dog licking us - pack thing?

Nikki does the same to us. She will give you a tounge bath from H E double hockey sticks. And when she gets into the licky mode, aint no stopping her from it. Try to stop her and she does the Air licks, or she will find something to clean, couch, her buddy Beau, the wall, floor whatever she can get her little licker on. She will lick the flavor out of your skin. LOL
Not sure if it is a pack thing and she thinks she's cleaning me either, like your Zoe. It is just something she has done ever since I have had her.
That is one of her nick names, Licky Nikki.
Wish she could lick off fat. That would be great.

I'm not sure why either, but Max does the same thing.  If we just ignore him, he stops after a few minutes.  He even runs along side a dog park buddy, licking him. Once he found another licker there to run with, and it was really funny watching them run together and taking turns licking each other while they were running.

In most cases the reason a dog licks at you is in submission. Although I have heard about the "cleaning" theory it has only been put down by every dog trainer I know....not that it is not possible but it is not widely accepted. This is why after you discipline a dog or there is an inter-dog disagreement you will see one lick at the other chops after one has assumed dominanace. The submissive one will lick at them (one of the many behaviours you will see in this case) to make it clear they have given up.
 
If the licking is a behaviour that you consider unacceptable you need to change it in the dog. Do not praise the dog for doing it (this includes facial expressions, laughing, even telling them "don't do that") instead when they do it respond negatively by pulling your self away. At this point watch your dogs behaviour really close...you will see it change after doing this a couple times as the dog is confused why you are acting that way. When the dog stops the behaviour as a reaction to you pulling away praise them with food, touch or sound depending on which one your dog is more responsive to. Teach the dog what you want them to do by negative reinforcement when you pull away and positive reinforcement when he/she is doing the correct behaviour that you want. it should only take a couple times for the dog to figure it out and then if you do it consistently for 6 weeks the behaviour should be corrected.
 
Make sense?

Oh that is so cute Fuzzy. You go Max!!!!
 
Keep on lickin!!! said Nikki! []

It does make sense.
 
In Nikki's defense I do not know where her licking started and she not only will lick me but others in the family to include her new buddy replacer, Beau, the pitty mix I have. In her case I think she is just has a compulsive disorder to be honest.
In Beau's case, he was given to me, actually I rescued him from the pound, in reality as they were going to put him down. That is another whole story in itself. He is my mirrical dog. I taught him that behavoir because of his back ground and his breed. I was not really sure of the temperment on him with a little background of being used as bait instead of a fighter. He had some suttle issues but has turned out to be such a faithful friend. A well behaved dog and family member. So, yeah I see that and I have tried to reverse the licking when being greeted or just out of the blue cause he saw ya sitting down or whatever the case may be. With negative results. He'll stop for a second or two. And when you praise him after the negative reaction, he takes that as ok you can start licking the flavor out of your skin. Again. Never ending circle.

How do you handle that senario out of curiosity?

Buddy definitely does it as both cleaning and submission and affection.  Somehow he automatically knows where I or anyone else has been injured and will lick it.  Additionally, he'll lick someone if they show him affection.  It can be annoying when i'm trying to go to bed and he decides that is the best time to start the licking.  Nothing keeps you up like a rough dog tongue!

I think we simply taste good to dogs.  We are a little salty and they like it.  My dog will lick my wife and kids but if I am around he will lick me for hours.  I thought about this.  I work in the yard - I sweat - He likes the saltiness. 
 
Try this;  eat something super smelly but good - like a ripe banana.  Lie down near your dog with a lot of bare skin exposed.  If he focuses on your mouth then I am guessing he likes the smell and taste.  If he focuses on some other spot then you are either very salty / tasty or my theory is right out the window. [8|]

My new puppy likes to lick my legs when i get out of the shower -_-

the girls are obsessed with licking us, but they are much worse with my b/f.
 
They wait till he sits down to jump into his lap and smother him in kisses, when hes just waking up, when hes bending down to look in the freezer... they are crazy.
 
If i kiss him on the lips they'll be straight in there kissing wherever i just have, same for cheeks/chin/nose. Luckily he's very patient, even after hes let them go at it for ages and pushes them away they look at him like 'just a bit longer daddy' [] 
 
Nightmare [8|]

My two Tzu love to lick my hubby on his face and head mostly. But he works outdoors and sweats more than me, and I think that is why they do that, they like the salty taste. They will lick my legs or arms when I put lotion on too.
But they do just come up and lick a few times on face or hands, it is definitely a sign of affection. We like it, so it is not a negative thing to us.
 

We thought that it might be the sweat and resultant saltyness... but the girls still do it after hes had a shower so thats out of the equation!! They're pretty much the same with me, with or without moisturiser makes no difference!
 
We do think it's a lovely sign of affection, they are very methodical in their kissing.. if it was less incessant it would be easier to live with! []