Hugging the pet may seem like a good idea, especially when the tutor is trying to cheer up or reward the pet. Experts in canine behavior, however, warned that the gesture can trigger stress in the dog, making it aggressive. The information is from The Sun.
According to psychologist Stanley Coren, author of the book The Intelligence of Dogs, giving a furry hug can have the opposite effect to what the tutor intended. This is because he is distressed when he feels immobilized by the gesture. The animal even usually communicates its discomfort by barking or growling.
Although some dogs will jump on people’s laps, begging for belly rubs, and dole out “licks” on the face, hugs can be really harmful to them. “That’s not ‘hugging,’” said US ethologist Patricia McConnell.
She then continued. “In my experience, many dogs don’t like having a human move an arm or two around their shoulders and squeezing. This is the kind of hug we are talking about”, explained the writer of The Other End Of The Leash (The Other End Of The Leash, in free translation).
Expert Lauren Novack even said that dogs who like to be hugged are the exception. “When dogs don’t like something and politely ask for space repeatedly without success, they are likely to escalate their communication to growling and biting,” she cautioned.
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Signs of dissatisfaction
Stanley Coren previously analyzed 250 photos of dogs being hugged and found that over 80% of the photos showed stress or anxiety on the part of the animal. He also revealed that problems can be indicated when the dog lowers its ears, closes its eyes or moves away from the area.
“The recommendation is to save the hugs for your family members”, stressed the expert. “It’s clearly better, from the dog’s point of view, if you express your affection through a kind word or treat,” he concluded.
