My wife and I love our dogs, Oscar and Gunther. We treat them like people… and actually prefer them over some people! If you’re a dog lover too, you understand the companionship that only canines can provide. Cats? Not so much (and I do like cats, but it’s always on their terms). I was pretty surprised to see this recent study that was done by the University of British Columbia in Canada. Researchers studied over 200 photos of people hugging their dogs, and concluded that the pooches appeared stressed, anxious and uncomfortable in over 80% of them. They also noted that only 7.6% seemed to enjoy the hug. Now I didn’t see any of these photos from this study, but my personal experience has been that my dogs enjoy hugs and affection! It depends upon HOW you are hugging your dog. No animal, or human for that matter, wants someone smothering or smashing them with their body (unless that person is Jennifer Aniston). And pet experts actually warn parents to never allow children to hug dogs or get near their face, fearing that the animal will do just that…act like an animal and possibly strike back. Whether it’s an adult or a child hugging a dog, we are invading their personal space. If you’re observant, you can see signs from your dog that will let you know if they’re comfortable with a hug. Tail wagging? A sense of happiness or ecstasy? Our dogs generally act this way when we hug and love on them. But when a dog licks their lips, look away, cover their privates with their tail, show their teeth, growl or tense up, it is not a good idea to hug them. Common sense tells me to never hug anyone’s dog other than my own. And one of the most idiotic things I’ve seen people do is to smack or yell at their dog if they growl when someone hugs them or if the dog is reacting to a child poking at them. The dog’s growl is it’s last warning to ‘KNOCK IT OFF’ before they attack. Why scold the dog?…it’s an animal and it’s reacting to the situation. So I say keep hugging your dog, always aware of their social cues and behavior. They’re just like humans…some days, just not in the mood~
(Information was gathered from the original story that was posted by the Seattle Post Intelligencer)
