Dog behavior?

[Wcross]

I noticed my dog buddy will lick his pups when they come inside after it rains. He licks the area around the neck and the pups seem submissive. The pups are about 1 1/2 years old- all dogs are fixed. They seem to get along well except the pups are figuring out their place in the pack. ( a little growling and small fights)

Anyone know what this is all about?


Buddy



His three sons and his daughter.


On edit- decided to add some pictures

[Eureka]

1. Sounds to me like your dog buddy is top dog

If you lick someone you are dominating them. It sounds to me like your buddy is dominating the young ones, and they are sorting their own order out underneath that.

The pack order tends not to stay static, if someone weakens someone else will step up and take control, so this might just be a gentle reminder of who is boss.

As for the neck licking itself, like cats dogs carry the young by their necks, it might be adding a touch of 'parental control' into the mix.

Dogs love to lick their carers face, I think because it means they are dominating their carers, way fun for dogs.

(I'm no dog psychologist, nor do I play one on TV, but I've always had dogs, currently have dogs, and have bred heaps of em)

(edit: pour spellink)

[two gun sid]

2. Eureka has it about right....

I think that the dominant wolf will exert his dominance by putting his mouth over the top of the submissive wolfs neck. I was told one way to make sure your dog knows you are the boss, place your hand around the top of his/her neck and push down. That has always worked for me.