In other words, does she know I am kissing her to show her affection and is she "returning the favor"?
2007-11-13 20:01:39 · 26 answers · asked by joellemoe 4 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Dogs use their heads for more than eating and defense. They use their head, and tongue as forms of expression.
They rub their ears on you to share scents. They lick to establish and maintain a bond.
Whenever you kiss a dog they'll likely reciprocate the action with a lick. In dog language, by kissing them, the alpha has bestowed attention on them. So they feel like they must return the action, to maintain good graces and attention, from the alpha.
2007-11-13 20:28:35 · answer #1 · answered by ♥ Leo ♥ 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Really it is a combination of two things.
Her affection for you...and her desire to lick all the salt off your skin that your skin produces.
Also other reasons why dogs lick people's faces and mouths is that they can smell the food that the person has been eating! And they want to eat it, of course.
Anyway, that being said, your dog thinks of you as the pack leader so of course she loves you and wants to play with you....you're family!
Wait...I just listed three things!
2007-11-13 20:15:47 · answer #2 · answered by Kylie S 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Licking can be interpreted as submissive behavior, but you're also correct about her understanding that you're showing her affection. Dogs observe our body language and behavior about 1000x more frequently than we observe theirs. They understand what certain behaviors that we do mean. I'm sure you've responded in a positive manner to her licking and she believes that this is what is expected of her in such a situation. She's trying to make you happy :)
Add:
I'm not so sure about what people say about licking the salt off your skin. Dogs don't have as many taste buds as we do so the saltiness is probably extremely minimal to them.
2007-11-13 20:11:04 · answer #3 · answered by Boss 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Not necessarily. Dogs lick as a way of appeasing each other. Handling dogs on their heads or upper back can be seen as aggressive behavior by dogs. Some dogs don't like to be touched on the head. Your dog may be feeling great and licking or it may be saying, ok, you don't hurt me I won't hurt you.
www.fearfuldogs.com
2007-11-13 23:39:20 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Try licking him in the face. See if she kisses you on the head. You'll know if she's really returning the affection.
2007-11-13 20:05:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
Yes she's saying that she loves you back or returns the favour, my dog does that too when i kiss him or give him a treat,
He also licks when he does something wrong and i get angry at him - he apologizes by licking me!
2007-11-13 22:49:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Dogs give kisses by licking. Sounds like a sweet pooch.
2007-11-13 20:04:37 · answer #7 · answered by mzhudson@sbcglobal.net 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Usually dogs have a tendency to love to lick any type of skin that is close to their mouth when offered due to the salt content in our skin. This is why all dogs enjoy licking us, and tend to not be able to stop, and they actually vary the spots as they lick because they have lapped up all the salt! haha. It might be affection though- you never know!
2007-11-13 20:05:43 · answer #8 · answered by Alesha 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes
2007-11-13 20:10:44 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
research shows that people who dont let their dogs lick their faces or, let one dog lick them on the face but not the other, tend to have aggressive negative and mean dogs, rather than affectionate ones.
2007-11-13 20:06:08 · answer #10 · answered by Achilles 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