You walk into the house after a long day at work and your pup comes bounding over to you and licks your face from top to bottom! Welcome Home!

What does licking mean?

Licking is instinctive for canines. Mother dogs lick their puppies to groom and comfort them. Licking represents affection, bonding, greeting, to get attention or even to express hunger. Yup, hunger. When dogs are puppies they lick their mother’s mouth to encourage her to regurgitate food for them to eat. Pups will lick their owner’s face to try to get food, too.

Exploration:
Pup’s explore the world around them through scent and taste. Licking is a dog’s form of touching and feeling things.

Grooming:
Often you’ll see your dog licking himself. Dogs’ saliva has some antibacterial properties and they will lick their paws or other body part to clean them.
Be aware that if your pet excessively licks one area, he may be reacting to constant itching or pain. If the behavior become very persistent, bring your pup into your trusted vet to be evaluated.

Attention/Affection:
Dogs crave attention. They love to spend time with you. Sometimes a lick can mean, “let’s go play!” Dogs also naturally express affection with a lick. When they begin licking, endorphins are releasing in their body creating a pleasurable and comforting feeling for your pup. Licking will often therefore help relax a very excited puppy.

So, when your dog slobbers all over your face, don’t just wipe it away. Give your pup a pat and scratch and give a minute’s pause to think about what your furry friend is telling you.