Dogs often exhibit behaviors that can seem, to say the least, peculiar. A good example is the habit of lick the urine of other dogs, something common in these animals. Although from our point of view it is something really unpleasant, the truth is that for them it is a gesture with a clear purpose. And it is through it they acquire information about others.
To understand all this we must know the existence of vomeronasal organ or Jacobson's organ, which the dog uses when his nose cannot decipher the information. It is located in the vomer bone, between the mouth and the nose, and its function is to transmit this information to the brain, with which the animal can analyze the pheromones and molecules present in the urine. In this way, find out if the other dog is in heat, its sex, the type of food it consumes, etc.
Other theories point to a hygiene issue. In some cases, when the puppy is separated too early from its mother, it acquires this habit as a way of cleaning up its waste, something that also extends to that of other dogs.
As we see, it is about totally natural behavior that is part of the social behavior of this animal. For this reason, we should not scold our dog when he presents this habit, as it is part of his instinct. However, there are small nuances, and it is that depending on some factors it can be harmful for him.
In principle, if the dog keeps its vaccination schedule up to date and does not suffer from health problems, lick urine other dogs need not cause any inconvenience. However, if your immune system is weakened, you run the risk of get a disease through the urine of others. In that case we will have to avoid direct contact with the waste of other animals.