Kissing in General

Kissing is a cultural thing. A group of social scientists studied 128 different cultures. Romantic kissing is common in only 46% of the cultures studied. Apparently our English speaking cousins and siblings are among the 46%, so it’s natural that we want to show how much we love our pets by kissing them.

If you are willing to kiss your favorite humans, its probably safe to carefully kiss your pet too but there are obvious questions you should ask.

Does your pet enjoy being kissed?

Without even knowing your pet, we can safely say the answer is NO!  Dogs certainly experience something like what we call happiness but they know fear even more. It’s highly doubtful that having your mouth and teeth close to their mouth and teeth will elicit a feeling of joy. Fear is the natural reaction to being too close to teeth.

The exception to this observation is when the dog initiates the face to face encounter and is not being restrained. Then your face may be licked as a sign of trust and maybe even affection. Beware of attributing human characteristics to dogs and cats.

If you are holding your little friend and he licks your face, it’s probably a sign of discomfort. “Please don’t squeeze me. See, I’m your friend. And I’m scared.”

Does your pet enjoy being hugged?

Without knowing your pet we can again safely say your pet does not like to be hugged. Hugging is for primates.

You may train the dog to tolerate being hugged but being restrained is against their nature.

Monkeys and other primates embrace each other for the same reasons humans do: friendship, giving comfort, and making peace. In other words they show empathy, the ability to understand what the other animal is feeling within the context of that animals consciousness.

To hug a dog is to immobilize a dog. That’s what happens just before something kills them and eats them.

Dogs can read the simple emotions of both humans and other animals. They also communicate their feelings by simple, careful action: tail wagging, rubbing up to people or other dogs, licking faces, licking humans’ hands and feet, whimpering, and moving back and forth.

Be careful not to misread a dog’s warning to stay away: low growl, tiny smile baring the teeth, looking at you sideways, ears held back if they can control their ears that way, and even a wagging tail, but a strange, unusual kind of wag. 

Do dogs enjoy being petted?

Yes. Stick to the chest, bottom of the neck, or shoulders in the beginning. After the dog trusts you, try other places to see the reaction. Many dogs love the base of their tails scratched. Scratching may be more enjoyable than petting.

The downside to kissing your dog.

• Dog doesn’t like it.
• Dogs’ mouths are no cleaner than yours.
• Dog licks its anus to keep it clean.
• Dog may eat cat poop.
• Fecal matter may have salmonella or E. coli that can infect you.
• Dog may drink water containing pathogens like giardia, hookworms, and round worms. (Like when you walk them and they take a quick drink from a puddle that a bird pooped in.)
• If you are immunocompromised. (if you are, you know what that means) Ask your doctor before being around pets.

Upside to having a dog

Let’s face it.  When a human has a pet like a dog, it’s mostly about what’s in it for the human. Altruism is the way humans behave nicely to make themselves feel good about themselves. It’s all about the human.

The dog has no such complicated agenda. Feed him, give him shelter and safety, and he will bond and depend on you. You are free to interpret that as love.

A healthy dog will freely share her microbiome with you. The microbiome is all the germs she harbors both inside and outside her body. Your immune system learns how to coexist with all those germs in addition to your own. The result is a more robust immune system for both you and your dog friend. Some studies show that people who have dogs live longer. It may not be just the immune system. It might be the exercise.

Having a dog may also help you:

• Manage loneliness and depression.
• Exercise more.
• Decrease blood pressure.
• Meet other dog owners.
• Manage PTSD.
• Keep your mind sharper when you are old.
• Give you a reason to care for somebody other than yourself.
• Keep potentially dangerous wild animals and bad people away.

Sharing a close relationship

Having a dog live in the house with you means you share more than just kisses.,  Of course there are the germs, but also microscopic bits of other stuff. Dead skin cells, fur, and feces dust come to mind. Don’t freak out about that stuff because you and your family produce the same stuff. You call it hair instead of fur.

Microscopic creatures called dust mites feed on the microscopic debris. When people with asthma say they are allergic to dogs or cats, it may be that dust mites are the culprit. The American Lung Association has advice about dust mites. You can’t eliminate them but you can reduce their numbers to a tolerable levels.

Human-Animal Bond

The American Veterinary Medical Association recognizes the importance of the human-animal bond. They are a founding educational partner for the Human-Animal Bond Certification Program. The certificate “allows veterinary professionals to fully appreciate the science behind the human-animal bond, learn more about its benefits for animals and people, and get practical advice on how to ensure good bonds are built and maintained.”

A good way to get the most out of your Human-Animal Bond is to be sure your dog is healthy by keeping up on immunizations and performing a fecal flotation test every six months.

While you are at the veterinarian’s office, ask about appropriate flea and tick control for your area. Be aware that having cats that roam the neighborhood makes your flea control measures a bit more difficult but still manageable.

If your dog is free to roam about the fields, woods, and streams of a rural environment, don’t kiss your dog. She would rather herd sheep than kiss you.

And did we mention wash your hands frequently?

Its not the dog’s fault that you put your hands in dreadful places and then rub your eyes. Have you ever wondered why your nostrils get sore sometimes?