Do dogs like hugs?
- September 15th 2020
Anyone who is lucky enough to be a pet parent to a dog will agree that they are the most loving additions to a family. Can anything match the level of adoration, loyalty and general happiness your canine brings into your home? To them, you are the epitome of a great human being – don’t let it get to your head – and they treat you with delight that you’ll be hard-pressed to find out in the world.
And you return the love. Picture this: you’re home after a long day at work – either at the office or in the room you’ve hastily set up as your office for this strange new reality we’re living in. It’s been a day of emails, calls, conflict, and reports. Your dog bounds over to you, delighted you’re alive, and all your stress melts away. You kneel and give them the world’s biggest hug. It’s your way of saying: I missed you and thank god you’re here.
Pause. Was that the right move?
A hug is not just a hug
Human beings like to hug. In our language, it means we care about the person; it’s our way of expressing affection. It’s only natural, then, that we would want to hug our dogs – after all, they give us so much in terms of care and love, we just want to show them the same level of adoration.
Plus, hugging dogs feels nice. Studies show that cuddling or hugging a dog releases oxytocin in our brains, a chemical that’s responsible for an upsurge of happiness. It’s called the “cuddle chemical”. That is why being with your dog after a long day’s work can feel so recharging and a stress buster. That’s also why puppy therapy exists – several universities, libraries, and even workplaces have a dedicated space filled with puppies, for people to hang out and play with the little furry bundles of joy.
But dogs don’t quite see hugs in the same way. Don’t get us wrong – your dog absolutely loves to be petted, stroked and generally fussed over. But a hug is an alien language to them. Canines don’t hug each other – the closest they come is when one dog puts their front paws over the back of another. It’s not aggressive but it is a sign of dominance and control. So hugs don’t quite mean “I love you!” to a dog, the way they do to humans.
How do dogs interpret hugs?
Because dogs don’t hug each other, they’re likely to see a full-frontal hug as a strange gesture, especially ones that are face to face. We know we’re breaking dog lovers’ hearts everywhere but it’s true – your dog doesn’t quite know what to do with your hug. And they don’t really like it. They most likely see it as some sort of confinement and restriction, which they (understandably) are not a fan of. Their immediate response is likely to be: how can I escape?
To hug or not to hug?
So, do you hug your dog or not? If you hug them, are you traumatizing them for life? Like most things, the answer is not black or white – it depends.
Firstly, how much does your dog hate hugs? While dogs in general don’t like hugs, each dog is unique and it’s important to look at their body language when you hug them. If they shake themselves off after you release them, they may not be a fan of hugging. The same is true if they turn their head away from you during the hug and try and pull back. These are signs that they don’t like the gesture and it’s definitely not communicating “love” to them, so it’s best to stop.
That being said, there are dogs who have grown used to hugging or understand now that it’s their human’s weird way of showing adoration (much like licking your face is their way of saying “it’s true love”). Also, remember there are many ways to hug. You don’t have to go in for the full-frontal hug that we do as humans. Instead, you can let your dog burrow into you and cuddle up, which many dogs like doing. The important part is to give them freedom of movement and a way to easily shift position during the cuddle; that way, they don’t feel restricted or cornered.
Remember, dogs like physical affection – petting and tummy rubs make them very happy. It’s just the traditional hug that may not be their go-to.
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