Affection
Most dogs learn to associate cuddles and kisses from their owners as love and affection. So licking you, whether it’s your face or feet, is a way of them returning the favor.
You taste good
Now this isn’t to say that they aren’t giving you affection, but one of the reasons your dog licks you is because they like the way you taste. It could be because of the body soap or lotion you use, or your natural smell.
Greeting
They may lick you as a way to say hello. If you notice that your dog licks you in the morning or when you return from work/errands, your dog is telling you hello and that they’ve missed you.
Attention
If you’re sitting on the couch and watching TV, for example, and you notice your dog starts licking you, it could be because they want your attention. They want you to pet them, give them belly rubs, or they may even want to play or go outside.
Stress
Dogs sometimes lick you in order to soothe themselves. This could be during a thunderstorm or even a visit to the vet. It’s easy to distinguish this type of licking compared to others, since they’re not so happy or excited while doing it.
Empathy
Some dogs even lick their owners in order to comfort them. If your dog sees you crying or perhaps you stubbed your toe, they may come up to you and start licking in order to help make you feel better.
No kisses
If your dog doesn’t give you kisses, don’t feel bad. Some dogs just don’t like giving kisses, so they may show affection or greet you in other ways. They may have experienced some type of trauma from a previous incident, or they naturally don’t enjoy licking people. If this is the case, your dog may growl signaling they don’t like what you’re doing. Or they will turn their head away from you when you try to kiss them.