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**lapyignipinge** · 08-14-2012, 12:25 AM

Many dogs will put up with it, but they really don't LIKE it. They understand OUR language better than we understand theirs. They enjoy being with us and the interaction and will put up with hugging in a joyful way, but it's not something they are elated at having done to them.

Look at the expression on the dogs' faces while they are being hugged by their owners in "The Other End of the Leash" by McConnell.

Carla

I get what you are saying Carla (and I have read TOEOTL - excellent book); but I think that some dogs, because they understand our language...do come to appreciate hugging.

I say this because my dog initiates it; and if she didn't like it, I would think she would stop asking for it.

What she will do is come up to us and push her head very hard into our knees; she does this on her own initiative when she is wanting attention. She knows through repeated behavior of every member of the household; that this action on her part, will cause the human to bend down and then some version of hugging and kissing will take place. If you try to back away before she has had enough, she will follow you and press more into you all wiggly butted. Sometimes we have to tell her enough, because she will catch you in the middle of a chore and while we take time out for lovin' when she asks, you can't always hug and kiss all day

!

I think it has to do with learned behavior and relationship; that most dogs generally do come to appreciate some version of hugging from the people they feel attached to and safe with.

I wouldn't hug a strange dog; and I probably wouldn't hug a dog that wasn't my dog. And I think children hugging dogs is usually always a bad idea because they aren't cognizant of things like "is it still mutual, is the dog comfortable, am I hugging with the right amount of pressure/body contact, am I attentive to when the hugee has had enough, etc."

I think it is like the eye contact issue...give a strange dog direct eye contact and it most certainly will be interpreted as a threat; give your own dog (that has a history of warm, loving, trained eye contact with you) direct eye contact and it is not a threat, in fact it can be comforting to the dog - for example when you ask for focus on you and avoidance of something negative/scary/upsetting in the environment.

08-14-2012, 12:25 AM	#26
lapyignipinge Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 576 Senior Member	Many dogs will put up with it, but they really don't LIKE it. They understand OUR language better than we understand theirs. They enjoy being with us and the interaction and will put up with hugging in a joyful way, but it's not something they are elated at having done to them. Look at the expression on the dogs' faces while they are being hugged by their owners in "The Other End of the Leash" by McConnell. Carla I get what you are saying Carla (and I have read TOEOTL - excellent book); but I think that some dogs, because they understand our language...do come to appreciate hugging. I say this because my dog initiates it; and if she didn't like it, I would think she would stop asking for it. What she will do is come up to us and push her head very hard into our knees; she does this on her own initiative when she is wanting attention. She knows through repeated behavior of every member of the household; that this action on her part, will cause the human to bend down and then some version of hugging and kissing will take place. If you try to back away before she has had enough, she will follow you and press more into you all wiggly butted. Sometimes we have to tell her enough, because she will catch you in the middle of a chore and while we take time out for lovin' when she asks, you can't always hug and kiss all day ! I think it has to do with learned behavior and relationship; that most dogs generally do come to appreciate some version of hugging from the people they feel attached to and safe with. I wouldn't hug a strange dog; and I probably wouldn't hug a dog that wasn't my dog. And I think children hugging dogs is usually always a bad idea because they aren't cognizant of things like "is it still mutual, is the dog comfortable, am I hugging with the right amount of pressure/body contact, am I attentive to when the hugee has had enough, etc." I think it is like the eye contact issue...give a strange dog direct eye contact and it most certainly will be interpreted as a threat; give your own dog (that has a history of warm, loving, trained eye contact with you) direct eye contact and it is not a threat, in fact it can be comforting to the dog - for example when you ask for focus on you and avoidance of something negative/scary/upsetting in the environment.
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