There are potential medical factors that can range from allergies to seizures. Sometimes it is just anxiety or boredom. If a dog licks several times as a show of affection there is no need to worry. However, if the licking becomes compulsive or obsessive, there may be cause for alarm.
It is not uncommon for dogs of certain breeds and mixes to be more oral and sensory. Sometimes dogs are attempting to derive nutrients from items, particularly if they lick or chew something with food particles on it. Dogs with anxiety, in certain ways, may feel responsible for providing and protecting his family. Some dogs with anxiety will attempt to self-soothe by licking carpet, furniture, clothing and other items. Some dogs will even suck on fabric or other materials in order to self soothe. These behaviors can for the most part be reduced or eliminated completely through behavioral modification.
When dogs lick people obsessively it may actually be a form of OCD. Although it is not studied in dogs as it is in humans, OCD and PTSD can be very real conditions for dogs, as verified by Dr. Temple Grandin. When your dog is licking you situationally, such as when you’re reading a book or watching TV on the couch, it may just be a simple patterned behavior. However, if your dog is licking the air, and the behaviour seems to come out of nowhere, a visit to your primary care veterinarian and potentially a veterinary neurologist might be in order. An erratic licking or snapping at the air may be signs of a neurological issue.
Sometimes dogs will appear to lick the inside of their mouths as we would do when we have a poppy seed or a piece of popcorn lodged between our teeth. Your dog may have an abscessed, cracked or rotting tooth that may be causing the problem. Your veterinarian will be able to make such a diagnosis.
For issues that seem to be intermittent or sporadic, licking air may be a symptom of a type of seizure, particularly if your dog appears to snap at the air as it licks. Since seizures are typically caused by electrical impulses or a misfirings in the brain, they may cause unusual and unpredictable results. Again, check with your primary care veterinarian if you recognize any of these behaviors.
