Licking is a very common dog behaviour and like any trait, it can vary hugely from dog to dog. Some love it while others hate it, but licking humans can occur for several different reasons. To some extent our domesticated dogs still express these traits. Dogs will often be seen licking around the muzzle of dogs they meet while out and about as a means of communication.
Have you ever wondered why dogs lick you? Most dogs love to lick people. It's so common that dog owners usually call it "giving kisses" and consider it a sign of affection. Some dogs seem to lick people more than others. Does this behavior mean something?
Ever wonder what your dog is thinking when he slurps your face like a lollipop? Is he just saying hello—or planting the canine version of a kiss on your cheek? Although we may never know the real answer, it helps to understand the psychology of the lick.
The bottom line is that most of the time, dogs will lick their people as a sign of affection. You taste good, too! But much as barking can be, licking is also a multi-faceted tool that seems to play many roles in canine behavior and, consequently, tends towards many different interpretations. Indeed, this behavior is held up as one that may serve as the basis for all other licking decisions a dog makes. Extreme licking tends to be defined not so much by the dog as it is by the human beholder of the behavior.