After my dog has eaten his dinner, he will run into the living room licking his lips, he is all excited and wants to give us all a lick.  We all say "thank you", he has always done this, he is now 22 months.  Also if he knocks something over, or takes something he shouldn't have, we say "that's naughty, say sorry, sorry", he will run round and try to lick us on any part of skin that is showing (arm, hand etc).  Does anyone know what that is all about?  It is really funny to watch him though!!!  He is soooo lovely!!!!!

Puppies lick at their mothers mouths to stimulate her to reguirgitate food, so it's linked with eating behaviour in the first case.  It is also an appeasement behaviour from a lower ranking dog to a higher one, to remind the higher dog that the lower ones knows it's place.

HTH

I did think that, as I have read about this and the ranking of the family.  But while my sons are eating (and my husband), he will come right up near to them and try to get near their food and I am sure if he had the chance would take it, but I thought they wouldn't do that to the higher ranking in the family. We have had a few problems with him and alot of it was to know his place in the home, the behaviourist who came home to see him said that if he is reincarnated he wants to come back as my dog!!!  But seriously I am working with him now and am following the advice I have been given, and am desperately trying to be alot firmer with him.  But the trait with the food he has always done, since being a puppy, he has to go up to everyone in our family and lick, but I am the only one who ever does everything for him. Ahhh!!!

My dog always has too bring a bit of his dried food into the front room when he is in the middle of eating it, think he's scared of missing something!!. He is also a licky dog i have read it's a sign of appeasment also, but i think a lot of it can have to with smell.

Most domesticated dogs still retain more of the puppy side of their behaviour because it's been bred into them and makes them easier to live with, so even as adults they will behave like puppies - and puppies have more rights over food than the rest of the pack, especially when there is an abundance, so pushing your luck with food is not a dominance issue.  If it presents a problem for you, I would train him to take up a certain place while you're eating that doesn't allow him to get 'in your face'.....

BTW - behaviourists that use pack ranking methods are now normally considered to be somewhat 'old fashioned' ;)

>But while my sons are eating (and my husband), he will come right up near to them and try to get near their food and I am sure if he had the chance would take it, but I thought they wouldn't do that to the higher ranking in the family.

If it's nice tasty food that appears to be on offer then any self-respecting pup would be delighted to share it. Rankings, IMHO, always going right out of the window which is why I really don't buy into these theories with domestic dogs. It doesn't make it any less of a nuisance having a dog who pesters at the table though so that's where training them to be in a certain place while you are eating makes for a more restful meal.

He will go and sit away from the table if we tell him, but my husband is never too bothered about him near him while eating.  I must admit I don't think he would want him near him if he was drooling though, but hes not really a problem.

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