A vet has warned how a ‘hug’ can make a dog feel, and it’s not necessarily what you would expect
A vet has warned that it could be a bad idea to ‘hug’ your dog, as it could have the opposite effect on them to what us humans feel.
There’s nothing nicer than coming home from a long day at work to your furry friend scurrying as fast as they can to the door to greet you.
Your natural reaction is usually to bend down and give them a big cuddle, and whilst it might look like they’re loving every second – it might not be what they’re really feeling.
Dog experts are now warning owners to find different ways of showing their love.
According to a vet who spoke to Psychology Today, a hug can actually make a dog feel quite anxious and trapped – this is because a dog’s primary defence is to run away.
Psychologist Stanley Coren explained: “Yes, your dog may leap into your lap and kiss your face, cuddle against your neck, and beg you to rub her belly.
“But that’s not ‘hugging.’
“In my experience, many dogs don’t enjoy having a human move one or two arms around their shoulders and squeeze.
“That’s the hug we are talking about.”
Behaviour Vets author Lauren Novack believes dogs who do enjoy hugs are a complete ‘exception’, reports Daily Paws.
She said: “When dogs don’t like something and politely ask for space over and over again to no avail, they’re likely to escalate their communication to growling or biting.
“I don’t want dogs to be stressed, and I don’t want humans to get bitten. For most dogs, hugs are stressful.”
Stanley previously analysed 250 photos of dogs being given hugs, and he found that in 80% of the images, the dogs showed signs of looking stressed.
And he noted that this can be indicated by a dog lowers their ears, closing their eyes, or turning away from the source of anxiety.
And the psychologist has now revealed some much better alternatives.
He said: “The clear recommendation to come out of this research is to save your hugs for your two-footed family members and lovers.
“It is clearly better from the dog’s point of view if you express your fondness for your pet with a pat, a kind word, and maybe a treat.”
And the last thing we want to do is upset our furry babies, so we’re definitely going to take this advice on board!
New Video Suggests Chiefs Got A Free 1st Down On Game-Tying Drive, Sparking Claims of Super Bowl 58 Rigging Among NFL Fans
Conspiracy theorists have something eIse to latch onto after the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl. Late in the fourth quarter, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense were matriculating the ball down the field in an effort to win or tie the game.
One pIay showed Mahomes scrambling out of the pocket for minimal yards on first down, clearly not enough for a fresh set of downs.
One video posted by fans showed that the play ended up being a first down even though he never made it that far.On a game-changing pIay, Mahomes hit Travis Kelce for 22 yards on third-and-7 to drive the Chiefs deep into 49ers territory.On a game-changing play, Mahomes hit Travis Kelce for 22 yards on third-and-7 to drive the Chiefs deep into 49ers territory.
Harrison Butker would eventually be called on to make the score 19-19 with three seconds left in the fourth quarter as the 49ers would kneel and the game would head into overtime.
Mahomes’ legend continues to grow, as his overtime drive Ied to a Super Bowl LVIII win over the San Francisco 49ers, 25-22, on Sunday night in Las Vegas. The Chiefs defended their Super Bowl title, winning back-to-back Vince Lombardi Trophies and collecting their third ring in the past five seasons.
Mahomes finished the game with 333 yards on 34-for-46 through the air with two touchdowns and one interception, while rushing for a team-high 66 yards on nine carries.
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