What Does it Mean When my Dog Licks my Face?

When we show affection to our loved ones, we usually do it with hugs and kisses. When our dogs lick our face, naturally we would think that they too are showing us affection.

On the contrary, they are not.

• In the wild, after the puppies start weaning off their mother’s milk, the mother dog goes out to hunt for meals; she consumes them and returns to her den where the puppies beg by licking their mother. In returns to their begging, she rewards them by purging the meal she has eaten earlier. This is when puppies are first introduced to solid food. It doesn’t seem like a very delicious sounding meal to humans, but it’s an essential part of a puppy’s diet.
• When puppies become adults, they still conform to this juvenila behavior however they are not begging for a reward. Instead they lick other adult dogs to show respect (acknowledging the hierarchy of the pack). Another possibility is to avoid confrontation or punishment by appearing puppy-like (being submissive).

Since our dogs have been domesticated for centuries, and as owners we supply them with amply puppy food, they are not likely to be begging us for rewards by regurgitating our consumed food. They are just recognizing us as the pack leader whenever they greet us.