Licking is an extinctive canine behavior that dogs used to communicate with people and other animals. When your dog licks your face, he could be trying to send you a message, gather information about you, keep you clean, or he may simply enjoy the pleasurable sensation of licking.
Here are 7 reasons why your dog might be licking your face:
Affection – Your dog loves you. Licking to show affection is a functional behavior that puppies learn from their mothers and littermates. Maternal licking and licking among littermates help strengthen family bonds. A dog licking your face is expressing his affection for you and trying to strengthen the familial bond he has with you.
Respect – Your dog respects you. Dogs are innately pack animals that follow an established social order. Wild dogs use face licking to communicate respect for and submission to their pack leader. When your dog licks your face, he may be communicating that he acknowledges you as the dominant pack leader.
Hunger – Your dog is hungry. Dog sometimes use licking to communicate that they are hungry. Puppies lick their mother’s lips to stimulate a regurgitation reflex so they can eat the food their mothers vomit. Like their wolf ancestors, wild dogs lick the pack leaders face as a way of begging for food. If your dog licks your face around feeding time, he may be letting you know that he is ready to eat.
Gather Information – Your dog is curious about how you are feeling. Dogs have special receptors in the nose and mouth which they used to process and interpret the scented molecules found in human sweat. By licking your face, your dog may be able to determine whether you are happy or feeling stressed.
Grooming – Your dog wants to make sure you are clean. Dogs naturally lick to clean themselves or their littermates. If your dog licks your face often, he may be grooming you to keep you clean.
Taste – Your dog thinks you taste good. Human sweat has a salty taste that some dogs enjoy. When your dog licks your face, he may simply be enjoying the saltiness of your skin.
Pleasure – Your dog likes to lick. The act of licking releases pleasurable endorphins in dogs and often gives them a sense of comfort and security. Your dog may lick your face simply because it feels good.