There are also some related wolf behaviors. Pups seem to lick parent faces to trigger them to regurgitate foraged food when they return to the den after hunting. I always imagine that my pup is licking my face to get me to regurgitate a smackerel of something delicious.
Comment on kissies
FiniteBanjo@lemmy.today 7 months ago
In case anybody is wondering the actual reason, it’s because many quadrupedal mammals bathe by licking themselves and each other, particular between parents and offspring, so a dog licking you is just the dog’s instinctual response to close physical contact with family members. Some hypothesize that dogs enjoy being pet because it emulates the sensation of their mother licking them. Some animals are somewhat incapable of cleaning themselves at a young age and that leads to problems with early separation, such as Lions who in captivity are often paired with a dog who serves as a surrogate mother for cleaning them.
tamal3@lemmy.world 7 months ago
The_Che_Banana@beehaw.org 7 months ago
On the other hand. they also lick their butthole so…
ursakhiin@beehaw.org 7 months ago
Are you saying you don’t clean your butthole?
The_Che_Banana@beehaw.org 7 months ago
Clean? Yes.
Lick?
…also yes
DragonTypeWyvern@literature.cafe 7 months ago
It’s nice to see someone who achieved their fitness goals
RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world 7 months ago
Yes. Also, dogs like salty things.
Black_Gulaman@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 months ago
and eating their poop
Slovene@feddit.nl 7 months ago
And eating cat poop.
wewbull@feddit.uk 7 months ago
And eating horse poop.