Prepare To Be Amazed At Real Scores Behind Dogs Licking Your Face As Revealed By Dog Owners: They Are More Than Just Kisses
It starts with something sweet and totally normal, your dog’s warm tongue landing on your face like a tiny, sloppy love note. But the closer you look, the messier the story gets, because those “kisses” are not always just cute. Sometimes they are greeting, sometimes they are appeasement, and sometimes they are the dog version of “hey, don’t get too close yet.”
One dog owner described how their Doberman will lick them like clockwork, then switch gears when strangers hover nearby. If someone asks if he’s friendly but looks hesitant, he steps in with extra enthusiasm, like he’s trying to calm the room. And when a person tries to get cozy too fast, that same friendly energy can turn into a quick, gentle warning nibble.
That’s the part that makes you pause, because it raises the real question behind every face-lick moment, what is your dog actually communicating?
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 them.
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 reasonable to interpret a "kiss" from a domestic dog as a greeting that communicates their understanding of their subordinate, dependent position in your relationship.
But that's just my opinion and may or may not be accurate.
There have been some great and thorough answers here. My dog licks me for probably all those reasons.
However, 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 versus 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.
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 faces of people 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, they may give a nice bite on the face if that person attempts 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 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, 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 have also found that dogs lick us because we taste good to them, which is a little thought-provoking.
We are evidently salty. Dogs, like toddlers, explore the world with their mouths, so licking is another way for your dog to get to know you.
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 that 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 or twice a day that I hate to deprive him of it.
And it’s the same trust logic behind dogs facing away from their owners, because they only do it when they feel safe.
Dogs are gathering information 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 what's most common in current literature.
Dog licks can mean a lot of things.
No, they can mean many things—an act of submission, especially with puppies, an affinity for your moisturizer, or a taste for salt.
Body language and posture tell you more than a lick. As humans, we often like to impose our values on animal behavior.
Ouch!
It’s the equivalent of licking an anus or penis because dogs LOVE to lick those the most.
So they are equating your face with their anus.
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.
That first “give me kisses” moment, where the pets happily comply, is what makes the whole thing feel simple until the strangers show up.</p>
Then the story shifts when the Doberman tries to placate worried people who ask if he’s friendly but hesitate before petting him.</p>
The complexity hits harder when the owner describes how the dog does not lick people he dislikes, he growls and barks instead.</p>
And right when someone gets their face too close in that example video, the “kiss” can flip into a warning bite on the face.</p>
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 shows how deep the relationship can be between dogs and humans.
Next time your dog licks your face, you might wonder if it’s love, reassurance, or a polite “not yet.”
Want more canine “talk,” like the owner decoding raising paws after petting? Read this dog-raising-paws mystery.
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