Hi froup.

My question is this...What does it mean when dogs lick each other's
muzzles?

I've read through old posts from this NG, but nothing that I saw really
addresses this particular question. I've seen posts about younger dogs
licking the muzzles of older dogs as a form of submission, but nothing
that indicates what it means when the licking is reciprocal. Is it a
form of affection or something along those lines? Recognizing that the
other dog is a member of the same "pack"?

The reason I ask is that my wife & I have a 7 yr. old female Rott and
we're thinking of adopting another female Rott (3 yr. old)that has come
into our rescue organization. The two seem to get along very well (no
nipping at all, and they infrequently growl at each other). No raised
hackles or any other sign of aggression. I'm just wondering if I'm
missing something.

Thanks for your help.

bb3

--
www.bigskyrottrescue.org

bb3 wrote:
Hi froup.

My question is this...What does it mean when dogs lick each other's
muzzles?

I've read through old posts from this NG, but nothing that I saw really
addresses this particular question. I've seen posts about younger dogs
licking the muzzles of older dogs as a form of submission, but nothing
that indicates what it means when the licking is reciprocal. Is it a
form of affection or something along those lines? Recognizing that the
other dog is a member of the same "pack"?

The reason I ask is that my wife & I have a 7 yr. old female Rott and
we're thinking of adopting another female Rott (3 yr. old)that has come
into our rescue organization. The two seem to get along very well (no
nipping at all, and they infrequently growl at each other). No raised
hackles or any other sign of aggression. I'm just wondering if I'm
missing something.


My two big dogs lick each others' muzzles occasionally. Dylan (9, GSD
female) is clearly the dominant of the two. Oppie (7, Lab male) isn't
interested in dominance; he's just a happy-go-lucky goofball. But she
licks his muzzle about as often as he licks hers, I'd say. I wouldn't
characterize the situations where this happens as either begging or
submission, but beyond that, I can't put my finger on the significance of it.

My two chihuahuas (12, M and F) not only lick each other's muzzles, they
groom each other's faces. One sometimes puts a paw on the other's back and
holds him/her down while doing a thorough cleanup of face and ears. These
two are littermates, so their bond is tighter than most.

I don't know if this helps; at least it's a data point that the
significance of muzzle licking can go beyond submission and begging.

How much time have the two Rotties spent together? Enough to become used
to each other, friendly and playful?

FurPaw




--
Brain cells come and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever.

To reply, unleash the dog.

bb3 wrote:
Hi froup.

My question is this...What does it mean when dogs lick each other's
muzzles?

I've read through old posts from this NG, but nothing that I saw really
addresses this particular question. I've seen posts about younger dogs
licking the muzzles of older dogs as a form of submission, but nothing
that indicates what it means when the licking is reciprocal. Is it a
form of affection or something along those lines? Recognizing that the
other dog is a member of the same "pack"?

The reason I ask is that my wife & I have a 7 yr. old female Rott and
we're thinking of adopting another female Rott (3 yr. old)that has come
into our rescue organization. The two seem to get along very well (no
nipping at all, and they infrequently growl at each other). No raised
hackles or any other sign of aggression. I'm just wondering if I'm
missing something.


My two big dogs lick each others' muzzles occasionally. Dylan (9, GSD
female) is clearly the dominant of the two. Oppie (7, Lab male) isn't
interested in dominance; he's just a happy-go-lucky goofball. But she
licks his muzzle about as often as he licks hers, I'd say. I wouldn't
characterize the situations where this happens as either begging or
submission, but beyond that, I can't put my finger on the significance of it.

My two chihuahuas (12, M and F) not only lick each other's muzzles, they
groom each other's faces. One sometimes puts a paw on the other's back and
holds him/her down while doing a thorough cleanup of face and ears. These
two are littermates, so their bond is tighter than most.

I don't know if this helps; at least it's a data point that the
significance of muzzle licking can go beyond submission and begging.

How much time have the two Rotties spent together? Enough to become used
to each other, friendly and playful?

FurPaw




--
Brain cells come and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever.

To reply, unleash the dog.

bb3 wrote:
Hi froup.

My question is this...What does it mean when dogs lick each other's
muzzles?

