why dogs like to lick?

It is a way to show affection, nervisness and to lick salt from your skin.

Well I'm not a biologist, but I think it has to do a lot with taste and senses, nopt just affection. Maybe it's just with snakes, but I think dogs also have very sensitive tounges - and of course noses - and when they lick you they also "feel" you up :D sources: my vivid imagination :D

I think licking is the expression of dogs' love and bonding with their masters. As the mother dog licks her babies to show them her affection (inter alia), the same an adult dog lick their master to show love and affection. They don't have other ability to communicate us their love, so licking may express it.

I think it is the same with the human kiss. Just they have solid mouths, the only elastic thing is their tongue, so this is how they show their appreciation, I think. Because I am positive that dogs have feelings too, and because they cannot hide them, they will show them. And I think they have very sensitive tongues, so this is how they show what they feel. And also many people said to me that dogs have very poor sight, so maybe this way they try to figure out how things that are close to them are, what is their shape, temperature, taste everything that they can figure out with their tongues. And I know that when you have an open wound, it is good for a dog to lick it, because has some special "thing" in its saliva that help the recovery.

Dogs like to lick because that is their inborn talent.. And they love humans..

Oh my dog tries to hold my hand like very loose with his jaws to show love when I come home or when he shows affection.I think every dog has its own way like some rub themselves with your legs, some lick and some hold hands like mine.

getting a taste for later? Well, that's what I say the big cats are doing when they lick the kittens... its a joke

I think that this kind of behaviour in a dog is very cute! I don't have a dog myself but I sure wish I did have a loving companion like this! When I am walking through my local park I just have to stop someone when they are with their dog and I just have to have a good stroke! The dog tends to be very friendly and it would like my hand all over and it's kind of just nice, call me weird but I suppose this is what dogs are supposed to do! I guess it's not so nice when a dog is licking you all over your face, that definitely leaves a real mess! I really wish I had the finances to look after a dog as there's great therapy to be had in keeping a dog. As you say, a dog serves as your protector and guide! I will probably go for the next best thing and purchase a robo dog or something! Andrew

Haha, that's cute of them! For me, at first I thought they licked just for the sake of licking. I thought it was their natural behaviour but now I know why, I'M BEGINNING TO LOVE THEM MORE!!!

For me that,s their way of showing their affection.And also that's their way of showing that they are not angry that's why they do that licking manner.

Well I believe dog's licking host's hands or waving their tails is their instinction to express affection and loyalty,and this behavior also has somthing to do with your habitual way to teach them.U can distract dog's attention to prevent from excessively licking and don't forget to wash your hands after they lick them,lol

lick to sense!!! hug of love!!! yup having a pet dog is great. it is like treating him not just like your best friend, for me his like my own son, feed, groom, play with, care for, love, walk at the park, run with on the streets. dogs dogs dogs... whats not to love.. PEACE!!!

We,as human shows our affection in many ways. Actually kissing is the most common because doing it shows our love and we feel warmth. And for dogs licking is the best way of showing their gratitude or love to the owner.

Hi merraine Dogs don't have any sensitive touch organ like our palm.We use our palm to feel everything.it gives us an additional sense of the object we are dealing with.Dogs might be using their tongue for the same purpose.They might be tasting objects to identify them.

It is a way to show freindship and a way of nervisness.