# licking rash



## Charleysmom (Dec 6, 2011)

Does anyone know if one can get a rash from dog licking your face. I've had a rash on my chin and it's just unusual. Could it be from charley?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Charleysmom said:


> Does anyone know if one can get a rash from dog licking your face. I've had a rash on my chin and it's just unusual. Could it be from charley?


I know that one of the allergens with both dogs and cats is saliva. So it's certainly possible that it's anallergic reaction. i'm not keen on "licky" kisses so I've never encoraged it. As a result, Kodi has developed other ways of showing his affection. Maybe you could do the same with Charley.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Do a test , put some peanut butter on your arm and get him to lick it off. So long as you're not allergic to peanut butter .LOL Keep an eye on it to see if it turns red. I don't need to wash my face, Molly does it. :biggrin1:


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## misstray (Feb 6, 2011)

Yeah, my first thought is an allergy to dog saliva.

I'm not a huge fan of major licking, but Brody didn't get that memo and he IS a fan!


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## Charleysmom (Dec 6, 2011)

actually I used to be allergic to my poodle's saliva . Gave me really itchy eyes but I haven't had that with Charley. But I do have little red bumps on my chin area. I don't have them anywhere else even though he does lick my hands, arms, etc. I'm not certain they are from Charley but don't know what else they could be. I've put some hydrocortisone creme on them and I'll have to see what happens.

If it turns out they are from Charley it'll be difficult to get him to stop. I mean I really love his little kisses on my nose. Also, I wonder if I do stop him, will he develop other ways of showing affection? How???


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

Face licking is somewhat important in that it is a greeting behavior. It's believed that canids as cubs or puppies used this face licking to prompt the parents to regurgitate food when they returned to the den. It's thought that it has morphed in todays dog as a greeting ritual . This is one reason why dogs jump up on people ,they are trying to reach our faces. In your case maybe you just need to mimimize it as much as possible. It's a form of neoteny from years ago and is an example of how dogs still retain certain primitive things from their ancestors. So maybe, no French kissing for you.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Charleysmom said:


> actually I used to be allergic to my poodle's saliva . Gave me really itchy eyes but I haven't had that with Charley. But I do have little red bumps on my chin area. I don't have them anywhere else even though he does lick my hands, arms, etc. I'm not certain they are from Charley but don't know what else they could be. I've put some hydrocortisone creme on them and I'll have to see what happens.
> 
> If it turns out they are from Charley it'll be difficult to get him to stop. I mean I really love his little kisses on my nose. Also, I wonder if I do stop him, will he develop other ways of showing affection? How???


Nick Dodman, a nationally known DVM and animal behaviorist, says that licking is not, inherently, a sign of affection anyway. It can start as subservient behavior or as puppy/mother behavior. Then, if it is encouraged by a loving owner, it takes on meaning later on. Dogs don't lick each other out of affection. I can't find the article, but I bet Dave could. 

Kodi does NOT lick, but shows his affection all the time... by wanting to be in my proximity, by resting his head on my foot, or on my arm when I'm driving, cuddling up against me in bed or on the couch, by wagging his tail at the mere sound of my voice!!! Another of his favorites is (when invited) to put his front feet up on my legs, and bury his head into my legs for "scritches!" It would be hard to miss all his affectionate gestures!


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

krandall said:


> Nick Dodman, a nationally known DVM and animal behaviorist, says that licking is not, inherently, a sign of affection anyway. It can start as subservient behavior or as puppy/mother behavior. Then, if it is encouraged by a loving owner, it takes on meaning later on. Dogs don't lick each other out of affection. I can't find the article, but I bet Dave could.
> 
> Kodi does NOT lick, but shows his affection all the time... by wanting to be in my proximity, by resting his head on my foot, or on my arm when I'm driving, cuddling up against me in bed or on the couch, by wagging his tail at the mere sound of my voice!!! Another of his favorites is (when invited) to put his front feet up on my legs, and bury his head into my legs for "scritches!" It would be hard to miss all his affectionate gestures!


yeah \|Karen I have that article ,but that is about another form of licking. Licking is a very complex behavior. I'll be back with that one just for interest sake here it is http://www.petplace.com/dogs/is-your-dog-licking-or-kissing/page1.aspx


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

davetgabby said:


> yeah |Karen I have that article ,but that is about another form of licking. Licking is a very complex behavior. I'll be back with that one just for interest sake here it is http://www.petplace.com/dogs/is-your-dog-licking-or-kissing/page1.aspx


Why do you think he's talking about another kind of licking? The article specifically is addressing face licking... I know licking, in a general way, is a very complex behavior. But we aren't talking about grooming, displacement, etc., here, but human FACE licking.

