Is It Normal?Why Does My Dog Lick My Ears So Much!

Okay, so my dog, Max, he's a golden retriever, and he's got this thing for licking my ears. It's not just a quick lick either, it's like a full-on ear cleaning session. I was getting a bit weirded out, so I decided to figure out what was going on.

My Little Experiment

First, I just watched him. When does he do it? Is it all the time, or just sometimes? I noticed it was mostly when I was chilling on the couch, or lying in bed. Basically, whenever my ears were easily accessible.

Then, I started to kind of...test things. I mean, not in a lab coat and goggles way, but you know. If he started licking my ear, I'd gently move him away. He'd usually just come right back and start licking again! Persistent little dude.

So, after doing some digging(Googling, mostly), I found out a few things. They are:

• Affection: Apparently, this is a big one. Dogs lick to show they love you. It's like their version of a hug and a kiss, I guess. Makes sense, Max is a super affectionate dog.
• Pack Behavior: I also read that dogs are pack animals. And in a pack, they groom each other. So, Max might just think he's grooming me, keeping me clean. It's kind of sweet, in a slobbery way.

I Tried to change this behavior of Max.

So, what did I do? Well, I didn't want to completely discourage him from showing affection, because, you know, I love him too. But I also didn't want my ears constantly wet. So, I started redirecting him. When he'd go for the ear lick, I'd gently push him towards my hand or arm instead. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

Honestly, I've mostly just accepted it. He's showing me he loves me, in his own weird, doggy way. I just keep a towel handy. And maybe invest in some earplugs.