Body language

Dogs Licking Their Lips: What It Means & When It's a Sign of Stress

Lip licking describes a dog's brief, quick lick of its own lips (muzzle/snout edge), usually with the tip of its tongue. It is one of the most common body language signals in dogs and is often overlooked—because it happens so quickly and many owners dismiss it as a natural reflex.

Dogs Licking Their Lips: What It Means & When It's a Sign of Stress

What is lip licking in dogs?

Lip licking refers to a dog briefly and quickly licking its own lip (the edge of the mouth or muzzle), usually with the tip of its tongue. It is one of the most common forms of canine body language and is often overlooked—because it happens so quickly and many owners dismiss it as a natural reflex.

Lip-licking can have different meanings depending on the context: In relaxed situations after Eat —it’s completely normal. In tense social situations, during direct eye contact, or during conflicts—it’s a clear sign of stress, discomfort, or an attempt to appease.

Background + Scientific Context

Rugaas (2006, *On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals*, Dogwise) describes lip licking as a classic calming signal in the canine behavioral repertoire: Dogs display lip licking both toward other dogs (to signal peacefulness) and toward humans when they feel uncomfortable or pressured. It typically occurs in moments when the dog perceives social tension—direct eye contact, someone getting too close, a loud voice, or unexpected touch.

Schilder and van der Borg (2004, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, PubMed 15113165) studied stress behaviors in dogs across various training scenarios: lip licking was one of the most common stress signals observed in aversive training environments. Dogs trained using punishment-based methods exhibited significantly more lip licking, yawning, and changes in body posture than dogs in positive-reinforcement-based training. The signal is therefore not only an expression of discomfort toward other dogs, but also toward human interactions.

Mariti et al. (2012, Journal of Veterinary Behavior) investigated how dog owners perceive stress in their dogs: Many owners failed to recognize subtle stress signals such as licking their lips, yawning, or turning their heads away as indicators of stress. The discrepancy between canine communication and owner perception is a key factor in why stress in dogs often escalates unnoticed.

Vitomalia-Position

Lip-licking is a brief, easily overlooked signal—but one that occurs regularly and consistently when a dog feels uncomfortable. Those who learn to recognize lip-licking and respond to it (by reducing pressure, increasing distance, or stopping the approach) understand their dog on a whole new level. Most dogs don’t “escalate” suddenly—they’ve been giving subtle signals for a long time before they get loud.

When does licking one's lips become relevant?

  • When the owner makes direct eye contact: The dog signals that it is uncomfortable
  • At the vet's office: a very common sign of stress in clinical settings
  • During training sessions: Signs of being overwhelmed or under too much pressure
  • When encountering strangers or other dogs: Calming
  • Raising one's voice or using physical discipline: a clear sign of stress

Practical application

Licking one's lips — Contexts and reactions:

Context Frequency Meaning Reaction
After Eat Normal/frequent Reflection, no signal None
If a stranger approaches you In short, again Stress/Reassurance Slow down the approach
In training, upon request In short Uncertainty/Feeling overwhelmed Reduce the difficulty
When looking directly at Repeatedly A clear sign of stress Look away
At the vet Frequently Stress Building Positive Experiences

Definition: - Licking for food or water: a natural reflex, not a communication signal - Licking in a clearly stressful situation: a social signal - Licking as part of a cluster of calming signals (yawning + turning the head away + licking the lips): a clear sign of stress

Common Mistakes & Myths

  • “It’s just a habit—my dog always does that.” If lip-licking occurs consistently in social situations, it’s not a tic—it’s communication. Context is key.
  • “My dog was in a good mood just a moment ago—now he looks so strange.” That brief lick of the lips after an interaction is often the first sign that something has caused him discomfort. Try to link it to the previous stimulus.
  • “Calming signals are not scientific.” The basic observation—that dogs use subtle body language signals for social regulation—is well-documented in ethology, even though the Rugaas system, as presented in popular science, oversimplifies the concept.

Current State of Research (2026)

The communicative significance of lip licking within the canine behavioral repertoire is ethologically established—as part of the cluster of appeasement and stress signals. Standardized coding systems (FACS adapted for dogs, DogFACS) record lip licking as a codable action unit. Stress research in dogs consistently shows that aversive training methods and undesirable social interactions increase the frequency of lip licking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my dog lick its lips when I look at it?

Direct eye contact is a potentially threatening signal to dogs. Licking one’s lips is a de-escalating response: “I’m not an enemy; I don’t want a conflict.” Don’t ignore it—respond: look away, turn your body to the side, and reduce pressure.

How can I tell the difference between stress-induced licking and normal licking?

Context is key. Normal licking occurs immediately after Eat—quickly and reflexively. Stress-related licking occurs in social situations, often as a single, brief movement combined with other signals (yawning, turning the head away, avoidance). The temporal relationship with a stimulus is the best indicator.

Should I bring up the fact that my dog licks his lips at the vet's office?

Yes — veterinarians trained in the Fear-Free approach are familiar with this signal. Let the veterinarian know that your dog is showing signs of stress; procedures can be adjusted (slowing down the pace, taking breaks, using positive reinforcement). It has been proven that cooperative handling and stress reduction at the vet’s office are possible.

Related terms

Sources & Further Reading

  1. Rugaas, T. (2006). On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals (2nd ed.). Dogwise Publishing. ISBN 9781929242368.

  2. Schilder, M. B. H., & van der Borg, J. A. M. (2004). Training dogs with help of the shock collar: Short and long term behavioural effects. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 85(3–4), 319–334. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15113165/

  3. Mariti, C., Gazzano, A., Moore, J. L., Baragli, P., Chelli, L., & Sighieri, C. (2012). Perception of dogs' stress by their owners. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 7(4), 213–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2011.06.008

Wissenschaftliche Einordnung

Rugaas (2006, On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals, Dogwise) beschreibt Lip Licking als klassisches Beschwichtigungssignal im kaninen Verhaltensrepertoire: Hunde zeigen Lefzen-Lecken sowohl gegenüber anderen Hunden (um Friedlichkeit zu signalisieren) als auch gegenüber Menschen, wenn sie sich unwohl oder unter Druck gesetzt fühlen. Es tritt typischerweise in Momenten auf, in denen der Hund soziale Spannung wahrnimmt — direkter Blickkontakt, zu nahe Annäherung, laute Stimme, unerwartete Berührung.

Schilder und van der Borg (2004, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, PubMed 15113165) untersuchten Stressverhalten bei Hunden in verschiedenen Trainingsszenarien: Lefzen-Lecken war eines der am häufigsten auftretenden Stresssignale in aversiven Trainingsumgebungen. Hunde, die mit Strafmethoden trainiert wurden, zeigten deutlich mehr Lip Licking, Gähnen und Körperhaltungsveränderungen als Hunde in positiv-verstärkungsbasierten Trainings. Das Signal ist also nicht nur Ausdruck von Unbehagen gegenüber anderen Hunden, sondern auch gegenüber menschlichen Interaktionen.

Mariti et al. (2012, Journal of Veterinary Behavior) untersuchten die Wahrnehmung von Hundes-Stress durch Halter: Viele Halter erkannten subtile Stresssignale wie Lefzen-Lecken, Gähnen oder Kopf-Abwenden nicht als Stressindikatoren. Die Diskrepanz zwischen Hundekommunikation und Halterwahrnehmung ist ein wesentlicher Faktor dafür, dass Stressbelastung bei Hunden oft unbemerkt eskaliert.