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Why Do My Dogs Lick Each Other After Fighting? (Explained)

When you are a parent of two/three or more dogs, you may notice your dogs fighting with each other one moment, and the very next moment after fighting you may see them licking each other.

Such an appearance of your dogs can make you confused and wonder about a query that why do your dogs lick each other after fighting. So, let us read ahead to find out the explanations.

Why Do My Dogs Lick Each Other After Fighting?

The most valid reason behind dogs licking each other after a fight is to make peace. Apart from making peace, dogs lick each other to show subordination. Besides, licking each other after a battle helps dogs to calm down, create a fresh bond with one another, and invite each other for playing.

Certainly, nothing can beat the peaceful feeling you get to see your dogs licking one another after a brawl.

And to assist you to get a deeper sense of the reasons behind your dogs’ licking behavior toward each other, here the most reasonable reasons are listed and explained –

To Make Peace:

As per the opinions of ASPCA, cleaning out the air between two dogs and making peace again is the most apparent reason why your dogs might lick each other after a quarrel.

When you will see one of your pooches approaching another to lick its mouth after a bubbling conflict between them because of any reason, know that one of your dogs is extending paws for peacemaking again.

This also means that one pooch is left with no desire anymore to quarrel and he wants to smooth out the situation and make their relation peaceful again in a smart way.

To Show A Sign Of Subordination:

Except for peacemaking, your dogs can lick each other after a fight to express one’s subordination to another.

If you have dogs of two different ages or if one of your dogs is stronger than another, you will notice the smaller or less powerful dog lick the other dog after to express that he already has admitted his inferiority and defeat.

It’s just a practical manner of dogs acknowledging one dog’s preeminence over the other one and an example that the subordinate party doesn’t want to fight anymore.

To Create A Fresh Bond:

Many dog trainers have claimed that dogs lick one another after quarreling is an expression of wanting to start a fresh bond between them again.

Therefore, if you observe your pooches licking and grooming one another after fighting, this behavior can mean that your dogs are trying to develop a strong and fresh bond again.

This licking behavior of your dogs also discharges endorphin hormones which give your pooches a feeling of affection and pleasure which helps to end the fight quickly.

To Invite For Playing:

The very last valid reason behind your pooches licking each other after a battle between them is inviting each other for playing together.

In case you notice one of the dogs has lowered his front legs and has a swishy rear while licking the other dog, understand that it’s his move to invite the other dog for playing.

As your dogs even know, licking one another and inviting for a fun activity is a good way of kicking out aggression.

What Does It Mean When Dogs Lick Each Other’s Ears?

When dogs lick each other’s ears, it is just s simple gesture of grooming each other.

Also, ear-licking is often considered as an act of expressing affection towards each other, especially when the dogs are living side by side and have accepted each other as a member of one pack.

Can Dogs Live Together After Fighting?

Most of the times dogs get back along with each other after a fight and start living again. It’s because dogs really don’t hold any bridges against each other after fighting, so they move on and become friends again.

Just wait for the dogs to calm down and then let them live together again.

Do Dogs Forgive Each Other After A Fight?

Generally, dogs don’t remember the fight they had before with each other, neither do they hold any animosities in them for each other, so yes dogs do forgive each other after a fight.

But in some exceptional conditions, dogs may not forgive each other.

How To Get Dogs To Stop Fighting With Each Other?

Your dogs still can involve themselves in a fight with each other even if you have the best dog fight prevention strategy. In that intense situation, you must stop the fight between the dogs.

So this section has included some very effective and safe methods to help you in stopping a dog fight while safely diffusing the harsh situation between the dogs.

Don’t Scream, Stay Calm:

No matter how intense the fighting situation is between the dogs, to stop the dog fight, you must stay super calm and avoid screaming at the dogs at any cost.

Because if you get hyper and yell at your dogs to stop fighting, the situation will get even worse as your yelling will make the dogs more stressed and excited. Thence, you need to remain relaxed and use a very firm and loud voice to give commands to the dogs to stop the fight.

Make Loud Noise:

You can make loud sounds to divert the dogs’ minds out of this fighting scenario. You can make a loud noise by pressing a car’s horn or carrying air horns, both should be rattling enough to halt the fighting dogs.

Spray Them:

If you are going to take your dogs for a walk, take a spray bottle filled up with a mixture of water, vinegar, and a few drops of citronella oil. When citronella oil and vinegar mix together, creates a very unpleasant smell that dogs despise.

You can spray this solution aiming at the fighting dogs to distract them and stop the fight. And while you are at home, spray water using your garden hose aiming at the eyes, nose, and head of the most hostile dog to distract and halt the fight.

Use An Object:

You can use objects such as chairs, laundry baskets, a long automatic umbrella, blanket, a large push broom, a piece of plywood, etc. depending on the dogs’ sizes to stop a dog fight.

For instance, you can place a laundry basket over the dogs to halt and separate them. Or else, you can throw a blanket on the fighting dogs to divert their attention and stop the fight.

Remember that no matter what object you use, keep your face and hands away from the fighting dogs’ mouths.

Intervene Physically:

Physically separating the fighting dogs is the last option you are suggested to follow as it’s risky.

If you have others to help you separate the dogs, follow the wheelbarrow method. In this method, one person is required for each fighting dog for approaching the dog from the back.

Then tightly grab the hind legs of each dog and lift them up while each dog will be keeping balance on its front legs similar to a wheelbarrow.

Make the dogs walk backward in separate areas and away from each other to stop the fight.

Should I Intervene When My Dogs Fight?

You should never intervene when your dogs are fighting unless you have enough people to help you in separating two fighting dogs.

Because while fighting with each other dogs can even bite their own owner as that time a dog hates if something or someone comes between him and his opponent. So consider intervening physically in your dogs’ fight as the very last option.

Do Dogs Get Depressed After A Fight?

Dogs do get depressed after a fight because a dog can get traumatized after being beaten up by another dog.

This means a dog fight will not only leave physical scars or wounds on the body of a dog but also will leave emotional scars in the mind of a dog which can be proved as a traumatic event for a dog. As a result, a dog will act both depressed and terrified.

Why Does My Dog Frantically Lick My Other Dog?

If you see your dog frantically licking your other dog, it simply means that your one dog is showing affection and being friendly with the other one. Besides licking each other is also a part of their self-grooming and grooming each other is a sign of close relation between dogs.

So to create a stronger bond, your one dog can lick another. Just know that dogs licking each other is not a dangerous thing.

Final Thoughts

After a fight, dogs lick each other for peacemaking and to show they don’t want to fight anymore. Sometimes dogs lick one another after fighting to calm themselves, to start a fresh bond, or to invite each other for playing. Besides, to express own submission, one dog licks another after quarreling.