| Your Dog Hates Hugs [and why] 21:18 - Apr 26 with 1578 views | Davillin |
Your Dog Hates Hugs
By Melissa Dahl
I never met a dog I didn’t want to hug. The feeling, alas, is likely not mutual. In a giant bummer of an article published recently in Psychology Today, Stanley Coren – who studies canine behavior at the University of British Columbia – makes a sadly strong case against the dog hug, arguing that although humans love embracing their canine pals, the physical contact stresses dogs out.
If you know what to look for, their annoyance becomes obvious. Lesson one: Coren writes that a dog’s most common outward signal of stress or anxiety is when he “turns his head away from whatever is bothering or worrying him, sometimes also closing his eyes, at least partially.” Lesson two: Just like humans, dogs have whites of the eye – it’s just that you never see it unless the animal is stressed. And lesson three: An anxious or stressed-out dog’s ears will be “lowered or slicked against the side of his head,” Coren writes.
In the Psychology Today piece, Coren describes a recent data collection exercise of his, in which he combed through Flickr and did a Google image search for terms like “hug dog” or “love dog,” and found 250 photos of people hugging their dogs. He and some colleagues then analyzed these photos by rating the dog’s body language, looking for those signs of dog-anxiety. Nearly 82 percent of the dogs in the selected photos showed at least one sign of stress. To reiterate: Dogs hate hugs.
An embrace between humans signals communication and warmth and intimacy, but dogs, of course, are not humans. Coren explains why the restriction of an embrace may annoy or frighten a dog:
Dogs are technically cursorial animals, which is a term that indicates that they are designed for swift running. That implies that in times of stress or threat the first line of defense that a dog uses is not his teeth, but rather his ability to run away. Behaviorists believe that depriving a dog of that course of action by immobilizing him with a hug can increase his stress level and, if the dog’s anxiety becomes significantly intense, he may bite.
To let your dog know you love him, a pat on the head or a nice belly rub or a treat will suffice. And if you need a new photo opp idea, maybe take a note from Coren’s UBC bio, and politely stand next to your dog. No hugs necessary.
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http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2016/04/your-dog-hates-hugs.html [Post edited 28 Apr 2016 14:16]
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| Youdr Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 08:24 - Apr 27 with 1510 views | jack_lord |
I have often wondered how the dog feels about the hug as he didn't really look that comfortable at times. |  |
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| Youdr Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 09:19 - Apr 27 with 1486 views | scottishjack |
Yep, thanks for the OP. I've got two of the daftest Staffies you could imagine, but that post explains a couple of quirks in their behaviour... |  | | |
| Youdr Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 10:23 - Apr 27 with 1462 views | monmouth |
Well...here's my 'research' contribution. A friend's rather stern looking and large Alsation jumped up and put its front paws on my shoulders while looking at me and showing its teeth. I have no idea how the dog felt, but it stressed the f**k out of me.
My friend's response...'he just wants a hug'.
The opposite makes sense though. If the animal feels constrained and trapped it probably would get jittery. |  |
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| Youdr Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 11:19 - Apr 27 with 1438 views | A_Fans_Dad |
Sorry Dav, you need to be very careful about Studies coming out of Universaties these days, especially about Psychology, Medicine & Science.
There has been quite a bit of very bad press about unproven, unveriable and not replicable studies lately.
https://fabiusmaximus.com/2016/04/19/replication-crisis-in-science-95394/
There are quite a few breeds that appear to like the warmth of a hug and will gladly sit on your lap (lap dogs?) and rest their body against yours and do not mind in the least having arms around them, matbe instead of feeling "captive" they feel safe.
Other breeds do not even tolerate a "pat on the head" or being stroked at all well. [Post edited 27 Apr 2016 11:19]
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| Youdr Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 13:55 - Apr 28 with 1315 views | Davillin |
| Youdr Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 11:19 - Apr 27 by A_Fans_Dad |
Sorry Dav, you need to be very careful about Studies coming out of Universaties these days, especially about Psychology, Medicine & Science.
There has been quite a bit of very bad press about unproven, unveriable and not replicable studies lately.
https://fabiusmaximus.com/2016/04/19/replication-crisis-in-science-95394/
There are quite a few breeds that appear to like the warmth of a hug and will gladly sit on your lap (lap dogs?) and rest their body against yours and do not mind in the least having arms around them, matbe instead of feeling "captive" they feel safe.
