Dogs stick their tongue out for many reasons. Sometimes, it’s as natural as trying to cool off and regulate their body temperature on hot days. Other times, it can be a sign of their happiness and relaxation.
However, if your dog’s tongue sticks out more often than you’re familiar with, it might be related to a new medication or even a neurological problem.
This is why you must learn all the signs to understand the cause behind this behavior. That should let you know whether your dog is acting natural or in need of medical help.
6 Reasons Why Dogs Stick Their Tongue Out
Here are six possible reasons why dogs sometimes let their tongues hang outside their mouths:
- They’re Feeling Hot
As you’re probably aware, dogs don’t sweat like we do to regulate their body heat in hot weather. Instead of producing sweat all over their bodies, they only sweat in certain areas, including their paws.
A more effective way to battle the heat is by panting with their tongues lying over the opening of their mouths. But how exactly does that help them cool off?
When a dog pants, he allows the moisture on his tongue, nose, and lining of his lungs to evaporate faster. Usually, this air comes out cool as it evaporates, which helps the pup survive hot days.
The bottom line is, if your dog is sticking his tongue out on a hot summer day, he’s only probably trying to create a built-in air conditioning system. Nothing to worry about here!
- They’re Happy Or Relaxed
This is another scenario where sticking the tongue out is normal in dogs. Ever noticed this happening while your pup is getting a good belly rub or a round of praise from their favorite human?
Yes, a lot of people call that the “dog smile.”
It simply means that your pup is enjoying your care and love, and it can also be a sign of trust.
In addition, dogs might let their tongues out while asleep or napping on the couch. If that’s a sign of anything here, it’s complete comfort that you don’t want to interrupt!
- They’re Stressed Or Too Excited
As humans, we don’t only sweat when we feel too hot, and the same can be said about dogs. When we become stressed, anxious, or excited, we tend to sweat, too.
So, if your pup isn’t feeling hot or relaxed, he might simply be cooling off the moisture on his tongue because he’s anxious or excited.
In some scenarios, this can be perfectly normal. That’s like when he’s meeting you at the door after you’ve just come home or when you’re ready to give him a treat.
Other times, you’ll need to calm down his anxiety if it seems like he’s nervous instead of excited. This might be the case when meeting other animals or people for the first time.
Here, you may want to slow down the introduction process to give your buddy some time to adjust to whoever he’s meeting.
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- They’ve Just Taken a New Medication
Have you given your pup a new medicine and noticed his tongue constantly sticking out sometime afterward? Well, in this case, the lolling tongue can just be a side effect of the medication after ruling out all the previous potential causes.
Your best bet here is to give your dog’s vet a call to see if you should swap this medication for another one. They might also suggest lowering the dosage if this side effect is persistent.
- They Have Hanging Tongue Syndrome
Some dogs simply have Hanging Tongue Syndrome, which is a condition that needs no further explanation!
Hanging Tongue Syndrome can happen to any dog, yet it’s mostly found in smaller or flat-faced dogs. That’s because the tongue of these dogs can sometimes be larger than their mouths, so they drape themselves over the end.
Also, some dog breeds have jaws that aren’t perfectly formed to contain such large tongues, which leads to this syndrome.
That’s not all, though. Some normal-sized dogs develop Hanging Tongue Syndrome later in life as they get older, while others get it due to an overbite or an underbite.
In any of the previous cases, there’s nothing concerning about a dog’s tongue constantly hanging off his mouth. It doesn’t have any negative effects on his overall health and doesn’t indicate a health issue.
Still, you should be aware that some dogs suffer from Hanging Tongue Syndrome because of a problem with their teeth. Usually, they’ll have some teeth extracted for one reason or another, leading to their tongue changing its position in their mouths.
Just remember, if your dog has been diagnosed with Hanging Tongue Syndrome, it’s important to provide him with access to water at all times.
This is because his tongue will dry out quickly since it's always outside his mouth, so he’ll need to make up for the reduced moisture.
- It’s a Neurological Issue
If your dog develops Hanging Tongue Syndrome for no apparent reason, like an underbite, loss of teeth, or being a smoosh-faced breed, you’ll have to visit the vet.
Suddenly having Hanging Tongue Syndrome when it’s unlikely to happen can be an indicator of a neurological problem. Typically, this will also be accompanied by odd behavior like the inability to move the tongue or strange jaw movements.
This is why a vet needs to check your pup as soon as possible to evaluate his medical condition and start treatment right away.
Helpful Dog Health Resource:
Note: Our Health is #1 Priority. It should be no different for your dog. But you need to help him. The Ultimate Guide to Dog Health is the answer. This handy guide will help you recognize the symptoms of the health problems above. Get the knowledge to stay ahead of these terrible issues that can rob your lovely dog from vigor and life. Help your friend make it to 14 yrs+ without pain and suffering.
Tips for Dogs With Hanging Tongue Syndromes
If your pup has this condition, it’ll be a bit challenging to deal with his needs on a daily basis compared to a dog that doesn’t have it. Still, it’s not something you can’t deal with!
Just make sure you do the following:
- Always have a bowl full of water nearby
- Ensure the color of the tongue matches the color of the gums
- Make sure your dog is warm in winter as his tongue will be more prone to frostbites
- Constantly check the state of the tongue and gums to stop infections
- Try not to give your dog hard, solid food that might be tough to chew and swallow
Paul has been creating content for the dog niche for many years. The information he shares comes his first hand experience growing up in dog lovers household and then owning multiple dog breeds of his own as an adult. Paul enjoys doing the hard research to collect, analyze and present our dogtemperament.com readers with the best answers to their questions.