Naturalist and BBC Springwatch presenter Chris Packham has weighed in on the debate over whether dog owners should allow their pets to lick their faces, arguing that there are health benefits to the practice. Speaking on the Oh My Dog podcast with host Jack Dee, Packham drew comparisons to human behaviour, noting that people instinctively lick their own cuts because saliva contains bacteria with antiseptic and healing properties.
Packham cited historical examples, such as medieval battlefields where wounded soldiers would let camp dogs lick their wounds, which reduced infection rates. He suggested that dogs' saliva can similarly benefit humans, though he acknowledged that wolves' saliva is even more potent due to their lack of exposure to antibiotics.
The naturalist also addressed other canine behaviours, such as eating faeces, which he explained is a relic of wolf behaviour aimed at reducing parasite loads in dens. He noted that dogs only eat faeces that are one to three days old, a trait inherited from wolves that helps protect young pups from parasites.
Packham's views contrast with those of Professor John Oxford, emeritus professor of virology and bacteriology at Queen Mary University of London, who warns that dogs' muzzles are full of bacteria, viruses, and germs from their environment. However, Professor Graham Roberts, honorary consultant paediatrician, has stated that children raised with pets are less likely to develop allergies.