Other breeds do not even tolerate a "pat on the head" or being stroked at all well. [Post edited 27 Apr 2016 11:19]
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Thanks, AFD.
I enjoy posting articles that are a bit off the beaten path for the wide range of thoughtful posters on here to mull over. Especially articles that can draw out a range of reactions.
I've had a pack for about 50 years and have learned that dogs come in as wide a variety of characters and personalities as humans do.
If we define a "hug" as a fairly tight drawing of a dog's body to oneself, none of mine have appreciated that -- and with one exception they have all been loving and gentle creatures. Their reaction to me was never violent, however, just wriggling free [with some energy] before the hug had been completely applied.
That one exception was a French Brittany I called "Bitchy Bise" [rhymes with knees] who bonded so strongly by never being out of contact with me for the first 48 hours we were together that she did not appreciate any other creature touching me. She didn't like hugs either, even from me. Contact mandatory, but not hugs as defined above.
It is important that I point out that, with one exception, I have always had field dogs, and never a "lap dog." I assume they have that name for a good reason.  [Post edited 28 Apr 2016 13:57]
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| Youdr Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 14:03 - Apr 28 with 1305 views | union_jack |
| Youdr Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 13:55 - Apr 28 by Davillin |
Thanks, AFD.
I enjoy posting articles that are a bit off the beaten path for the wide range of thoughtful posters on here to mull over. Especially articles that can draw out a range of reactions.
I've had a pack for about 50 years and have learned that dogs come in as wide a variety of characters and personalities as humans do.
If we define a "hug" as a fairly tight drawing of a dog's body to oneself, none of mine have appreciated that -- and with one exception they have all been loving and gentle creatures. Their reaction to me was never violent, however, just wriggling free [with some energy] before the hug had been completely applied.
That one exception was a French Brittany I called "Bitchy Bise" [rhymes with knees] who bonded so strongly by never being out of contact with me for the first 48 hours we were together that she did not appreciate any other creature touching me. She didn't like hugs either, even from me. Contact mandatory, but not hugs as defined above.
It is important that I point out that, with one exception, I have always had field dogs, and never a "lap dog." I assume they have that name for a good reason. [Post edited 28 Apr 2016 13:57]
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I've a working Cocker and a GSD. Both like contact, the Cicker will lie next to me in the sofa and cuddle up. The GSD will do but not for long.
I read this article a few days ago somewhere and it reminded me of some research a few years back that suggested that cats purring had nothing to do with them being happy or satisfied. I politely called it poppycock!!! |  |
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| Your Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 14:29 - Apr 28 with 1274 views | Highjack |
Think this sort of thing depends on individual dogs. Lots of humans don't like hugging or physical contact either. |  |
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| Your Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 15:02 - Apr 28 with 1258 views | Joe_bradshaw |
| Your Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 14:29 - Apr 28 by Highjack |
Think this sort of thing depends on individual dogs. Lots of humans don't like hugging or physical contact either. |
True, that applies to almost all the bitches I tried to chat up many years ago. |  |
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| Your Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 18:34 - Apr 28 with 1199 views | Davillin |
| Your Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 15:02 - Apr 28 by Joe_bradshaw |
True, that applies to almost all the bitches I tried to chat up many years ago. |
How old are you:? Are you still young enough to enjoy the huge social change in male-female relations where hugs don't even make the chart any more? I hope so, for your sake.
p.s. I'm not, darn it. Well, for hugs, yes.  Big deal! | |
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| Your Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 18:44 - Apr 28 with 1191 views | CountyJim |
When we had our boy
 The RSPCA said not to go to close to his face and to give him space as he had been ill treated before
I can Cwtch him in but the daughter if she tries he growls and shows his teeth |  | | |
| Your Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 22:33 - Apr 28 with 1135 views | Davillin |
| Your Dog Hates Hugs [and why] on 18:44 - Apr 28 by CountyJim |
When we had our boy
The RSPCA said not to go to close to his face and to give him space as he had been ill treated before
I can Cwtch him in but the daughter if she tries he growls and shows his teeth |
Not a good angle, but he looks like a Whippet. I now have my third Whippet. All adopted from breeders who raced them or showed them until they were finished, then found them a good home [my friends used to call my home "Dog Disneyland".
This one is another one of God's loveliest creatures. Sometimes I calls her "cuddlefish" [near-pun intended].
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