logo
Funny Animals Interesting Freaky Pop Culture

Prepare To Be Amazed At Real Scores Behind Dogs Licking Your Face As Revealed By Dog Owners, They Are More Than Just Kisses

by May

Isn't it just heartwarming how our furry friends express their affection? When dogs greet us with those gentle licks, it's their way of saying, "I love you!"

It all starts from their puppy days when their mothers shower them with love through licking. As they grow, they carry on this sweet tradition by licking their beloved human companions to show just how much they care.

Once they feel truly at ease, they'll often greet their beloved humans with gentle licks. It's such a sweet gesture, driven by feelings of affection, curiosity, and familiarity.

However, while we all find it adorable, experts emphasize the importance of being cautious about letting dogs lick our faces. Experts also highlight the significance of respecting a dog's boundaries when it comes to affectionate gestures like 'kisses or cuddles'.

Paying close attention to the dog's body language to determine if they feel at ease during interactions. If there's any uncertainty, it's best to give them some space.

Additionally, adults need to supervise children around dogs and prevent them from getting too close to the dog's face to ensure safety. Speaking of dog kisses, Quora users shared their take on dogs licking their hooman's face, too.

They answered in a thread with this question:

When a dog licks your face, is that the canine equivalent of a human kiss?

There's not much difference between us, humans, and dogs.

Yes, humans and other animals aren't all that different, animals are intelligent enough to know what affection is and how to show it to us, for example if I say give me kisses to any of my pets they happily do so or if I ask them if they want kisses they come up for themThere's not much difference between us, humans, and dogs.

What a mother dog does to her young.

When weaning time comes in the wild, a canine mother will transport meat home to her family in her stomach. The pups lick her mouth to help stimulate regurgitation. Based on this it seems to me to be reasonable to interpret a "kiss" from a domestic dog as greeting that that communicates his understanding of his subordinate, dependent position in your relationship.But that's just my opinion and may or may not be accurate.What a mother dog does to her young.gettyimages
There have been some great an thorough answers here. My dog licks me for probably all those reasons. But, since he is a perceptive dog, he will try to lick strangers who ask if he’s friendly but seem hesitant. See, he’s a Doberman, and very outgoing and empathetic. Many people get worried about Dobermans, but honestly they’re far safer than your average Pomeranian or Chihuahua (scary!). He knows hesitance vs. bad vibes, and seems to want to placate a worried person by initiating kindness. Of course, they may not want to be licked but they see his kind intention, and might just pet him instead. He’s happy when he sees they are happy.peopleinmotion

Don't try to get too cozy with a new dog even if it seems that it likes you.

I believe that it is reasonable to assume that a lick on the face is like a kiss. After all, they do not lick the face of people that they do not like, as they tend to growl and bark a lot. And to a person that they seem to like, but do not yet trust will get a nice bite on the face if they attempt to hug the dog.The video below is an example of a dog that is gentle until the person gets their face too close.So, yes, if a dog allows you to get your face close enough for them to lick it, I believe that is is a show of liking you well enough to kiss you—just an opinion. The video definitely shows that the opposite is true.Also, I believe that when a dog licks a sore on our arm or leg, that it is trying to help the wound heal faster.

Dogs, like kids, explore with their mouths. So, licking you means they're trying to get to know you.

Yes, sometimes dogs lick their humans to show love and submission. Canine behavioral researchers also found that dogs lick us because we taste good to them, which is a little thought provoking.We are salty evidently. Dogs, like toddlers, explore the world with their mouths, so licking is another way for your dog to get to know you.Dogs, like kids, explore with their mouths. So, licking you means they're trying to get to know you.gettysignature

This doggo probably wants to taste what his human ate.

I would like to think that it is the equivalent of a kiss. However, I have noticed that my dog normally licks my cheeks shortly after I have finished eating. So it may be I'm a messy eater. He actually is more prone to licking my neck but he licks my cheeks too. I keep my mouth turned away but he seems to get so much enjoyment out of washing my face once a day or twice a day I hate to deprive him of it.This doggo probably wants to taste what his human ate.gettysignature

Dogs are gathering info using licks to know what you've been up to when you left home.

I read in a brazilian article that i cannot find that dogs do this when you get into the house to see what you’ve been up to! Where you went, what you ate, etc. they can sense it from the smells and tastes of your face.

I assume all other answers are also correct, as it’s whats most common in current literature.

Dogs are gathering info using licks to know what you've been up to when you left home.boykoimages

Dog licks can mean a lot of things.

No, they can be many things- an act of submission especially with puppies, an affinity for your moisturizer, a taste for salt.

Body language and posture tell you more than a lick. As humans we often like to put our values on animal behaviour.

Dog licks can mean a lot of things.gettysignature

Ouch!

It’s the equivalent of licking an anus or penis. Because dogs LOVE to lick those best.So they are equating your face with their anus.Ouch!gettyimages

Doggos just want to get your attention.

Dogs are very good at figuring out how to get our attention and affection. If you watch them with other dogs, you will see that the subordinate dogs often greet dogs that are higher in the hierarchy by running up and licking their faces. That greeting carries over to interactions with humans. They typically won’t lick strangers. So it is at the very least a greeting and an attempt to get attention. I do think it is also a display of affection.Doggos just want to get your attention.sinseehophotos

Dogs lick our faces for a variety of reasons. If it's your dog doing it, you can be 100% sure that they're just showing their affection.

But their motivations in doing this extend beyond mere kisses. Whether it's to communicate, bond, or seek attention, this behavior just shows how deep a relationship can be between dogs and humans.

