Licking or Kissing?

Is your dog kissing you when he slurps your face like a lollipop?

Although we may never know, there are several possible explanations for this behavior, not all of which are mutually exclusive. The motivation for face licking appears to vary for different dogs and different circumstances.


Dogs lick for a number of reasons, some of which are purely biological:

* Mother dogs lick their newborn pups to arouse them from their postpartum daze. In this situation, licking serves to remove clingy membranes from the pup, freeing him up to move and stimulating him to breathe.

* Once the birthing and clean-up processes are over, the mom dog's licking her pups stimulates them to eliminate both urine and feces. It is a couple of weeks before pups will eliminate spontaneously.

* Licking also serves another more romantic role in the sense that it is a comfort behavior that assists with pups' bonding to their mom and spurs on their mental development.

* From about six weeks of age, some pups lick their mom's lips when they want her to regurgitate food for them. They lick; she vomits; they eat it. This behavior is a vestige of their wild ancestry and was designed to ensure that they profited from the spoils of the hunt.

* Licking can also be a signal of submission and so is part of dog's body language communication system.

* Pups and adults lick and groom themselves. It is part of normal survival-oriented behavior. Licking their own lips, limbs, and trunk removes traces of the last meal that would otherwise begin to decompose and smell. Quite apart from the hygienic aspects of this behavior, it also serves to keep dogs relatively odor free and thus olfactorily invisible to their prey. Domestic dogs retain these instincts even though they are not vital today.

Psychology

Dogs, like people, engage in a number of "displacement behaviors" when nervous or stressed, and many of these behaviors involve self-grooming. Dogs do have their own share of dilemmas. Going to the vet's office, anxious dog patients may begin nervously licking their own lips as they enter the clinic or even lick or nibble their feet or flank.

There is no doubt that some dogs lick as a gesture of appeasement and goodwill. They may lick their own lips or may lick a person to whom they wish to signal deference. Perhaps the behavior is analogous to some forms of human kissing and thus their interpretation may be close to the truth.

However, not all dogs seem penitent when they slurp the faces of people they meet. For some dogs, it seems that they engage in face licking because they can get away with it and because it gets a rise out of the person. When licking is performed for such a reason, it may be component of the "center stage," attention-demanding behavior of dominant dogs.

Psychopathology

Some sensitive dogs in stressful environments compulsively groom themselves to the point of self-injury. Licking of this type leads to acral lick dermatitis (a.k.a. lick granuloma). Compulsive licking by dogs is not always self-directed. Some dogs take to licking floors, walls, or furniture. Whatever the outward expression of compulsive licking, the mechanics underlying the disorder are the same. In treatment of this condition, first the underlying anxiety must be addressed though, in some cases, it is also necessary to employ anti-compulsive medication to help break the cycle.

Lovey Dovey?

Perhaps some dogs are so awed by their owners that they feel the need to signal their ongoing deference by face licking.

One other thing we should always bear in mind is that any behavior can be enhanced learning. Psychologist BF Skinner immortalized the concept that reward increases the likelihood of a response. So it is with licking. If a dog licks his owner's face – perhaps as a vestige of maternal lip licking, perhaps out of anxiety, or just because his owner's face tastes salty – and his behavior is greeted with attention, hugs and (human) kisses, he will likely repeat the behavior in future.

So while face licking may not represent true romantic love, it nevertheless can sometimes be interpreted as some token of a dog's affection or respect.

Dog Etiquette

Wherever you go with your dog, remember you are a doggie ambassador. How you act with your dog not only affects others around you, but also how people think of dogs and dog owners in general.

Put your best foot and paw forward with dog etiquette:

1. Always clean up after your dog and abide by licensing and
leash laws.

2. Make sure your pet is a welcome guest. Call ahead to discuss
pet policies.

3. When visiting family and friends, if your dog ruins something in their home, offer to pay the repair fee or cleaning charge.

4. Only bring well-behaved, quiet dogs to outdoor restaurants. Dogs should be out of the way, such as lying underneath the table, so the wait staff and others can easily walk past.

5. When a repairman or other service provider makes a house call, crate your dog or put her in a room and shut the door. Some people are afraid of dogs or allergic to them.

6. Be a considerate neighbor by curtailing barking. Even hardened dog lovers are annoyed by constant yipping and yowling.

