# What does licking actually mean?



## jaxdepo (Jun 21, 2012)

I like to think it is..... I have heard puppies biting also mean s affection too. I think if they are licking your fingers or toes it's because it's salty... may be the same for faces etc but I'll take it as love! ... my friends dog is addicted to nicotene.. gross i know, but he licks you like crazy if you are a smoker. I try to make sure my pup doesn't lick anyone who just had a smoke....


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

Flipping the channels one night, I saw a Dog Whisperer episode, and he scolded a dog for licking him, saying that it means the dog "owns" you and is trying to take over. :doh: 

I don't believe that at all, and Cookie likes to give up kisses. So far she hasn't kicked me out of the house and changed the locks.


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## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

I don't believe the dog owns you, but all the same I am not a huge fan of licking. I did teach Tess to lick and Liza too, but only as a remedy against biting. But Liza is very fond of licking toes, yuck! The patients in the hospital always want Tess to give kisses (lick them), but I am glad I taught her the command is 'lick lick' and not 'kiss'. And I am not likely to tell them that...


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## Karin Wise (Mar 23, 2012)

I am sure it is affection....Would love to think so! Both ours licks us often.. Hands, ears and on our faces.. Sometimes it just happens so spontaneous... I have tought them to "kiss" ,will pout my lips and hold it towards their faces and say "Kiss, Kiss"... and they will lick me on my face or lips... (hehe, sorry but I dont mind, my Goldies are very clean, white teath and fresh breath!) Really! They eat doggy "dental sticks" as a treat regularly that removes all the tartar! LOL!


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

A lick along your jawline or at your lips? That's usually an expression of bonding. It's also something a dog may do to appease you if you're doing something that makes him nervous.

Sometimes it's simply an exploration of what you've been doing that day. If there's sniffing combined with the licking, the dog may be reading a story based on your smells.


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

Also, lots of moisturizers have glycerol that seems to taste quite sweet to dogs.


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

I have to make sure that I am completely under the covers if I put hand cream or foot cream on before I go to bed or else I will wake up to very wet feet and hands and a very happy dog.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I think dogs lick for many dog type reasons, including affection, dominance, appeasing, boredom, stress relief, they are intrigued by a smell and want to check it out more....


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## newport (Aug 8, 2011)

Lola is NOT a licker at all. I call it kissing....


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

We don't allow licking. Thank goodness both my dogs learned not to lick. He will try to like our kitty from time to time though.


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## Wendy427 (Apr 4, 2009)

tippykayak said:


> A lick along your jawline or at your lips? That's usually an expression of bonding. It's also something a dog may do to appease you if you're doing something that makes him nervous.
> 
> Sometimes it's simply an exploration of what you've been doing that day. If there's sniffing combined with the licking, the dog may be reading a story based on your smells.


I love the thought that licking along your jawline or at your lips is an expression of bonding. :smooch:

Lacey does this quite often, and even more so she likes licking my hands, or if I'm wearing shorts, she'll give me a single lick on the knee! I love it!


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## ScottyUSN (Jul 18, 2011)

I have no doubt licking can have many meanings, and affection is one of them. 

My boy Finn is not a licker.. You will never get him to lick without a good reason (e.g. peanut butter on your finger).

He will however, alway comeover and give my face a lick while I am bent over placing food or water bowl down. No question it's a "Thank You" show of affection.


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## goldhaven (Sep 3, 2009)

Wendy427 said:


> I love the thought that licking along your jawline or at your lips is an expression of bonding. :smooch:
> 
> Lacey does this quite often, and even more so she likes licking my hands, or if I'm wearing shorts, she'll give me a single lick on the knee! I love it!


Good, now I don't feel quite so weird. Some of my girls are real lickers and I love it. I do try to teach them kiss, kiss. Some like to do it and others not so much. They mostly like to lick my feet or kiss my face and it really doesn't bother me. My grandson hates to be licked so I just tell them leave it and they won't lick him. My granddaughter loves it and can't get enough "kisses".


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## jaxdepo (Jun 21, 2012)

This morning I had sort of an emotional breakdown and was crying a little bit.... once Jax heard this he came running over to me and was licking me like crazy. I think it is affection.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

jaxdepo said:


> This morning I had sort of an emotional breakdown and was crying a little bit.... once Jax heard this he came running over to me and was licking me like crazy. I think it is affection.


They know when you are in pain. Emotionally and physically. I had a nerve problem in my leg a couple years ago which made it really painful to get around. My Cody who NEVER licked came over to me and started licking that leg. They know.

Hope you are feeling better


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## Montana's Mommy (Mar 10, 2009)

Levi is a licker and would lick your skin off if I would let him. I love when he licks my toes cause then I start to giggle (cause it tickles) and then he gets really excited and licks even more and harder. He is a licker to no end to anybody and everybody if I would let him with others besides us in the family. Ripley on the other hand NO WAY!!!!!!


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## TiffanyPartyOf8 (Jul 14, 2011)

Buddy doesn't lick us often. Once in a while he will lick my feet when I have them propped up on the couch but it's once or twice and he's done. lol. 

However, he will lick the plastic bottom of his crate for hours!! I think he does it to soothe himself to sleep?


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## quilter (Sep 12, 2011)

I taught Casper to lick rather than mouth. He'd much rather greet you and check you out by holding your hands in his mouth, and he can be amazingly gentle about it, but it's just not going to be. He has always licked our faces and necks.


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## Otter (Feb 23, 2011)

tippykayak said:


> A lick along your jawline or at your lips? That's usually an expression of bonding. It's also something a dog may do to appease you if you're doing something that makes him nervous.


That sounds like a logical answer.

Little Pebbles is a licker. She's always licking one of us. She leans on us too.
Barkley? Big tough guy Barkley? Nope. Not a licker. He's too tough and cool for that...  Well, he thinks so.

Edit: ok. I lied. Barkley does lick once in a while when he thinks nobody is looking. He wouldn't want anybody knowing though.


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