Dogs making out?

    • Gold Top Dog

    Dogs making out?

    Do dogs kiss like people?  Lately, Kenya and Coke will all the sudden start liking each other's faces or lick mouths at the same time.  Is that a sign of affection to dogs?  It's a little different than grooming b/c they are actually licking each other in the mouth at the same time.  It's really cute!  I just wondered what it meant.... 

    • Gold Top Dog

     I couldn't help but tell you about one of our play group dogs a few years ago.  She used to chase the slobber dogs around just to stick her little Cocker tongue in their mouths to get a big gulp.  Grossed everyone out.

    Ick! 

    • Gold Top Dog

    I have read that when a dog licks another on the mouth it is a sign of affection as well as submission. If you ever watch documentaries about wolves you'll see them doing this too - especially when one wolf returns to the group after being away for a short time. 

    • Gold Top Dog

    Oh yes! While Conrad and Marlowe don't do this, Conrad and his total BFF Sam back in Maryland used to do this allll the time. They'd lay on the floor next to each other and just lick away and moan and groan and look googly eyes at one another.

    Lucky you, it sounds like Coke and Kenya are soul-mates! 

    • Gold Top Dog

     Kenya and Coke are too cute! Love it.

    We call it "kissy face."


     

    • Gold Top Dog

    This is what they do:

     

    In the last pic they were licking each other and then started licking Phil


    • Gold Top Dog

    Well, that's what we call it when Luke & his girlfriend get into a lick-fest.  Actually, it's Belle who does pretty much all of the licking, but Luke opens his mouth up wide and she licks all over the inside of his mouth.  He'll even lay down and roll over to give her better access.

    • Gold Top Dog

    All the dogs in Xerk's extended pack will lick his mouth and muzzle.  There's also a coy-dog that terrorizes every other dog that gives Xerk submissive licks and bellies up to him each and every time she sees him.

    The licking started originally when Xerk was 8 or 9 months old and had canine papilomas (warts) and one of the dogs fancied himself a "tongue doctor."  It's carried on since then.  And if a dog in the pack doesn't lick his muzzle, Xerk will stand by that dog calmly waiting for it. 

    • Gold Top Dog

    I think it can be affectionate, but I don't think I'd rate it in the way of human kisses. Human kisses are usually reserved for families (like parent/child) or couples (and of course we know it extends to other places as well such as bars and clubs....lol.....but that's not just "affection" that is the goal). Dogs, when they do it, don't tend to reserve it for just special people, rather those that do it will do it copiously with many types of dogs.

    Our guys don't do it in that manner. The only time they tend to lick mouths is after a particularly yummy meal containing yogurt/eggs/etc where they lick each others beards.

    • Gold Top Dog

    I don't know, but they obviously are getting along!   They're probably licking each others mouths and tasting food or something.  I hope your taking pictures.  You'll need to post them so we can see them, I bet it's adorable.

    • Gold Top Dog

    It is a submissive gesture.   Lower ranking members will lick, or try to lick the mouths of higher ranking members.  Its also why our dogs try to lick our mouths.  It comes from mother dogs regurgitating food for puppies.  Same reason dogs sometimes belly up and pee on themselves.  "LOOK!  I'm just a baby!  Love me please!"  or in some cases, "Don't hurt me, I'm just a baby."  And as always the alpha may do as he/she pleases.  And if the mood moves them to show affection to lower ranked members, they do.  Its usually with more restraint though, and hardly ever initiated by that dog.  So you may notice that one dog starts it everytime.

    Onyx starts it everytime here.  Every single time.  But they do it as a nightly ritual pretty much. 

    • Gold Top Dog

    huskymom
    It is a submissive gesture.   Lower ranking members will lick, or try to lick the mouths of higher ranking members.  Its also why our dogs try to lick our mouths.  It comes from mother dogs regurgitating food for puppies. 

     

    Absolutely! Both my dogs do it, they literally suck up to each other. I think they are pretty equal as they seem to take turns being alpha depending on the circumstances.  

    • Gold Top Dog

    Harley and Izzy lick and kiss each other and they often lick us on our arms too....I have always thought when they make out with each other it was an affection thing b/c often Izzy will eventually lift her leg and give Harley her goods to lick as well.  It is almost a nightly ritual here for them to do that.  Izzy tends to be more dominate though so it could very well be her showing dominance and that is her way of showing it.