath, Renly appears like clockwork. He stands at the edge of the tub, looks into my eyes, then at my arm submerged in the water… then back to my eyes.
He’s asking.
If I don’t offer my arm, he will practically choke himself on the edge of the tub trying to get to it. And yes, I always give in. His desire is just so intense, and it feels… weirdly sweet that he loves me enough to want to lick me that badly, right?
The number of photos I have from this exact vantage point is honestly embarrassing (the collage below is just a small sample).
But it raises a very real question:
Why does my dog want to lick my bath-water arm as much as a peanut butter spoon?
There’s no way it tastes that good… right?
And if it does… well, I may need to revisit my stance on dogs eating their owners if left alone long enough (we’ll save that for another day). So let’s explore some other explanations.
Why Do Dogs Lick?
We’re fairly confident that licking is a form of communication for dogs, but the exact meaning behind each lick? Still a bit fuzzy.
There simply haven’t been enough deeply controlled studies on dog behavior to answer life’s most pressing questions like:
“Why does my dog nearly choke himself to lick my bath-water skin?”
(Science, if you’re listening — please prioritize this.)
What We Do Know About Dog Licking
There are several well-supported reasons dogs lick humans and other dogs:
1. Feeding (Ancestral Behavior)
Modern dogs evolved from wolves, and some of their behaviors still reflect that ancestry. Puppies lick their mother’s face as a way of saying, “I’m hungry.” This encourages the mother to regurgitate food that’s easier for them to digest.
So yes — licking can be a polite request for food.
That said… Renly is going for my arm, not my face, so I’m going to rule this one out (even though he is always hungry).
2. Social Hierarchy & Relationships
Licking can also signal submission or respect. Dogs may lick another dog’s muzzle to communicate, “I’m not a threat.” This is often paired with other submissive body language.
But licking isn’t always about submission; it can also be about affection. Excited dogs often lick humans or other dogs as a way to:
- Show love
- Strengthen social bonds
- Express happiness
So yes… he probably does love me.
There’s also a third, lesser-known version: the “lick to dismiss.”
This is a quick lick paired with stressed body language and an attempt to disengage — essentially saying, “I’m done here.”
(Not exactly the vibe Renly is bringing to bath time.)
3. Curiosity
Dogs experience the world through their noses and their mouths. Licking helps them gather more information about their environment.
Ever seen your dog lick something and then:
- Curl their lips
- Chatter their teeth
- Foam at the mouth
- Stare into the void like they’ve unlocked forbidden knowledge
If you have, you probably thought it was time for an emergency trip to the vet, like i did. But it's completely natural! That’s called the Flehmen response, and it allows dogs to “meet” other dogs in the area with such detail that they can tell if another dog is sick, in heat, friend or foe.
They do so by pushing pheromones from other dogs’ urine (gross, I know) against the vomer bone into the vomeronasal organ where the information processing is transferred to the brain.
So… could Renly be analyzing pheromones on my skin? Technically, humans do release pheromones (mainly from areas like armpits), and bath water could spread that across the skin. Is that what’s happening here? I… hope not. But it’s possible.
4. Attention
Dogs love attention — and they learn quickly what behaviors get it. If you respond to licking with:
- Excited reactions
- Petting
- Talking to them
They learn: “This works.” And they’ll keep doing it.
I do, in fact, love when Renly kisses me… so I’ve almost certainly reinforced this behavior.
5. Self-Soothing
Licking can also help dogs relieve stress. It releases endorphins, which makes it a natural calming behavior. In extreme cases, dogs may lick excessively to cope with anxiety; sometimes to the point of harming themselves. If this is happening for your pooch, make sure to speak with a vet!
That’s not what’s happening here though. Renly doesn’t lick himself much at all, which I only realized after dog-sitting other dogs. So we can probably rule this one out too.
So… Why Does Renly Do This?
Well, I can’t know definitively, and I don’t have the resources to conduct science-based experiments to land on a clear answer (what a dream job). But based on the research, I like to think it is a combination of reasons:
- He loves me
- He wants attention (he sometimes even brings his favorite toy to me in the bath)
- Because my bath-water-skin tastes so good a little auto-asphyxiation is no big deal.
What About Your Dog?
Does your dog try to lick you in the bath or after a shower?
Do you love it? Hate it? Feel weirdly chosen and special like I do?
Let me know in the comments, I'd love to know I'm not the only one who enjoys it!
Sources
- https://www.popsci.com/science/why-do-dogs-lick-humans/
- https://www.petmd.com/dog/behavior/why-do-dogs-lick-your-face
- https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/why-dog-licks-muzzle/
- https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/behavior/why-dogs-lick-other-dogs-faces/
- https://www.kinship.com/dog-behavior/flehmen-response-dog
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/vomeronasal-organ
- https://www.chewy.com/education/dog/training-and-behavior/why-do-dogs-lick-you