I've read through old posts from this NG, but nothing that I saw really
addresses this particular question. I've seen posts about younger dogs
licking the muzzles of older dogs as a form of submission, but nothing
that indicates what it means when the licking is reciprocal. Is it a
form of affection or something along those lines? Recognizing that the
other dog is a member of the same "pack"?

The reason I ask is that my wife & I have a 7 yr. old female Rott and
we're thinking of adopting another female Rott (3 yr. old)that has come
into our rescue organization. The two seem to get along very well (no
nipping at all, and they infrequently growl at each other). No raised
hackles or any other sign of aggression. I'm just wondering if I'm
missing something.


My two big dogs lick each others' muzzles occasionally. Dylan (9, GSD
female) is clearly the dominant of the two. Oppie (7, Lab male) isn't
interested in dominance; he's just a happy-go-lucky goofball. But she
licks his muzzle about as often as he licks hers, I'd say. I wouldn't
characterize the situations where this happens as either begging or
submission, but beyond that, I can't put my finger on the significance of it.

My two chihuahuas (12, M and F) not only lick each other's muzzles, they
groom each other's faces. One sometimes puts a paw on the other's back and
holds him/her down while doing a thorough cleanup of face and ears. These
two are littermates, so their bond is tighter than most.

I don't know if this helps; at least it's a data point that the
significance of muzzle licking can go beyond submission and begging.

How much time have the two Rotties spent together? Enough to become used
to each other, friendly and playful?

FurPaw




--
Brain cells come and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever.

To reply, unleash the dog.

On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 19:36:53 GMT bb3 whittled these words:
My question is this...What does it mean when dogs lick each other's
muzzles?

It can mean various things - submission or demand depending upon its
persistence.

I've read through old posts from this NG, but nothing that I saw really
addresses this particular question. I've seen posts about younger dogs
licking the muzzles of older dogs as a form of submission, but nothing
that indicates what it means when the licking is reciprocal. Is it a
form of affection or something along those lines? Recognizing that the
other dog is a member of the same "pack"?

No - I wouldn't say that. Its status testing.

The reason I ask is that my wife & I have a 7 yr. old female Rott and
we're thinking of adopting another female Rott (3 yr. old)that has come
into our rescue organization. The two seem to get along very well (no
nipping at all, and they infrequently growl at each other). No raised
hackles or any other sign of aggression. I'm just wondering if I'm
missing something.

Rottweilers, especially the female, are frequently intolerant of others of
the same sex. In general it is better for the second dog to be of
opposite sex, and all the more so in your breed. What I would expect from
the younger dog is initial submission for maybe as long as six months if
lucky 18 months. When she gets comfortable in her seting she will start
to test the patience of the older dog. There are always exceptions, and
certainly sometimes it works out. But if you want a second dog your odds
of a harmonious family will be a lot higher if the two are of opposite
sex.

Diane Blackman

On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 19:36:53 GMT bb3 whittled these words:
My question is this...What does it mean when dogs lick each other's
muzzles?

It can mean various things - submission or demand depending upon its
persistence.

I've read through old posts from this NG, but nothing that I saw really
addresses this particular question. I've seen posts about younger dogs
licking the muzzles of older dogs as a form of submission, but nothing
that indicates what it means when the licking is reciprocal. Is it a
form of affection or something along those lines? Recognizing that the
other dog is a member of the same "pack"?

No - I wouldn't say that. Its status testing.

The reason I ask is that my wife & I have a 7 yr. old female Rott and
we're thinking of adopting another female Rott (3 yr. old)that has come
into our rescue organization. The two seem to get along very well (no
nipping at all, and they infrequently growl at each other). No raised
hackles or any other sign of aggression. I'm just wondering if I'm
missing something.

Rottweilers, especially the female, are frequently intolerant of others of
the same sex. In general it is better for the second dog to be of
opposite sex, and all the more so in your breed. What I would expect from
the younger dog is initial submission for maybe as long as six months if
lucky 18 months. When she gets comfortable in her seting she will start
to test the patience of the older dog. There are always exceptions, and
certainly sometimes it works out. But if you want a second dog your odds
of a harmonious family will be a lot higher if the two are of opposite
sex.

