Why Does My Dog Lick My Period Blood? 5 Main Reasons

I know you must be feeling weird to read the title, but yes, it’s true. Dogs do like period blood. The pungent and distinct smell of the period blood attracts a dog.

As they are the scavengers, the flesh-eaters, the scent of your period blood resembles protein. Hence, they can even eat your pads or tampons.

5 reasons Why Does Like and Licks Period Blood

Attracted to the smell and taste

The most common reason is that your doggo is attracted to the smell and taste of it.

As dogs have around 300 million smell receptors, they can smell 1,00,000 times better than us.

Hence, their primary tool to feel the world is their nose. Dogs gather surrounding information through sniffing.

Talking about your period, blood consists of a pheromone that gives all the info regarding your mood, sex, age, and reproductive status.

When you are on your periods, you release pheromones in high concentration, making your blood attractive.

Adopted this behavior from other dogs

Dogs are just like us, and they can pick bad habits from each other.

If your dog licks your menstrual blood, then it is a possibility that he has seen another dog doing this.

You must be thinking that you only have one dog, then how this is possible.

Your dog may catch this behavior from his doggo friends or outside dogs. You can train your doggo not by using the reinforcement method.

You have encouraged the behavior.

I am not saying that you have purposely rewarded your dog with treats after he licks the period blood. But, giving any attention to this act can be considered a reward.

For example, you have a child whose name is Rahul. You shout at him with “Rahul, stop it!” when he does something wrong.

In this case, Rahul knows you are angry, and he knows the reason behind it. Therefore, he will stop doing what makes you angry.

With your dog, the opposite may occur. Dogs do not understand human language. Hence if you get angry at them, they will think you appreciate their actions.

They feel when they lick the period blood, they get your attention. Therefore, they started doing it purposely, and it became their habit.

Dogs are scavengers

Dogs’ ancestors are scavengers, which means they are attracted to blood. Hence, your dog has that instinct of falling for blood.

When your doggo smells your period blood, they start investigating the root and get interested in your period blood.

Boredom and anxiety

Boredom and anxiety can make a dog do different and weird things like licking period blood.

Maybe your dog became anxious that you were away from him all day.

Or else your doggo is just bored and starts searching for something new. And, your period blood is an easy target.

Which dogs lick menstrual blood the most?

Any dog can develop a habit of licking period blood. However, male dogs lick the period blood in most cases.

It doesn’t mean that female dogs never lick period blood, but it seems more common in males.

Male dogs are more attracted to the period blood smell than female dogs.

It’s the curiosity inside them that they start investigating the scent they are attracted to.

Why does my dog act weird when I’m on my period?

If you are on your periods, your doggo will be more interested in sniffing you as your period blood includes pheromone.

Pheromone released from your period blood makes your dog take an interest in you.

Hence, they start sniffing you and your crotch. Your dog will tend to follow you, and he will be behind you, etc. therefore, it is evident that your dog can detect that you are on your periods.

Do male dogs get sexually attracted to female humans?

A scientific study proves that male dogs cannot get sexually attracted to female humans because a dog’s instincts are not made to mate with humans.

People think that when dogs hump, they are sexually attracted, but it’s not the case.

Why does my dog eat my used pads?

You have a unique bond with your dog. He thinks you are the member of his pack and the Alpha. Like your doggo, other dogs and animals can also sense when you are on your periods.

Therefore, your dog does not want that you leave any part of blood for other competitors or predators.

When you use sanitary pads, your dog thinks you are hiding your injury and tries to hide the smell. Hence, your dog ends up eating your used pads.

Is it wrong for dogs to lick their period blood?

If your female dog is bleeding, she is in heat and not menstruating.

The only human female and some mammals can menstruate.

It is not unhygienic and harmful for your dog to lick herself when heating.

But, if your dog licks your period blood or, in worse cases, eats your used pads or tampons, then it is pretty alarming.

As we use a single pad for around 6 hours and then remove it, it is possible to catch bacteria.

When your doggo tries to eat it, he can have significant infections and health problems.

Also, it affects the hygiene of the whole house. As your dog goes everywhere in the house and licks everyone, it can get the family members infected with certain bacteria.

What to do to stop your dog from licking period blood?

1. Reduce the access

Watching your dog lick your used pads or tampons is traumatizing.

Therefore, to prevent this, reduce your dog’s access to the trash can where you dispose of your used pads and tampons.

You can use such trash cans that have lids. This will stop your dog from digging into the trash can.

You may forget to close the lid. Hence, you can throw the garbage regularly to avoid this, especially when you are on your periods.

2. Teach them the “Leave it” command

Make your dog understand the meaning of “Leave it.” You can do it by following these given steps.

Step 1 – Let your dog sniff your treat-held hand.

Step 2 – Your doggo will try to get that treat but ignore it.

Step#3 – Say, “Leave it.”

Step 4 – Once he stops taking the treat, say “Yes” and then give the treat.

Step 5 – Repeat again and again

3. Redirect the attention

For example, you can throw his ball when your doggo is licking the period blood. It can be taken as a signal that you want to play with him.

Or hold his leash as if you want to take him for a walk.

You can give him his favorite treat to change his act of licking period blood.

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Final words

The reasons that we have explained above direct us to the ancestors of the dog generation.

Dogs were scavengers, and at present, dogs get attracted to blood.

Period blood consists of pheromone that attracts them more and makes them interested in the bloody smell.

This makes your dog wonder and curious to know more about it; they start investigating.

Many dogs are interested in flesh and blood; therefore, when they see your used sanitary pads, they tend to eat it as if it’s the blood of any animal.

We hope you find this article interesting. We will be back with some more informative and interesting articles soon. Till then, stay connected.