Cross Breeds - Why do dogs and sometimes cats lick you?

Why do dogs and sometimes cats lick you?

llike, my chihuahua licks my face all the time. it seems so sweet. do you think shes giving me kisses and being friendly or what??? and when i make kissy faces at her she sticks her tongue out and licks the air!

Public Comments

Yep, she loves you :)
The salt on your skin...
Maybe they think they are grooming you or r just showing affection
Dogs usually do this as i guess a backwards sign of affection. Dogs often clean each other because of attachment and also because it tastes good. Human skin has a lot of salt and oils that taste good and dogs like this. Having said this a strange dog or a dog that does not like you will probably not lick you.
Some people say the dog’s licks are canine kisses that prove the dog likes or loves you. Fido is showing you that he cares about you. While this may be one reason that dogs lick people, it is clearly not the only reason why they perform this act. Another theory is that dogs lick you because they were taught to do so by their mother from birth. Female dogs that give birth lick the new puppies to stimulate them to start breathing and to clean them up. Licking is important to the survival of puppies. The licking process is a natural instinct that they quickly learn from their mothers. Licking is also a submissive gesture. In the wild, the more subordinate dogs will lick the more dominant ones. This helps to maintain harmony among the members of the pack. By licking you, the dog is showing you that you are the dominant being and you are in charge. Another reason that dogs lick humans is to gather information about them. Dogs use the scent receptors located in their nose and mouth to process information about a person. A person who is secreting sweat from his or her body is actually unknowingly sending information about him or herself to the dog. This is one reason why a human’s feet are so attractive to a dog. Human feet contain many sweat glands. Eccrine glands release moisture that contains salts, water and waste products. Some dogs love the taste of salt. Dogs also enjoy licking because the act releases endorphins that allow the dog to feel pleasure and a sense of security and comfort. And a cat? http://www.whycenter.com/why-does-my-cat-lick-me/
Sometimes it is food or salt but other times it is affection for the owner.
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In this way she is showing her love and affection towards you.