Lucy does not like to be hugged, but she does love to cuddle, snuggle, and pretty much be by my side at all times {unless of course, she’s propped up on the couch and looking out the window}. Try to hug her, though, and she ain’t having it. So, when I ran across this article on NPR, I thought, hmmm, maybe it’s written into her DNA that she doesn’t like feeling trapped?
Quick rundown: The article basically argued that hugging dogs stresses them out {to be fair, this is ONE person’s opinion} because one of their primary defense mechanisms is to run away. Hugging them makes them feel like they can’t run, should they need to. The professor making the assertion, Dr. Stanley Coren, studied photos of dogs being hugged. The dogs in the photos seemed to exhibit standard signs of dog stress {looking away from the problem, partially closed eyes, etc.}.
On the opposing side, many dog lovers, trainers, and enthusiasts {okay, I made the last one up} chimed in saying their dogs actually seek out hugs by placing their paws on their owner’s shoulders, etc. People even sent in photos of dog-hugging situations to show their pooch completely at ease. Obviously, the story touched a nerve.
Is this story going to change the fate of humanity? No, probably not, but I thought it might be kind of a fun distraction to ask all of you pet-lovers: To hug or not to hug? That is the question.
~Mavis
Carol says
Good question, Mavis! My thoughts are we need to respect the individual pet. If we see a negative response we should back off. After all, not all humans like to be hugged, either. 🙂
Lynda says
My dog loved hugs. Unless licking my face in the hug was a sign of dog stress. On a rabbit- … er, cat-trail, I now have 2 cats. One loves hugs, one doesn’t. What’s “normal” anyway?
Maria Zannini says
I’ve read that article before and I think it depends on the animal. Just like people, some like to be hugged, others don’t.
Many years ago, Tank, my 130 lb rottweiler–a rescue who’d only been with us a couple of months sat across the room from me while I waited for my elderly dog Chelly to die. I was with her until her last breath. When she passed, I could finally cry. That’s when Tank slowly got up and walked over to me. He sat down in front of me, putting both paws around my shoulders then put his massive head against mine. I cried on his shoulder and he let me stay there as long as I wanted.
To the end, he loved to be hugged.
Carla says
They so know.
Susannah Babcock says
True.
Susannah Babcock says
Dogs have a lot of compassion.
Robin says
I think it completely depends on the dog. We have a Lab who does not like to be hugged and a Brittany who loves to be hugged. Both have been raised the same loving way.
Carla says
Cats are the same way. I had a cat who put both arms up to be picked up and then hugged you. She would do this with anyone. I have a current cat that likes to cuddle but doesn’t like to be hugged
k9 handler says
Hugging is very much a primate thing, as in arms wrapped around the body sometimes with a squeeze…and it totally depends on the dog and what “hugging” is defined as…many dogs do enjoy snuggling, cuddling and close human body contact and have been conditioned to enjoy that with their familiars but all too often dogs are “expected” to tolerate the primate version of hugging and it most definitely can stress them out. Children get bit because adults cannot read the discomfort that a dog is showing.
Yes there are many dogs that have no problem because they have become quite tolerant of our ineptitude to speak “dog” but, I think, the main point of the article is for people to realize that a lot of dogs have not been conditioned to “primate hugging is a good thing” and it could make someone think twice before allowing their dog to be hugged.
Ernie says
I got one that loves to kiss but hates a hug………I got one that loves a hug but will not kiss LOL!
Jen Young says
It depends on what my dog is doing when I hug her. If she’s sleeping or been lazin’ around & I hug her, she moans, like a teenage boy on a Saturday morning.
If she’s just enjoying life; looking out her favorite window or chewing on her favorite toy, she doesn’t seem to mind it too much but if you go on very long she starts playing.
If she wants to play anyway I have to catch her to hug her, then she really goes wild, ‘pretend’ gnawing on my hands & wiggling to get loose.
My dog is a Morkie, a 10 pound lap dog. She was bred to want to sit on your lap & be cuddled so I think she likes it most of the time.
We have too much time on our hands if this is what we’re studying.
Tami says
I think it is an individual thing, I have three dogs and one wants hugged, one doesn’t and one does sometimes lol. Even tho my Snickers doesn’t look like Lucy, the things you say about her and what all she does sounds like him!!!
Chelsey says
My german shepherd will let you hug her when you need it. If you don’t really need it, she’ll turn it into play time. Animals just know what you need and when you need it.
Sou says
Sorry, late to the party 🙂
It probably depends on the dog, I have two greyhounds and they lean in for a hug. Maybe other dogs not so much so.
What puzzles me is that dogs worried about thunder are often recommended to wear those thunder vests because the feeling of being swaddled is apparently relaxing.
But how is feeling swaddled and feeling hugged different? Both are enclosing and in fact, you can’t escape a thunder vest, the feeling of being hugged follows you around.
CDM says
One of my pooches hates hugs, but the other one loves them. She will wrap her neck around my neck and lay her head over my shoulder while I rock her. The other one will just try to bite me and wriggle away.