Top 3 Reasons Why Dogs Lick Each Other’s Ears

When dogs lick each other’s ears, it’s very unlikely to be something of concern. In fact, this cute behavior could most likely be explained by the following reasons.

1. It’s part of social grooming

Also referred to as allogrooming, social grooming is when dogs may lick one another as a sign of mutual affection and to build family bonds. Ears aren’t easy for dogs to reach on their own. They may need the aid of another dog in the same pack to help lick off debris as well as parasites like ear mites.

2. Dog likes the taste of ears

This is going to sound disgusting but some dogs may like licking the ears of other dogs because of the taste. They might like the taste of the ear wax and debris. Even worse but it might even have to do with an ear infection which can result in smelly discharge. Ear cleaning and maintenance should be part of the dog’s everyday routine to avoid this from happening.

3. Dogs are anxious and stressed

Some dogs may lick each other’s ears if they are stressed out. Licking is a form of self-therapy for dogs. The act of licking may help release endorphins which makes the dog feel more relaxed. Both dogs might find themselves in a stressful situation and are bonding as a pack to alleviate the stress and anxiety.

How to stop dogs from licking each other’s ears

This behavior is not something you have to overly concerned about if it only happens occasionally. It does, however, become a concern if the dogs start to lick each other’s ears a bit too excessively. This can open up the possibility of infections developing in the dog’s ears. It can also become a problem if your dog starts licking the ears of dogs outside his pack. These dogs may not appreciate the gesture and return aggression in response.

In such cases, you may need to redirect your dog’s attention to lick something more appropriate or to train them with a strong recall command so that the dog returns to you when the licking starts to become a bit too excessive.