Diane Blackman

On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 19:36:53 GMT bb3 whittled these words:
My question is this...What does it mean when dogs lick each other's
muzzles?

It can mean various things - submission or demand depending upon its
persistence.

I've read through old posts from this NG, but nothing that I saw really
addresses this particular question. I've seen posts about younger dogs
licking the muzzles of older dogs as a form of submission, but nothing
that indicates what it means when the licking is reciprocal. Is it a
form of affection or something along those lines? Recognizing that the
other dog is a member of the same "pack"?

No - I wouldn't say that. Its status testing.

The reason I ask is that my wife & I have a 7 yr. old female Rott and
we're thinking of adopting another female Rott (3 yr. old)that has come
into our rescue organization. The two seem to get along very well (no
nipping at all, and they infrequently growl at each other). No raised
hackles or any other sign of aggression. I'm just wondering if I'm
missing something.

Rottweilers, especially the female, are frequently intolerant of others of
the same sex. In general it is better for the second dog to be of
opposite sex, and all the more so in your breed. What I would expect from
the younger dog is initial submission for maybe as long as six months if
lucky 18 months. When she gets comfortable in her seting she will start
to test the patience of the older dog. There are always exceptions, and
certainly sometimes it works out. But if you want a second dog your odds
of a harmonious family will be a lot higher if the two are of opposite
sex.

Diane Blackman

"FurPaw" wrote in message
...
bb3 wrote:
Hi froup.

My question is this...What does it mean when dogs lick each other's
muzzles?

I've read through old posts from this NG, but nothing that I saw
really
addresses this particular question. I've seen posts about younger
dogs
licking the muzzles of older dogs as a form of submission, but
nothing
that indicates what it means when the licking is reciprocal. Is it
a
form of affection or something along those lines? Recognizing that
the
other dog is a member of the same "pack"?

The reason I ask is that my wife & I have a 7 yr. old female Rott
and
we're thinking of adopting another female Rott (3 yr. old)that has
come
into our rescue organization. The two seem to get along very well
(no
nipping at all, and they infrequently growl at each other). No
raised
hackles or any other sign of aggression. I'm just wondering if I'm
missing something.


My two big dogs lick each others' muzzles occasionally. Dylan (9, GSD
female) is clearly the dominant of the two. Oppie (7, Lab male) isn't
interested in dominance; he's just a happy-go-lucky goofball. But she
licks his muzzle about as often as he licks hers, I'd say. I wouldn't
characterize the situations where this happens as either begging or
submission, but beyond that, I can't put my finger on the significance
of it.

My two chihuahuas (12, M and F) not only lick each other's muzzles,
they
groom each other's faces. One sometimes puts a paw on the other's
back and
holds him/her down while doing a thorough cleanup of face and ears.
These
two are littermates, so their bond is tighter than most.

I don't know if this helps; at least it's a data point that the
significance of muzzle licking can go beyond submission and begging.

How much time have the two Rotties spent together? Enough to become
used
to each other, friendly and playful?

FurPaw


Thanks for the reply.

The licking I've observed doesn't really fall into those categories
either. Mostly when they first get together and then at random times
while they are together. My first thought was that it was a greeting.

They've spent several days together, and don't seem to have any problems
with each other. Maggie (our older Rott) isn't really playful at any
time. Her "perkiest" time is first thing in the morning while on her
walk. They seem to play a bit at that time. When I have the two of
them, they ride in the extended cab portion of my truck and have no
problems with each other in such close quarters (which I assume to be a
good thing because I would think that Maggie would be territorial since
it is generally only her there). They spent the whole of last weekend
together, as well as several hikes that we have taken the two of them on
(often spending an hour or more in the ext. cab).

"FurPaw" wrote in message
...
bb3 wrote:
Hi froup.

My question is this...What does it mean when dogs lick each other's
muzzles?

I've read through old posts from this NG, but nothing that I saw
really
addresses this particular question. I've seen posts about younger
dogs
licking the muzzles of older dogs as a form of submission, but
nothing
that indicates what it means when the licking is reciprocal. Is it
a
form of affection or something along those lines? Recognizing that
the
other dog is a member of the same "pack"?

