Melbomb Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Hi guys. I have a quick question that i thought some of you knowledgeable DOLers might know the answer to. Just recently (like the last couple of weeks) Bomber and Ellie have started licking each other in the mouths. Drives me batty so i always put a stop to it straight away but i was wondering if it means anything at all? ;) Generally Ellie is the instigator, just walks straight up to B while he is on his matt and starts licking him in the mouth. Any suggestion's as to why they're doing it would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paganman Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Hey mine do this sometimes usually if one of thems eaten something yummy like cat poo or something like that ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claireybell Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Mine do the same aswell. Jodie also licks Jesie's ears which is really disgusting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal House Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Its gross isnt it? ;) My 2 do it with each other as well, mainly Minty will go up to Charlie and start licking him in the mouth, and he often does it to her when she is ignoring him. I have no idea why they do it, but it drives poor Charlie up the wall when its being done to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melbomb Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 Hey mine do this sometimes usually if one of thems eaten something yummy like cat poo or something like that Yeah i thought that maybe they just like the taste of each other But having said that i think there might be something else to it, only because they have done it before when they were getting a pat ;) And never after food mostly when B's relaxing & El should be to. It's just weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tramissa Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 I believe it's a sign of submission (by the licker) to a more dominant dog. Could be wrong though ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal House Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Hey mine do this sometimes usually if one of thems eaten something yummy like cat poo or something like that ;) Why do dogs find the grossest things the yummiest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Gross?? No..It's dogs behaving like dogs. I understood it to be the action of a subordinate to a superior...similar to what puppies do to their dam,as a precursor to her regurgitating food for them... Why you would stop it,I don't know .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Affie Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 My little girl also does this at the dog park but only to certain dogs i assumed it was submission as well but the funny thing is she only seems to do it to dogs she likes as well, if they are unfamiliar or just scary she just rolls over on her back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Paws Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I believe it's a sign of submission (by the licker) to a more dominant dog.Could be wrong though ;) I've been lead to believe the same thing,my girl does it at obedience when greeting another dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBL Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Oscar does it all the time to our greys (he's the young pup) plus the ear licking too (which we try to discourage as we don't want ear infections). They both put up with it. He does however, bite their face and feet to get them to play - that is annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Shiloh does this to Ryder all the time .... she tries with Cooper but he hates it and grumbles at her (in which she tries to do it more LOL) Doesn't bother me, just dogs being dogs ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odin-Genie Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 A lot of dogs come up to my Elkhound and lick his face in the dog park. But the two of them don't do it at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melbomb Posted January 14, 2009 Author Share Posted January 14, 2009 I believe it's a sign of submission (by the licker) to a more dominant dog.Could be wrong though Gross??No..It's dogs behaving like dogs. I understood it to be the action of a subordinate to a superior...similar to what puppies do to their dam,as a precursor to her regurgitating food for them... Why you would stop it,I don't know .... My little girl also does this at the dog park but only to certain dogs i assumed it was submission as well I've been lead to believe the same thing,my girl does it at obedience when greeting another dog Okay so general consensus is that it is a sign of submission. Makes complete sense to me (although i had heard the opposite ie it's dominance) as B is definitely the boss. Persephone in regards to this Why you would stop it,I don't know .... I stop it because it would go on forever if i didn't. ;) Should i not be stopping it and just letting them carry on? What would the reason be to let them do this? Genuine questions. I'm quite intrigued by this behaviour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odin-Genie Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I agree that it is a submission thing. A lot of dogs do it at the dog park, but I've never seen a dominant dog do it. Usually, the body language of the one doing the licking is ears pulled back, tail low and wagging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 melbomb... the other dog will put a stop to it if they want it to stop hamlet puts up with it for a whle.. then tells widget off... no probs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daxilly Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Hi, My dominant ACD does this to my submissive Lab all the time. If it is a submissive thing I can't figure it out. This is the only time I ever hear my Lab growl. When I hear the growl I know exactly what is going on and stop it. Lab will sit there and not move. Maybe she is waiting for me to intervene. At least I know I am head of the pack. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harper Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 When my dog does it to one of my fosters it seems like more of a dominance thing. Maybe the licking in itself is not necessarily dominance or submission but dependant on all the other dynamics going on in the interactions between the dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First Time Puppy Owner Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Such an interesting toopic as I have seen my boy do the licking at the park as well as get licked. I would say he is submissve most of the time but I guess a puppy or little dog may not get that he is not dominant and do it to him to make sure that he is all good with their presence?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoxyNHemi Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 My two do it, They lick each others mouth at the same time... Its like they are tounging each other. Its gross I just let them do it.. I put it down to being a dog thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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