What we humans see as affection can be seen by dogs as quite the opposite! Take Max the Dobey, if I go up to him, stand over him and give him a big hug you can almost see and definitely feel him tense up. This is a rude approach from Max’s viewpoint, if another dog were to be so rude this would be a challenge - paws on back definitely not welcomed which Max would make clear! This is not because Max is a Dobey, little cuddly looking Jack would feel/react the same!
True that my dogs seem to enjoy hugs, this is because they have become conditioned to hugs from us, their human family, meaning affection - some tolerate while others love the fuss. Were another human to approach in the same way as I do the reaction may be different as the context is changed - new person so unconditioned response = dog’s normal response may change in the moment, hence if such a situation is not managed by Human Pack Leader = unpredicatbe response! Best then to save hugs for my own dogs and humans!
Keep the picture of how one dog would react to a kiss and hug from another - not a positive image hey?! The “hug thing” can get us into all sorts of trouble, many a bite is a result of humans sharing such affection with dogs who do not understand this human ritual, and human then says “but I was only being nice and their tail was wagging too” - actually in “doglish” this means rude/challenging behaviour and their tail probably was wagging but this is a warning wag not a friendly wag! I'll tell you about a mistake I made just like this many years ago next post!
Peter has just reminded me of how I can see their approaches as rude too, he came over all calm and submissive, I invited him for a stroke and he burped in my face! That’s my charming boy!
What have my dogs taught me? Dogs will be dogs, humans will be humans, neither species acts right or wrong just different! We need to understand each other to interact appropriately and safely.
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