Licking Feet

[Henna420]

Hello everyone. I have a strange question. Im not sure if i should be posting it in this section.

Anyways, my female basenji (8yrs old) loves to lick my feet. But never licks my wife's or anyone else for that matter.

What does that mean? Is it a sign of being dominant or submissive or something else?

[nobarkus]

Get in the shower dude your feet are dirty. Just kidding! Maybe the B favors you the most. Heck if I know.

[AJs Human]

There might be some sort of salt on your feet that she likes. Or she's just grooming you, which is a way to acknowledge your Alpha status.

Nobarkus, you're funny.

[nobarkus]

@AJs:

There might be some sort of salt on your feet that she likes. Or she's just grooming you, which is a way to acknowledge your Alpha status.

Nobarkus, you're funny.

Oh thanks Belinda you just helped me figure something out. Buddy will lick my whole head if I lay on the floor. Now I know why they call me an old salt!:D

[AJs Human]

Thought you were a Marine, not a Squid like I was…oh, yeah, forgot: Marine paycheck said Dept of Navy on it

[Kananga]

My B is too busy licking his own feet. :rolleyes:

[Rita Jean]

I like your answer Kananga so much truth.

Rita Jean

[Basenjimamma]

Otis will lick my hubby's head and arms and whatever else he gets a hold of..my hubby hates it, I think its funny..
I've read that it might be a sign of domination, but I have also read that he is gromming you as a sign of you being his Alpha..so I guess it depends on what camp you want to belong to..

[AJs Human]

My experience with AJ is he's telling me he appreciates me. I haven't noticed any aggression attached to it. He jumps in my lap and licks whatever he can reach after he eats.
He just knows not to lick my face, although he did lick a New Mexico State Trooper on his nose once. I acted shocked and begged him not to give me a ticket for it. He asked why on earth would he give me a ticket? I told him, "That dog has deadly butt-breath."
He laughed, caught himself and did a fair inspection on my truck and papers then sent me on my way with a clean 'spec sheet.:D

[Basenjimamma]

No, I agree, Otis is very calm, his eyes are almost rolling into the back of his head, throughly enjoying his time, no agression what so ever..

[Rita Jean]

AJ got to love you for licking State Trooper way to go.

Rita Jean

[snorky998]

Mine will lick any body part that has a boo-boo. Foot, shin, arm, shave nick on face. My accident prone DH hates it because Katie goes over board and will try to "flea bite" off a scab–eewwww.

She grooms her 'brother' Tyler in the same way. For years he had a little skin tag on his jaw, after Katie found it, it was gone in no time. I forgot all about it until my vet was doing a hand-rub body check and kept rubbing his face and jaw and checking her notes. Then said it was peculiar that the tag was gone and that that didn't usually happen. I laughed and said Katie had worried it to death:eek: We stopped Kate every time we saw her, but you know that Basenji thought pattern and tunnel vision. She waited until we were at work or not watching. No bleeding, no scab, no tag. Vet Laurie just laughed and said "That's our Kate. She not only did it cheaper than I could have, but with less trauma to Ty. :D"

[Henna420]

Thanks everyone for your input. My B has issues. She is, on one hand, very gentle and affectionate and crazy when she looses it. I wanted to know or confirm the act of licking my feet…

Thanks again

[Craigh]

At night when I'm on the computer, Bella likes to get under the desk and lick my feet. She'll go on for 5-10 minutes before falling asleep.

[EskiLovr]

Packs of dogs or wolves will groom each other during "down time." I would venture to say that is what is going on with your Basenjis. It is a bonding type thing, bonding the pack together. When I saw a pack of wolves in Denali, one of the young wolves had wandered off. The rest of the pack was howling for him/her to come back. When he/she finally did, the alpha came up and sort of rolled him/her, then the rest of the pack all ran over and began to lick his/her face, while he/she kind of cowered down.

It was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.