Mutual grooming?

CorvusCorax

CorvusCorax

Deary me...
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Prolly a silly question late at night (can you tell I skipped training today, ha!) but does anyone else's dog mutually groom them?
Never had it happen with one of mine before but the last two nights when I have been watching telly or browsing the net and have been absentmindedly stroking or scratching the young dog beside me on the sofa, he has started nibbling my hand or arm.
Admittedly the first time he did it I gave him a rocket because it bloody hurt and I was not expecting it but I do find it quite sweet, apart from the whole using his teeth thing :p

Anyone else's dog do this? Should I nip it in the bud? He has a tendency to try to be dominant (truly dominant, I know the difference :p) and I don't want him to get ideas above his station.
 
flodden does it to me, but never teeth. If I brush him on his table, he will lick my shoulder, and just keep licking it till i stop grooming. Then start again as I start brushing him. I thought it was as a result of me using a slicker but he will do the same if I scratch his neck. Never does it any other time so I don;t worry about it. Mind you Flodden does not do dominant so I am probably not the best one to talk about it :)
 
Skye will lick inside my brother's ears if he is sitting on the floor or sleeping on the sofa (she wouldn't dare do it to me as I think it's minging :D) She is dominant with other dogs but not at all with her humanz - even my wee cousins she will let climb all over her. The only sort of nibbling that she does is if I'm wearing gloves. I've always read it as she was checking to see if my hands were inside it as I've taught her to fetch my gloves for me. She nibbles the glove more than she nibbles me.

The lower dogs will groom the dominant dogs so I don't think he is trying to get above his station by doing it (yet) but if you think the line is/might get hazy I would just cut it out now.
 
My lurcher does this to the other dog and to the two cats. The cats tolerate it for a while, then they wander off. She doesn't do it to us though.
 
My 2 boys both occasionally groom me using their tiny front teeth only. The lab started off doing it a bit too hard, so we had a few words & now he is very gentle. Neither of my guys are dominant at all & they only do it with me, so I'm not too worried. I treat it like I do with horses - it's fine if I instigate it & it's done gently. They both also love doing the same with my finger nails, kind of nibbling them with their tiny teeth, but without leaving a mark on my nails - what's that all about?

The lab isn't very licky, but will lick me if we're having cuddles (or if I've dropped food on me!). The BT is naturally quite licky, so I discourage it with him. He'll happily clean anyone's ears given half an opportunity, canine & human!
 
No mine dont but Darcy does a funny thing and Im not sure why, if you are making a fuss of Diesel she comes over and tries to groom him. I cant say for sure if she is trying to show him she is more dominent(she is) or she justs wants to get in on the act.:D
 
Dax does this - nibbling, with teeth, not painful unless it catches on your arm hair (not a problem for me but OH can't let her do it :D). She also grooms Ricoh the same way occasionally.

I don't read anything into it, she is A Good Dog these days and I don't think it will escalate into gnawing my arm off while I sleep. :p

It's the blardy horse that does it painfully, I can only give her a good scratch if I've got a thick bodywarmer on as otherwise I end up bruised.
 
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