Kiss me Like You Mean it

Along with all of the fantastic progress Alvin has recently made, he has started another behavior that makes him even more like all those other "normal" dogs out there.  When I put my face up to his at nighttime, right before saying goodnight, he very often gives me a few very daintily, gentle licks on my face.  I am not a fan of a dog licking my face because I just have never been very inclined to let any living being that is capable of licking his/her own genitals, to then slop their tongue across my face.  And don't even get me started about the trauma and lingering revulsion I recently experienced when witnessing Stevie eating rat and cat poop.  With that said, I just can't resist the kisses unique to Alvin.  It reminds me of how I think a particularly gentle, innocent animal like a fawn or a baby bunny would kiss and it is utterly charming.  A while ago, he went through a stage of wanting to repeatedly lick my arms or my hands and due to how long he would lick me, it kind of grossed me out, but at the time I wondered if he was practicing for something bigger and sure enough, he refined his kissing abilities and gives the sweetest, softest little kisses.  When he gives me my goodnight licks, it is clearly a sign of affection and not just that he is hoping for some remnants of my dinner still on my face, which around here would be entirely possible.  Nope, he gives his kisses with no reward other than my cooing and praising.  By the rate he is progressing, I won't be surprised if he is rolling over exposing his belly by next week.