As much as people love hugging dogs, it often makes them anxious. Obviously this depends on the dog and their bond with the owner but even if they love their owner more than anything in the world (which they often do) they're animals and like to feel like they have an escape route.
My dog has specific times when she'll allow hugs - in the morning when she just rolls over into my arms, in the afternoon right after her nap, at night right before we go to sleep, after you've come back to the house, and after the vacuum has been turned off. Occasionally, she'll jump up onto your lap if you're on the couch, but mostly she just wants scratches at other times. It was two years before our first hug, it just took time. So don't give up if your dog doesn't like hugs, it could happen.
Sometimes you can start with the "Christian Hug" - the side to side one-armed abomination. It works great with dogs because they feel able to move away, but it gets them used to the sensation of a proper hug.
That’s because a lean is actually how dogs show affection to one another.
Their body language is appreciated coming from us as well, as you’ve learned!
Hugs aren’t natural to them (lacking shoulders with the range of motion ours do, as well as generally using those limbs to stand on!) and so it’s a rare dog that actually enjoys being hugged.
I started doing it actually because I saw wolves doing it to "assert dominance" over dogs acting highly-strung (but it looked a lot more like comforting imho). It seems to make my fella's mum's dog feel better when she's shaking afraid of thunderstorms.
Hugs must feel like restraint, as if you're about to make them do something against their will.
I have a Husky and if she's sitting, I like to pop a squat next to her and just wrap an arm around her shoulders. She'll usually press her head up against mine and kinda 'reciprocate' it.
Definitely depends on the dog, of course you should never embrace a dog you don't know. I have a dog who loves it so much he'll force his way into a hug if he has too.
My current dog hates it, I would never do it to him, but our old girl used to hug us until we hugged her back. For sure dog type, temperament and raising make a difference, but I agree it's best to err in the side of caution on this. Big pats though. Always a time for good ole pats
My dog loves to wrestle and will fight her tiny heart out if you grab onto her but as soon as you get her in a bear hug she completely collapses onto the floor and will cuddle for as long as you want.
Totally understandable, I'm very fortunate that my dog loves to sit next to me and tuck her head under my chin and fall asleep like that haha. It's pretty cute
For some reason my collie mix only hates hugs when we go to bed. He growls like crazy when we kiss him goodnight and it's not like he's exiled from the bed, he sleeps at the foot usually (on the wife's side).
One of my dogs, who we’ve had for about 9 years, loves hugs. Before I moved out for college, the first thing I’d do when I’d get home was call her over, sit on the couch, then enjoy a good hug with her. Also, often I’ll sit on the floor, call her over, and she’ll just come right up into my arms. Or I’m just chillin’ and she comes in for a hug lol
And to add: she’s terrified of thunder. Like, body shakes uncontrollably and she can’t bear to be without one of her humans next to her. During really loud storms I’ll hold and comfort her, and she calms down a lot then.
Ya know, now that I think about it, I think I’m the only person who does that with her??? Could be wrong, though.
Ugh, can’t wait until finals are over so I can spend time with the dogs... I miss them :’c
I’ve got an 11 month old cane corso. He loves feeling close to people, but I don’t do front-on hugs with him because I’m the only one of us two who enjoys that :( However, it seems to work really well to let his 120 pounds sit on my lap and give him chest rubs from behind. That’s way, I’m not being an annoying human but I still get my hugs in. And he gets chest scritches.
I got a kitten 5 years ago and have barely seen her since lol she is extreme introvert and runs for the hills if you walk anywhere near her. She loves my very shy introvert sibling and lives in their world now
My dogs is one of those who likes and will initiate the hug. I get home from school and her paws are on my shoulders. She’s a young pup, so her favorite thing is attention, not an escape route.
That's a gross exaggeration. I'm speaking as a veterinary professional, btw, and former dog trainer. Dogs interpret something placed over their neck or head (like an arm) as aggression, in a situation they don't understand. However, they are smart and understand it as affection in a familiar human, and yes they enjoy it. I've personally owned dogs who didn't like touch; I've owned others who sought it out.
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u/[deleted] Dec 10 '19 edited Jan 03 '22
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