Why Dogs lick?

Dogs lick for lots of reasons, sometimes it's to show affection, to taste something, and sometimes it can be an obsession type thing. They get in a habit of say licking their paws and lick all the hair off. It's almost like a touch type thing. There's a theory that dogs have scent glands in their mouths and tongues and the consensus is that licking is a form of smelling you up, also to determine what kind of mood you are in, as another theory also suggests that humans emit different pheromones based on their emotional state ... I obviously watch WAY too much Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel!

http://www.total-knowledge.com/~willyblues/

There are a few reasons why a dog will lick. If he licks you, this means he is showing you that he loves you. A dog also licks to clean themselves. If a dog is licking one particular area continuously, this usually means that he is in pain or has an injury.