Share this article:

Facebook icon Pinterest icon Tumblr icon Link icon Twitter icon

Related Articles

Craziest Tweets From This Week That Will Have You Snorting Your Morning Coffee

Craziest Tweets From This Week That Will Have You Snorting Your Morning Coffee

Woman Starts Wildfires Just To Flirt With Responding Firefighters

Woman Starts Wildfires Just To Flirt With Responding Firefighters

Take A Look At The Most Outrageous Pregnancy Announcements That Redefine ‘Awkward’

Take A Look At The Most Outrageous Pregnancy Announcements That Redefine ‘Awkward’

50 "Forbidden Food" You Should Never Put On Your Plate

50 "Forbidden Food" You Should Never Put On Your Plate

21 Terrifying Medical Facts That Will Haunt You For Days

21 Terrifying Medical Facts That Will Haunt You For Days

50 Absurd and Bizarre Emails People Actually Wrote

50 Absurd and Bizarre Emails People Actually Wrote

12 Outrageous Reality Shows You Won’t Believe Actually Existed

12 Outrageous Reality Shows You Won’t Believe Actually Existed

YouTuber Risks It All To Spend 24 Hours On ‘World’s Deadliest Island’ Where Breathing Could Kill You

YouTuber Risks It All To Spend 24 Hours On ‘World’s Deadliest Island’ Where Breathing Could Kill You

22 Instances Of Target Employees Facing Outrageous And Disrespectful Customers

22 Instances Of Target Employees Facing Outrageous And Disrespectful Customers

31 Eerie Abandoned Spots Ideal For Solitude Seekers

31 Eerie Abandoned Spots Ideal For Solitude Seekers

Check Out This Mysterious Forbidden Island In New York Where No One Has Set Foot In Half A Century

Check Out This Mysterious Forbidden Island In New York Where No One Has Set Foot In Half A Century

21 People Reveal The Strangest And Most Heartwarming Things They Inherited

21 People Reveal The Strangest And Most Heartwarming Things They Inherited

Japanese Researchers Win Ig Nobel Prize For Uncovering A Crazy Secret About Mammals

Japanese Researchers Win Ig Nobel Prize For Uncovering A Crazy Secret About Mammals

Job Titles So Ridiculous, You Won’t Believe They’re Real

Job Titles So Ridiculous, You Won’t Believe They’re Real

21 Staple Foods That Are Actually So Bizarre, You’ll Wonder Who Ate Them First And Lived To Tell

21 Staple Foods That Are Actually So Bizarre, You’ll Wonder Who Ate Them First And Lived To Tell

27 Silly Questions From ‘Yahoo Answers’ That Prove Common Sense Is Not So Common After-all

27 Silly Questions From ‘Yahoo Answers’ That Prove Common Sense Is Not So Common After-all

The Twisted Tale Of How Gruesome Prop From ‘Se7en’ Reappeared In ‘Contagion’ Many Years Later

The Twisted Tale Of How Gruesome Prop From ‘Se7en’ Reappeared In ‘Contagion’ Many Years Later

Swiss Government Is Asking People To Bury Underwear—Maybe You Should Do It Too

Swiss Government Is Asking People To Bury Underwear—Maybe You Should Do It Too

Raw And Unfiltered Glimpses Into The Lives Of 21 Everyday Americans Through Photos Of Their Most Intimate Spaces

Raw And Unfiltered Glimpses Into The Lives Of 21 Everyday Americans Through Photos Of Their Most Intimate Spaces

From Surgery To 'Third State' — Woman Describes Her Profound Afterlife Experience

From Surgery To 'Third State' — Woman Describes Her Profound Afterlife Experience

What Happened When Famous Artist Gave Her Audience Complete Control Over Her Body—And A Gun

What Happened When Famous Artist Gave Her Audience Complete Control Over Her Body—And A Gun

Honeymoon Turns Chaotic After Bride Uncovers One "Small" Secret About Her Husband

Honeymoon Turns Chaotic After Bride Uncovers One "Small" Secret About Her Husband

Reality Star Loses Love Island Hosting Gig After The "Scary Surgery" She Got In Turkey Altered Her Appearance

Reality Star Loses Love Island Hosting Gig After The "Scary Surgery" She Got In Turkey Altered Her Appearance

Discover The Tropical Island That Tourist Are Banned From Visiting—Find Out Why No One Can Set Foot Here

Discover The Tropical Island That Tourist Are Banned From Visiting—Find Out Why No One Can Set Foot Here

Cops Threaten To Harm Man’s Dog To Extract False Confession, He Gets $900,000 For Emotional Damages

Cops Threaten To Harm Man’s Dog To Extract False Confession, He Gets $900,000 For Emotional Damages

Flight Crew Kicks Women Off Plane For Wearing Crop Tops

Flight Crew Kicks Women Off Plane For Wearing Crop Tops

Categories

Funny Animals Interesting Freaky Pop Culture

Business

About Us Advertise Contact Us

Legal

Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy DMCA Removal
 Logo
About Us Privacy DMCA Removal Contact Us Terms Funny Animals Interesting Freaky Pop Culture

© 2025 - All Rights Reserved

 logo

Sign In to

facebook icon Sign in with facebook
facebook icon Sign in with google

Or sign in with email

Need an account? Sign Up

Forgot Password?

By creating an account, you agree to the Terms of Service

 logo

Sign Up to

Already have an account? Sign In

By creating an account, you agree to the Terms of Service

Edit profile

User Photo