Imagine this: You just got home and are greeted with warm, saliva-filled lips and tongue around your face. This might be pure excitement from your doggy when they’re happy to see you. Receiving slobbery kisses from our lovable pup is part of the doggy-loving package, but do you ever wonder why they do this?
Definitely there are a lot of reasons why your doggy does action. Just the same as barking, licking is a way that your doggy will use to communicate with you. They use their body to tell us how they’re feeling and that is the only one way they express it.
Turns out, there are lots of reasons doggys like to put their tongues on you, ranging from instinct, to affection, to stress. These are some of the reasons why your dog may love to lick you:
Showing Affection
Doggy kisses are a form of affection. One of the most common reasons why dogs love to lick is simply to show their affection. Licking for affection causes your dog to release endorphins that calms and comforts him and makes him feel secure. Since you’re the one taking care of them, you’re essentially their everything!
They are also likely to have experienced licking themselves by their mother when they were a puppy, so it’s their natural instinct.
It’s part of their instinct
Dog licking is a form of communication and stimulation for dogs. What we term “dog kisses” are an instinctual urge that starts at birth. Right from birth, doggy mother’s communicate with their newborns, how she stimulates them to start breathing and how she cleans them when they are born, so it’s very important to the survival of puppies. In domestic doggys, they will lick around the mother’s mouth as newborns and little one’ retain that instinct.
Likes the Way You Taste
If you are not used to your doggy being affectionate, the only reason for their licking could just be because they like the way you taste!
Just like your doggy may lick treats, bowls and other items that have once contained their favourite foods, some doggys like the salty taste of their owner’s skin. It may seem gross but our salty skin can be intriguing to doggys. That means your doggy loves you and is comforted by your smell and taste.
Release Stress
If the doggy licks someone who is agitated this could be a symptom of stress. By licking that person, they are trying to relieve their stress because they know this is a welcome gesture. If the doggy licks you and not for love, you can recognize this behavior. Signs such as lifted ears, head tilts and anxious movements.
Sometime, your doggy may try licking you to calm you down. Or, if your doggy is feeling stressed, then licking you can help calm down and send positive feelings through their bodies.
Conclusion
There are many reasons why your doggys might give you licks and kisses. Doggys are intelligent animals and they may just be trying to get your attention. If you notice, your doggy turns to lick you when they’re hungry or want to play, this could be because you’ve unintentionally taught them that licking is a good way to get your attention and a way to show some love.
