Is this bad for my dog?

I read something a while back that apparently there's some debate on this topic.  Mostly on the side of why dogs do it, versus it harming them.  Some suggested that it was the dog noticing your scent changed and wanting to cover you with their scent and the others were thinking it was the salt itself they liked.

Either way, I don't think anyone said anything about it being unhealthy.  Dogs are pretty smart about not eating (or licking) things that aren't good for them so I wouldn't worry about it personally.

Dogs eat poo.

My cats love it too, except their tongues are more like sandpaper. They also like to roll around in the disgusting smelly clothes, which tells you their just ain't right in the head.

Honestly, I think it's the salt.

Haha I wouldn't go THAT far - my dog has licked and eaten some disgusting things. Some requiring trips to the emergency vet.

But I don't think sweat would harm a dog.

Thanks for ruining my lunch. Although that is a lot easier than begging the kids to do it.

To do what? Ruin your lunch or eat the kitty crunches?

They are??

The dog from our neighbor across the street is notorious for coming over and eating the poo in our yard, either our dog's or her's that she leaves.

Supposedly, female labs are known to do this, which I haven't heard before and still question that statement.

It sort of bugs my wife, but I have a couple Shih Tzus that will lick my head and back for 20+ minutes after a workout.  It's like a tiny little massage!  Of course I need to shower off the sweat and dog slobber after that.

But I told her, if I could get a massage from HER, I might not have to resort the tiny little tongue massage from the dogs.  She wouldn't even have to use her tongue. 

Oh, my dogs have never eaten poo.  But there was one time after a serious night of drinking that I had to clean up some vomit from someone in the house (that wasn't me)...  That was hard enough to do and keep from dry heaving, but when the dog came over and started to lap it up?  I just about lost it. 

But I bet you wouldn't stop her.

No, no I wouldn't.

All of the dogs I've ever had will do this.  It's gross.  But a little funny when written down.

My family calls the poo-eating in the winter time 'poopsicles'

But to the original topic - i am not sure how he did it but my hubby had our pooch before I met him and he somehow taught her not to lick - and she rarely does.  for the reasons above and the butt-licking they do - he thinks dog kisses are gross.  I choose not to think about it.

Oh yeah, back to the original post.

I will permit the dogs to lick if it's just sweat and salt.  If I had lots of sunscreen on or lotion, I tend to not permit it.  It may be ok, but I don't like the idea of them licking up oils/chemicals that make up that kind of stuff.

Funny timing.  I just thought my pooch was weird.  Tuesday morning after my run I let my dog lick my face.  I was about to jump in the shower anyway and it seems to make him so happy but he turned his head the wrong way, banged my lip and gave me a fat lip!!  Beware!

Our doggy daycare told us they eat poop because they aren't getting enough protein in their diet.  Ours was a big poo eater.  Changed his diet and he rarely does it any more.  Interesting!

Another tip - if your dog has runny eyes - feed it dried coconut meat.  Helps them apparently.

both of my dogs do this.  it's kind of gross, but certainly not bad for them!

The only dog we've ever had that ate poo (hers and our cat's) was our female black lab..

We now have a male lab/golden retriever mix who not only doesn't eat his or other animals' poo, when he's doing his regular smell test across the yard, when he comes up to poo you can see his head literally jolt up in disgust!!  He's following his ginormous nose all over the yard wherever it takes him, just loving life then BOOM, what the &%$#  was t hat???