The reason I ask is that my wife & I have a 7 yr. old female Rott
and
we're thinking of adopting another female Rott (3 yr. old)that has
come
into our rescue organization. The two seem to get along very well
(no
nipping at all, and they infrequently growl at each other). No
raised
hackles or any other sign of aggression. I'm just wondering if I'm
missing something.


My two big dogs lick each others' muzzles occasionally. Dylan (9, GSD
female) is clearly the dominant of the two. Oppie (7, Lab male) isn't
interested in dominance; he's just a happy-go-lucky goofball. But she
licks his muzzle about as often as he licks hers, I'd say. I wouldn't
characterize the situations where this happens as either begging or
submission, but beyond that, I can't put my finger on the significance
of it.

My two chihuahuas (12, M and F) not only lick each other's muzzles,
they
groom each other's faces. One sometimes puts a paw on the other's
back and
holds him/her down while doing a thorough cleanup of face and ears.
These
two are littermates, so their bond is tighter than most.

I don't know if this helps; at least it's a data point that the
significance of muzzle licking can go beyond submission and begging.

How much time have the two Rotties spent together? Enough to become
used
to each other, friendly and playful?

FurPaw


Thanks for the reply.

The licking I've observed doesn't really fall into those categories
either. Mostly when they first get together and then at random times
while they are together. My first thought was that it was a greeting.

They've spent several days together, and don't seem to have any problems
with each other. Maggie (our older Rott) isn't really playful at any
time. Her "perkiest" time is first thing in the morning while on her
walk. They seem to play a bit at that time. When I have the two of
them, they ride in the extended cab portion of my truck and have no
problems with each other in such close quarters (which I assume to be a
good thing because I would think that Maggie would be territorial since
it is generally only her there). They spent the whole of last weekend
together, as well as several hikes that we have taken the two of them on
(often spending an hour or more in the ext. cab).

"FurPaw" wrote in message
...
bb3 wrote:
Hi froup.

My question is this...What does it mean when dogs lick each other's
muzzles?

I've read through old posts from this NG, but nothing that I saw
really
addresses this particular question. I've seen posts about younger
dogs
licking the muzzles of older dogs as a form of submission, but
nothing
that indicates what it means when the licking is reciprocal. Is it
a
form of affection or something along those lines? Recognizing that
the
other dog is a member of the same "pack"?

The reason I ask is that my wife & I have a 7 yr. old female Rott
and
we're thinking of adopting another female Rott (3 yr. old)that has
come
into our rescue organization. The two seem to get along very well
(no
nipping at all, and they infrequently growl at each other). No
raised
hackles or any other sign of aggression. I'm just wondering if I'm
missing something.


My two big dogs lick each others' muzzles occasionally. Dylan (9, GSD
female) is clearly the dominant of the two. Oppie (7, Lab male) isn't
interested in dominance; he's just a happy-go-lucky goofball. But she
licks his muzzle about as often as he licks hers, I'd say. I wouldn't
characterize the situations where this happens as either begging or
submission, but beyond that, I can't put my finger on the significance
of it.

My two chihuahuas (12, M and F) not only lick each other's muzzles,
they
groom each other's faces. One sometimes puts a paw on the other's
back and
holds him/her down while doing a thorough cleanup of face and ears.
These
two are littermates, so their bond is tighter than most.

I don't know if this helps; at least it's a data point that the
significance of muzzle licking can go beyond submission and begging.

How much time have the two Rotties spent together? Enough to become
used
to each other, friendly and playful?

FurPaw


Thanks for the reply.

The licking I've observed doesn't really fall into those categories
either. Mostly when they first get together and then at random times
while they are together. My first thought was that it was a greeting.

They've spent several days together, and don't seem to have any problems
with each other. Maggie (our older Rott) isn't really playful at any
time. Her "perkiest" time is first thing in the morning while on her
walk. They seem to play a bit at that time. When I have the two of
them, they ride in the extended cab portion of my truck and have no
problems with each other in such close quarters (which I assume to be a
good thing because I would think that Maggie would be territorial since
it is generally only her there). They spent the whole of last weekend
together, as well as several hikes that we have taken the two of them on
(often spending an hour or more in the ext. cab).