Lick means kiss
When we return home the dog throws us a party because he is glad that we have come out safe and sound from all the dangers he knows are out there. For animals in general, and for dogs in particular, the idea of going outside the pack never offers us the maximum certainty of returning intact: for them there are hidden predators on every route, natural dangers and a remote possibility of suffering disorientation. and never remember how to get home. Therefore, do not find it strange that your dog throws a party for you every time he sees you return, over and over again, because each return of yours is, for him, a true miracle.
At that moment the licking arises, especially in the mouth, for two reasons that will be familiar to you if you have read the previous lines: it asks you to regurgitate part of the food that you have probably eaten outside. And on the other hand, it is welcoming you (which is somewhat more understandable for humans) and it is making itself available to help you the next time you feel like going out, where there are dangers and the outcome is uncertain.