Here's what I think is the heart of what Dodman had to say:

"I don't believe dogs express their sometimes quite profound feelings for their owners by licking or "kissing." In fact, I don't believe dogs really "kiss" at all. Perhaps some dogs are so awed by their owners that they feel the need to signal their ongoing deference by face licking. Call it love, if you will.

One other thing we should always bear in mind is that any behavior can be enhanced learning. Psychologist BF Skinner immortalized the concept that reward increases the likelihood of a response. So it is with licking. If a dog licks his owner's face - perhaps as a vestige of maternal lip licking, perhaps out of anxiety, or just because his owner's face tastes salty - and his behavior is greeted with attention, hugs and (human) kisses, he will likely repeat the behavior in future. In such cases the dog learns just how to push he owners buttons and the owner becomes analogous to a vending machine."


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

yeah Karen he does. mention it there. I just didn't remember it. Definitetly not always about affection. It can be learned or appeasement. Sometimes one never knows. I've read very different ideas on this. I tend to defer to the greeting when it's a familiar dog. I;ll look for another article that I haven't saved. But has some interesting ideas. I'm just not a fan of this individual ,as he is quite controversial.

here is LCK's article. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/my-puppy-my-self/200909/why-do-dogs-kiss-us


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## Charleysmom (Dec 6, 2011)

very interesting articles. thanks for sharing them. and so, whether a lick is a kiss or something else is still debatable. i've often thought, that one or two licks is a kiss but more is about the taste of one's face. it seems Chaley really likes the taste of my moisterizer! there's another dog I know, and all he does is lick. In his case I get this sense it is sublimation.
thanks for discussing the other displays of affection - of course Charley shows some of these, e.g., sitting at my feet when I'm at the kitchen table, sitting close on the sofa, resting his head on my arm or the way he looks up at me with those baby brown eyes, the entusuastic way he runs to me when he's called, following me around, dashing up to my shoulders when he wants to be comforted, wagging his tail when he greets me.
Thanks for helping me distinguish that. I think I will cut down on allowing the face licks with "no lick." A kiss or two is okay but licking my face of its flavors etc. is not.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

generally what you're talking about is OK licking except in your case it might be causing your rash. So long as it doesn't become obsessive, I wouldn't worry too much about it.


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## Carefulove (Mar 20, 2009)

I bet is allergy to the saliva.

I do not like Face Licking or licking in general. I encourage my dogs NOT to lick our faces, but Bumi always finds a way to catch me when I am not looking.

My kids told me the other day that Bumi was a sweet dog, "he is very licky, Mommy" LOL


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

davetgabby said:


> yeah Karen he does. mention it there. I just didn't remember it. Definitetly not always about affection. It can be learned or appeasement. Sometimes one never knows. I've read very different ideas on this. I tend to defer to the greeting when it's a familiar dog. I;ll look for another article that I haven't saved. But has some interesting ideas. I'm just not a fan of this individual ,as he is quite controversial.
> 
> here is LCK's article. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/my-puppy-my-self/200909/why-do-dogs-kiss-us


Not sure I thought too much of that one.


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## Charleysmom (Dec 6, 2011)

krandall said:


> Not sure I thought too much of that one.


I didn't like that one either. dog saliva allergy usually gives me itchy eyes. haven't had that with Charley thank goodness. I had on and off itchy eyes with Molly for almost 17 years. 
If not an allergy, could it be a bacteria something or other?


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

krandall said:


> Not sure I thought too much of that one.


yeah LCK is extremely educated, but has some very "original ideas" , he's quite active on some of the forums.


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