when a dog licks your face is he/she being affectionate or does he think it's just another meal?

Answer 1

Fetch 11 is correct however did not mention that if a puppy is over disciplined by the mother, the puppy will roll over and expose his belly as an act of submission to her and then she will lick the puppy to show her dominance over the puppy. So when a dog licks your face he is either trying to communicate one of three things. He may be hungry and need a snack. When he was young and licked his mothers face she would regurgitate food for him. So when he licks your face he is communicating submission by saying "look I am just a poor defenseless little puppy who is dependent on you humans and I need you to help me cause I am hungry or thirsty", or he may be licking to show respect and love for you the more dominant member of his pack. Also dogs are social animals and clean themselves and other accepted members of the pack, which includes your face, hands, legs bo-boos etc. We think of it as love but they think of it as acceptance. Dogs are wonderful. All they want to do is please us. Because we have domesticated them, they tend to view us as mini-gods and are dependent on us for their very survival. I feel it is a mutual respect. All in all if you choose to call it affection, I say YES.

Answer 2

I think dogs lick us because we taste good, my dog likes to "kiss" me when I put lotion on or when I taste like salt because I sweat a lot that day. I think sometimes it is affectionate though because my other dog she is a little dog she "kisses" us when we ask her if she wants her dinner or if she wants to go outside. So I think some dogs maybe affection and some dogs may not be. I would say that all dogs are different. Another reason could be beacuase they are cleaning us, a mother dog licks her pups to clean them, so maybe that is why they are licking us, because they feel like they need to care for us. That is cute if you think about it. So I guess if they are cleaning us then that would mean that they love us and that it would be affection. But I never really thought about that until this question, good question. I can't wait to see what other people say.

P.S. I never let my dogs lick my lips I just think that is gross!~

Answer 3

if the dog thought of you as a meal he'd have eaten your face off already-licking is bonding and being affectionate among dogs and since you are the head dog your dog loves you and is showing it.

Answer 4

why would you let a dog lick your face in the first place. You should remember that you are talking about an animal that has the ability to lick its own butt and any other place that it needs to clean

Answer 5

Affectionate.

Answer 6

My puppy licks my face like crazy when I come home, so it is affectionate. When I have something on my face she will sniff first then start licking, so it depends on if he/she sniffs first, or just starts licking uncontrollably.

Answer 7

Depending on the age and personal history of the dog, it could be one of three things:

1) The dog is showing dominace over you by claiming you as his property.

2) The dog sees you as provider. When dogs are young (after they're weaned) they lick at their mother's face and mouth requesting food from her. They see her as their food provider, and request nourishment from her in this way.

3) The dog is acknowledging you as a pack member. wolves greet one another in their own pack by licking at one another's faces and mouths.

Answer 8

Honestly the only reason a dog licks your face is because he knows that he can lick his balls and *** before he does.

Answer 9

It doesn't really matter, just as long as he doesn't do it right after he licks his butt.

Answer 10

well as long as it doesn't bite a chunk of your face off, then u should be okay. & i think he/she is just being affectionate. :]