X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parenting & Play by Friso
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Ages & Stages
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-schooler
    • Kids
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • Money Parenting
    • Tips for Parents
    • Tips for Toddlers
    • Tips for Older Kids
    • The 5 Personas
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Why you shouldn’t let your dog lick your baby: 5 Things to keep in mind

3 min read
Why you shouldn’t let your dog lick your baby: 5 Things to keep in mindWhy you shouldn’t let your dog lick your baby: 5 Things to keep in mind

Though it might look cute, you shouldn't let your family pet lick your baby

There are few things cuter than dogs and babies together. And when your dog licks your baby, that can only mean that he likes your baby, right? What can be bad about that?

Apparently, plenty. Here’s some things to consider before you allow your family pet to lick your baby, as compiled from Dogs and Babies and Dog Notebook.

1. Dog mouths are dirty

This, perhaps, is the most obvious reason. Even if you brush your dog’s teeth every day, your pet’s mouth is much, much dirtier than an average human mouth. For starters, they eat garbage, and sometimes even their own poop. They lick their genitals on the regular.

Even if you’ve never gotten sick from your dog’s licks, your baby’s immune system isn’t as developed as yours. From worms to leptospirosis to even ticks, the list of diseases your baby could get from your dog is long and troubling.

2. But don’t be a germophobe

While it isn’t a great idea to let your dog go to town on your baby’s face, a few licks shouldn’t make you worry—though you should probably clean that area up with a baby wipe. According to BabyCenter, germs tend to be species-specific, so dog germs aren’t likely to affect your child. But still, it’s better to err on the side of caution and avoid letting your dog lick your baby until he is older.

On the next page: more reasons why you shouldn’t let your dog lick your baby’s face.

3. Not the face!

Though many dogs lick their human’s face as a submissive gesture, others do it as a sign of dominance—a way for them to get attention and a reaction. And for safety reasons, you should not allow an animal to act dominant over a child or baby. To be consistent, you shouldn’t also allow your dog to lick anybody’s face—including yours.

dog lick baby

Photo: 2M Media/YouTube

4. Your baby might not even like it

Human babies can’t talk, move away, or protest. They might put up with your dog’s licks, but they might not actually even like it.

5. On the other hand, your baby might like it too much

Plenty of babies might actually enjoy being licked by dogs, and though a squealing and laughing baby is totally adorable, this still shouldn’t be encouraged. Most children under 5 who are bitten by dogs are bitten on the face or head, because it’s what they present to dogs.

Be sure to check out theAsianparent Community for more insightful stories, questions, and answers from parents and experts alike. If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them in our Comment box below. 

Partner Stories
10 Facts About Female Orgasms Mums Will Find Super Interesting
10 Facts About Female Orgasms Mums Will Find Super Interesting
TamJai Samgor Singapore Spices Up March with a New Store Opening -Tangy Tomato Soup and 1 for 1 Wednesdays
TamJai Samgor Singapore Spices Up March with a New Store Opening -Tangy Tomato Soup and 1 for 1 Wednesdays
6 Little-known facts about Pongal in Singapore!
6 Little-known facts about Pongal in Singapore!
E-scooter accident in Singapore leaves 11-year-old girl hurt
E-scooter accident in Singapore leaves 11-year-old girl hurt

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Cristina Morales

  • Home
  • /
  • Pets
  • /
  • Why you shouldn’t let your dog lick your baby: 5 Things to keep in mind
Share:
  • The surprising reason why you shouldn't let your dog lick your child's mouth

    The surprising reason why you shouldn't let your dog lick your child's mouth

  • This mum licks her newborn after delivery and sends the Internet into a frenzy!

    This mum licks her newborn after delivery and sends the Internet into a frenzy!

  • Secondary School Student Arrested After Allegedly Attacking Schoolmate With Metal Rod

    Secondary School Student Arrested After Allegedly Attacking Schoolmate With Metal Rod

  • Mum Discovers 'Hole' In Her Baby's Mouth, Rushes To Hospital Before Realising Her Mistake

    Mum Discovers 'Hole' In Her Baby's Mouth, Rushes To Hospital Before Realising Her Mistake

app info
get app banner
  • The surprising reason why you shouldn't let your dog lick your child's mouth

    The surprising reason why you shouldn't let your dog lick your child's mouth

  • This mum licks her newborn after delivery and sends the Internet into a frenzy!

    This mum licks her newborn after delivery and sends the Internet into a frenzy!

  • Secondary School Student Arrested After Allegedly Attacking Schoolmate With Metal Rod

    Secondary School Student Arrested After Allegedly Attacking Schoolmate With Metal Rod

  • Mum Discovers 'Hole' In Her Baby's Mouth, Rushes To Hospital Before Realising Her Mistake

    Mum Discovers 'Hole' In Her Baby's Mouth, Rushes To Hospital Before Realising Her Mistake

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2022. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.