These people are kissing some real dogs.
Tuesday marked the 9th annual Valentine’s Day Canine Kissing Contest and Cocktail Party at the Planet Dog Company Store in Portland, Maine, the Bangor Daily News reported. Planet Dog designs and retails pet supplies and dog-related products.
The competition entails dog owners letting their dogs lick their faces, according to WMTW, and whichever puppy smooch lasts the longest is the winner.
SEE PHOTOS FROM THE COMPETITION (story continues below):
Dog Kissing Contest
This year, the prize -- a $75 gift certificate to Planet Dog -- went to Beau, a 12-year-old Yorkie and dachshund mix, and his owner, Linda Walton. The victorious snog went on for 45.8 seconds. The pair won last year, too, according to the Bangor Daily News, clocking in at just under a minute.
Walton opted to share her winnings with the second and third-place winners.
Head over to the Bangor Daily News for more adorable footage of the event.
While there's an old adage that a dog's mouth is cleaner than a human's, this is probably a myth, according to Dr. Harold Katz. Even so, there's typically not much danger in letting your canine companion giving you a big slobbery kiss now and then.