7. Do not allow your dog to roam freely. It is dangerous for you pet, plus it is disrespectful of other people who might be walking in your neighborhood.

8. Always ask permission before allowing your dog to greet another dog.

Being a doggie ambassador consists of combining dog training skills with common sense and basic good manners. Pet etiquette is practicing good behavior at both ends of the leash.

Begging and Dogs

Company coming over for the holidays?

Does your dog beg for food at your parties?

Dog owners who have a begging dog problem must have rewarded the behavior at some point, either inadvertently or intentionally. Some owners of begging dogs decide to try to break the cycle of begging and reinforcement, but do not have the willpower to stay the course.

Instead, they occasionally cave in, reinforcing the dog's begging behavior on a random intermittent schedule. This schedule of reinforcement produces the most indelible learning of all. It ensures that the dog will continue to beg on the off chance that next time he may win.

Here are several suggestions to eliminate begging:

Have a set feeding regimen for your dog. For instance, feed him twice daily at 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Feed proprietary dog food only so that there is no confusion over what is human food and what is dog food.

Feed your dog at the same time as you sit down to eat, so that he is fully occupied during mealtimes. Also, feed him in a separate location.

If necessary, crate train or tie your dog so that he is not free to roam (and beg) at mealtimes, but make sure he has something to do when confined.

Never give in to begging after you have indicated, "no" – not even once. Recognize begging for what it is and stand fast against repeat requests.

Remember that a behavior that worked in the past will initially be carried out at an even greater frequency when the expected reward is withheld. Do not worry about this exacerbation and do not let it weaken in your resolve. Your dog will eventually stop trying something that does not work. (Does this sound familiar to raising children?)

Teach doggy Zen. Hold a food item in your closed hand. Whatever your dog does by way of begging/nudging do not open your hand. When he relaxes into calm acceptance of the fact that you are in control, by sitting patiently and stopping begging, say "take it" and open your hand. You are now training an acceptable behavior – waiting for a command (more appropriately cue) before the "goods" are produced. The message is that good manners work; bad manners do not.

Punishment is never appropriate. Your dog would not understand why he was being punished and would wind up confused. Punishment teaches a dog nothing except how to avoid the punisher.

A well-behaved dog is a pleasure to have around. One that is constantly trying to push people's buttons is often viewed as a little beggar. The decision to reward or not reward should be made by the owner, not coaxed by the dog.

If the time is not right for the game in question, the dog should be instructed to perform some other behavior that is incompatible with asking/begging, such as going to his dog bed or blanket and lying down. This will only be possible if the owner exhibits firm but fair leadership.

Be in charge. Stay in control. As your faithful friend and follower, your dog will appreciate your lead.

Marking

As you know, urine marking is a typical behavior for a canine male. It's how he marks his territory. So most dog owners are not surprised or alarmed if their male dog lifts his leg outside to pee on a few bushes, fence posts and fire hydrants. They understand that it is normal for a dog to do this.

Some dogs have an obsession about marking their territory. After all, it is their heritage as pack members to live within a well-delineated territory. That territory contains all the commodities and valuable resources necessary to sustain the pack, including their mates and their progeny. This marking ritual makes it clear to strangers (other dogs) that they have crossed a line with respect to another pack's territory, which helps to avoid unnecessary fighting.

Here is Chester creatively marking!

How Does Your Dog Show That She Misses You?

I just returned from spending a week at Isla Mujeres, Mexico. Isla Mujeres is a small island off the Yucatan Peninsula. Isla Mujeres means island of women in Spanish, and how appropriate that I was there with a bunch of women on a retreat.

Ebony was home alone. My neighbor checked on her. This neighbor rations out daily two dog biscuits to any dog that comes to her door. Needless to say, Ebony shows up. After her morning feeding, Ebony decided to follow my neighbor home for her two biscuits...she knows a good thing!

Ebony was patiently waiting in the driveway when I drove in. Yes, she greeted me with exuberance which lasted for several minutes and followed me around for the next few minutes. This seems like normal behavior for a dog who has not seen her owner for awhile. But how do you know if she really missed you?

The way I can tell is when she does behavior which is not her normal routine. That happened the next morning when she jumped up on the bed to lick my face. Again, she licked my face when I was doing stretches on the floor. This was different behavior and I got the feeling that she really missed me.

How does your dog show that she misses you?
I would love to hear........