Do dogs really dislike being hugged? Is it right to force it to interact with friends?

Dogs are animals that have accompanied humans for tens of thousands of years. However, in the early days, dogs were more of a companion for hunting and housekeeping. Dogs were generally kept as pets in the past few hundred years. Humans have really begun to examine the relationship between humans and dogs, and to face up to the behavior and language of dogs. This is something that has only begun in recent years.

And this question about "Does dogs like to be hugged" is a great question. Although this is just a trivial matter, it reflects the huge difference in behavior and language between dogs and humans. Many dogs give unfriendly feedback and attack. Sexual behavior is often a misunderstanding caused by these differences.

First of all, we can answer this question directly: Although each dog's personality and habits will be different, most dogs don't like to be hugged.

In our human culture and behavioral language, "hug" represents a very positive content. for example:

We show love by hugging our children;

We show support by hugging our friends;

We express our love by hugging our loved ones;

We show compassion, caring by hugging someone who is grieving.

In fact, it's not just us humans. Among other primates such as gorillas and monkeys, hugging is also a very important way of expressing kindness.

But for dogs, the meaning of hugging is completely different. Hugging can make them feel stressed and threatened.

Instinctively speaking, dogs do not like to be hugged

Different animals have different ways of communicating. As the old saying goes, "people have their own language, and animals have their own language." However, dogs do not rely on sound to communicate. They use more behavioral language and scent information.

The behavior of "hugging" rarely appears in the behavioral language of dogs. Basically, only the following three situations may cause behaviors similar to "hugging" between dogs:

(1) Fighting between puppies may be similar to hugging;

⑵The dog's breeding behavior is done through a riding method similar to hugging;

(3) A dog showing a strong leadership position to another dog may exhibit hug-like behavior.

It can be seen that except in the puppy period, "hug" is hardly a particularly kind message for dogs. So we hardly see a dog putting its limbs on another dog, because this kind of behavior expresses oppression, threat and violation of private space, which is different from the subjective concept of "you are so cute" , I like you" is the complete opposite.

So that's why a lot of bites are wrong interactions between humans and dogs, because we're understanding dog behavior in a human way.

Some dogs know how to accept "hugs", which is the result of acquired learning

After reading the previous article, many dog ​​owners may think "No, our dog accepts hugs very well, and they are obedient every time they are hugged." This is actually mainly due to the dogs' learning ability and their love for their owners.

Although many dogs seem to be very well-behaved and quiet when being hugged, they often have small subtle movements such as licking their mouths, turning their ears back, and deliberately turning their heads, which all indicate that they don't like being hugged. Being held in someone's arms makes them nervous and restless.

But there are also many dogs who leave their mothers and the group and live with their new owners when they are young. At that time, they are very insecure, so some puppies will gain some sense of security by being hugged by their owners. And dogs that have always been hugged since they were young are more likely to accept hugs when they grow up, because when these dogs are picked up by their owners, the emotions shown by the owners are happy and happy.

So after a long time, dogs will realize that "hugging is not hurting" and "hugging the owner is happy", and gradually they may not resist being hugged, although they do not like this behavior instinctively . However, due to our restraint and discipline since childhood, it will not have aggressive behavior and tendencies, and as the owner, we will not force it to interact with people reluctantly. Since hugging is not liked by dogs, how to express kindness and non-hostility when getting along with dogs?

⑴ stroking the back

Many people like to touch the dog's head or belly directly, but this can only be done with their own dog, or with a dog that is very familiar with them and expresses goodwill. If you meet a strange dog, it is very dangerous to reach out and touch its head or belly directly. This behavior is too aggressive and oppressive, and you may be attacked. Generally, stroking the back in an "N" shape can relieve the dog's tension and alertness, which is a more recommended way.

⑵Don't stare at the dog

Looking directly at the dog will bring a lot of pressure, especially when there is no other interaction, no expression and no sound, just staring at the dog directly, they will have a feeling that they are being regarded as prey. So this is one of the reasons why the conflict between dogs and people is mostly between children and dogs. The natural curiosity of children will make them stare at the dog all the time, and the size of children is not enough to deter dogs, so aggressiveness behavior is more likely to occur.

⑶ Don't be "surprised"

There is a very important prerequisite for getting along with dogs, that is "stability". To put it in a more understandable way, it is necessary to be cautious and not to be surprised. If a person makes a sudden movement, the dog will be frightened. People may just jump up and bark when they are frightened, but if dogs are suddenly frightened, their primitive instincts as animals may burst out, and they will immediately enter a state of vigilance, defense, and even attack.