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Guy looks at Internet pics, concludes "Dogs hate hugs" in blog post

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NYCmetsfan

Banned
http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2016/04/your-dog-hates-hugs.html?mid=twitter_scienceofus

I never met a dog I didn’t want to hug. The feeling, alas, is likely not mutual. In a giant bummer of an article published recently in Psychology Today, Stanley Coren — who studies canine behavior at the University of British Columbia — makes a sadly strong case against the dog hug, arguing that although humans love embracing their canine pals, the physical contact stresses dogs out.

If you know what to look for, their annoyance becomes obvious. Lesson one: Coren writes that a dog’s most common outward signal of stress or anxiety is when he “turns his head away from whatever is bothering or worrying him, sometimes also closing his eyes, at least partially.” Lesson two: Just like humans, dogs have whites of the eye — it’s just that you never see it unless the animal is stressed. And lesson three: An anxious or stressed-out dog’s ears will be “lowered or slicked against the side of his head,” Coren writes.

In the Psychology Today piece, Coren describes a recent data collection exercise of his, in which he combed through Flickr and did a Google image search for terms like “hug dog” or “love dog,” and found 250 photos of people hugging their dogs. He and some colleagues then analyzed these photos by rating the dog’s body language, looking for those signs of dog-anxiety. Nearly 82 percent of the dogs in the selected photos showed at least one sign of stress. To reiterate: Dogs hate hugs.

An embrace between humans signals communication and warmth and intimacy, but dogs, of course, are not humans. Coren explains why the restriction of an embrace may annoy or frighten a dog:

Dogs are technically cursorial animals, which is a term that indicates that they are designed for swift running. That implies that in times of stress or threat the first line of defense that a dog uses is not his teeth, but rather his ability to run away. Behaviorists believe that depriving a dog of that course of action by immobilizing him with a hug can increase his stress level and, if the dog’s anxiety becomes significantly intense, he may bite.
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This is kinda depressing news.
 
T

teruterubozu

Member
I thought this was obvious for any dog owner. Sure I hug my dog every now and then, but I can tell he's like "stop". I always tell my daughter to chill with the excessive hugging.
 
G

Garrett Hawke

Member
I can see that tbh. I feel like a lot of the time people get bitten by dogs is when they're pinning them down or hugging them too tightly.

I think if your dog trusts you though it should be fine. Also you can hug them without leaving them immobile!
 
ThisGuy

ThisGuy

Member
At least they offer some alternative's. I've hugged my dogs...a lot. Lol poor pups.


To let your dog know you love him, a pat on the head or a nice belly rub or a treat will suffice. And if you need a new photo opp idea, maybe take a page from Coren’s UBC bio, and politely stand next to your dog. No hugs necessary.
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S

Syriel

Member
Someone needs to read that study to my mom's dog and tell the dog that she's doing it wrong.

The dog not only likes physical affection, she'll walk over to you and start pawing at your hand when she wants it.
 
M

Messofanego

Banned
"Dude, you're stressing me out."
PdGk0K9.jpg
 
W

weshes195

Member
That might be said in the article, but what about small animals? I know my big dog didn't like them even before this (she always leaves the couch when I do it lol) but my chihuahua is the polar opposite.

It is so weird. She will beg for a hug, kiss, pat, anything. She NEEDS attention and to be held and hugged.
 
Goro Majima

Goro Majima

Kitty Genovese Member
Eh they'll get over it.

Consider it payback for trying to lick my face off after tonguing their own asshole for the last hour.
 
P

PillarEN

Member
My dog loved them. Really liked when you made a triangle shape with your hands and run the hole part over her head. As in the nose and then rest of the head would go through the triangle shape. She'd always scoot up and point her head out for more more more.

Golden Retrievers are the best. Corgi's are cool too. Labs get fat.

Messofanego said:
"Dude, you're stressing me out."
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That looks like Garnett Lee
 
N

NYCmetsfan

Banned
weshes195 said:
That might be said in the article, but what about small animals? I know my big dog didn't like them even before this (she always leaves the couch when I do it lol) but my chihuahua is the polar opposite.

It is so weird. She will beg for a hug, kiss, pat, anything. She NEEDS attention and to be held and hugged.
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Maybe smaller dogs still feel they can escape the way you hold them. They can get out of a hug a lot easier than bigger dogs
 
R

raindoc

Member
Pfft. My dog (lab) loves hugs. When I'm sitting on the couch she's allowed to use, she crawls under my arms all the time.

If anything, this study just proves that dogs hate instagram users.
 
kunonabi

kunonabi

Member
My lab absolutely loved hugs. Hard to tell with my first dog since she was too polite to make a fuss about anything.
 
F

FoxSpirit

Junior Member
NYCmetsfan said:
http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2016/04/your-dog-hates-hugs.html?mid=twitter_scienceofus

This is kinda depressing news.
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Googling pictures of dog hugs and then drawing conclusions from it is about as bad science as it gets. I mean, if you simply go over and hug you dog for a pic, there is a good chance that your dog will not be in the mood.
Do that with a person, even your SO and see how that turns out.

This is just bad science. As a scientist he should know that is a shit dataset.

If anything, the conclusio should be "Not all dogs like hugs and even fewer like being hugged out of the blue".
 
S

SirMossyBloke

Member
. And lesson three: An anxious or stressed-out dog’s ears will be “lowered or slicked against the side of his head,” Coren writes.
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They need to do better research. Some dogs, such as Huskeys, slick their ears back when they're very happy.
 
N

Night Angel

Member
Adaren said:
lol. Maybe the dogs were stressed because they had to stand there for 5 minutes while the photographer tried to get the perfect stock photo.

And what about these things:
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My dog hates the shit out of her Thundershirt. Which is great, because even the threat of getting it out shuts her up.

But man, that thing works like a charm on July 4, New Years, and such.
 
D

Deleted member 13876

Unconfirmed Member
My dog always clutches my arm with its paws when I'm petting it and will grab it again the second I pull my hand away.
 
W

weshes195

Member
NYCmetsfan said:
Maybe smaller dogs still feel they can escape the way you hold them. They can get out of a hug a lot easier than bigger dogs
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Yeah that might be why. I know that I don't nearly hold them as tightly as my big dog as I could accidentally squish my chihuahua if I hug her too tight lol
 
N

Nekofrog

Banned
but the instant i get home my dog runs over and jumps up onto my shoulders and gives ME a hug.

he's a giant guy and he loves to hug and snuggle.
 
K

Kerned

Banned
Adaren said:
lol. Maybe the dogs were stressed because they had to stand there for 5 minutes while the photographer tried to get the perfect stock photo.

And what about these things:
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I would guess those are different. Hugs probably make dogs feel like they can't move or get away. That weird vest just applies pressure, but doesn't affect their mobility.
 
K

Kangi

Member
My pug is an exception.

Hug her, lay her on her back, wrap her in a towel. Throw your arms around her, hold her close, and she'll snooze away next to you.

Granted, she's an exception to a lot of dog rules.
 
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