Why Dogs Jump Up And Lick People’s Faces
Part of the canine greeting is to sniff and lick faces. Because people are so much bigger than they are, dogs try to bridge the gap by jumping up. Some people really dislike it when dogs, their own or someone else’s, jump on them. But dogs, on the other hand, do it all the time because they think they are being polite.
The next time you take your dog to the park, watch how he greets and is greeted by other
dogs. They start by sniffing each other’s mouths, then move around to sniff the back ends. All
of this is considered proper and polite behavior among dogs, and they assume it is the way they should greet people.
Dogs do not have any trouble sniffing our bottoms, they will do it all the time if given a chance. But the first part of the greeting, the mouth sniff, is not possible because we are so much taller than they are. Except for very short people with very tall dogs, the only way this is going to happen is if dogs get up on their hind legs.
erica said,
Wrote on October 6, 2006 @ 09:47
This is funny. My aunt’s dog came over the other day and kept smelling my bottom, butt, and my dogs AlWaYs kiss my face but i don’t mind.
Susan said,
Wrote on October 10, 2006 @ 13:19
My Katie, a golden retriever, like to smell my underarms when I come home from work. She also has a shoe fettish not chewing them just while your walking in your shoes which seems to be painful to me.
Joan Sommers said,
Wrote on March 15, 2007 @ 08:37
I understand why my puppy licks my face, but why does she constantly lick my arms and legs? She never stops. Is something lacking in her diet?
Thank you.
Hi Joan
I am not too sure why? I guess it could be something but I do doubt it. Your dog is probably just showing her love for you.
Regards
Justin
Ashlee said,
Wrote on June 30, 2007 @ 22:09
Hi,
I have 3 English Staffordshire bull terriers, all loving affectionate dogs. the problem is…all 3 of them chew everything in their path, the stairs, walls, doors, carpet, EVERYTHING !!!!!
I now lock each one of them away in seperate rooms and they have destroyed the doors and walls….
They are costing me a fortune…
I have been watching the dog whisperer….and taking note but he hasnt met my 3 dogs….
Any thing you might suggest that could help me in my situation….
thankyou
Ashlee
Hi Ashlee,
With out knowing your exact case it is hard to say, so sorry if I offend. I am sure you are an excellent pet owner.
Maybe you should try getting them out of the house. Take them for walks at least twice a day. And then let them out during the day.
Dogs get bored easily. And some more so than others are prone to destroying things when they are bored.
Something else you can do is create a play pen for them in the back yard. An area where they are allowed to dig and get up to mischief. A bit like a childs sand pit, but for dogs instead.
I hope that helps.
Justin
Marie said,
Wrote on August 13, 2007 @ 18:45
My dog licks and licks, he won’t stop even when I’m upset. He even licked my new pup for 30 minutes straight so I called the vet to ask why he does this and I was told:
1. Could be a behavior thing and you can try a trainer.
2. Could be something is wrong with their mouth or paws and need to be checked by a vet.
3. Could be anxiety and may need to be put on medication.
I think in my Dog’s case it is probably anxiety because he has done it for years to me, my arms, legs, anything and when I try to stop him he gets all crazy by trying to grab my arm back and hold it so he can keep licking it.
rhonda pack said,
Wrote on September 21, 2007 @ 14:15
why does my small dog constantly lick my larger dog in the mouth? it’s as if he likes his saliva. both are males. what does this mean in the dog world?
***
Rhonda, I am not sure why.
***
Andrea said,
Wrote on January 19, 2008 @ 19:24
I saw a program on TV once that stated that dogs lick at your mouth because in the wild, when a mother dog (dingo, coyote, wolf, etc.) goes out to hunt for her pups, she eats what she finds and bring home some of her kill. She usually can’t comfortably carry enough for all the pups. So when she gets back, she vomits up some along with what she brings back to make sure all the pups get enough to eat. That ladies and gentlemen is the “true” reason a dog licks at your mouth! She wants you to vomit up something for her to eat. I do believe it. I am a vet tech and the doctor I work for also agrees.
Sean said,
Wrote on January 29, 2008 @ 16:11
Susan, Get your lymph nodes checked, maybe your dog sniffs your armpit because possible lymph node issues.
Just a thought
tara said,
Wrote on September 4, 2008 @ 13:08
My choc lab is always trying to lick ears, if that fails then it’s arms and hands, and sometime legs. but most she’s jumps, at anyone.
sheila said,
Wrote on March 30, 2009 @ 14:08
Dogs usually lick to show affection for their Alpha — you. They sometimes want a treat, want you to follow them to something they found (like Lassie), or just show that they know you are in charge. For prolonged licking it could be a sign of illness, you should see your vet for this situation. However, most of the time, it is normal. After all, when you get home to your dog, they are interested in where you have been and this in general is a common occurrence of greeting. Multiple dogs will often lick each other to show they are not a threat to anyone in the household. Hope this helps.