"Dogs don't like hugs", according to a new study

[ro9ue]

I don't like being hugged either.

[The One Percent]

My dogs jump into my arms for hugs because I'm fucking awesome.

[tanksin the enhance shamy]

wasnt this already proven like..years ago?

[Selastan]

This study consists solely of random internet pictures. Here is another one to help the data:

--SNIP--

Don't post spam

[Independent voter]

The dog in OP looks embarrassed more than anything.

[Fencers]

Seems like BS research, honestly.

Anecdotally, my dogs seeks hugs. If I am lying on the couch my bulldog will situate his fat ass between my armpit and breastbone and press against me till I raise my left arm over his back to embrace the old puppy. At which point, he mellows and lays half crushing me in stupid joy till he falls asleep.

Our pug puts his front paws and half his fat ass on my belly till I also embrace him.

I am being cuddled by two fat old dogs and a 2 year old like 90% of my home time. All of whom are heavy af, mind you.

This study in the OP is kinda lame.

[Darsithis]

This isn't new or surprising. One of my Shiba Inus, Bailey, is stoic if you hug and cuddle him but he doesn't enjoy it (you can tell), and he prefers contact by proximity instead of touch, while Godiva will curl up into your face if she has to in order to be as close as possible to you, though even she will give you half-moon eyes and drop her ears sideways if you get your face too close to hers.

Seems like BS research, honestly.

Anecdotally, my dogs seeks hugs. If I am lying on the couch my bulldog will situate his fat ass between my armpit and breastbone and press against me till I raise my left arm over his back to embrace the old puppy. At which point, he mellows and lays half crushing me in stupid joy till he falls asleep.

Our pug puts his front paws and half his fat ass on my belly till I also embrace him.

I am being cuddled by two fat old dogs and a 2 year old like 90% of my home time. All of whom are heavy af, mind you.

This study in the OP is kinda lame.

There is a difference between a dog seeking out physical affection and you just randomly coming up to your dog and grabbing them in a bear hug.

[TwilightAss]

This "study" is complete bullshit. Dogs don't like if you lift them, they feel helpless in the air. Not just any hug.

[Selastan]

Anyway, since my super sarcastic post got infracted, my serious reply is that:

1. Study is in no way scientific

2. Even if it were, dogs aren't robots. I don't like hugs in particular, and some people hug random strangers. Folks and dawgs be diff'rent yall.

[Fencers]

There is a difference between a dog seeking out physical affection and you just randomly coming up to your dog and grabbing them in a bear hug.

Sure, but that does not make this any less BS to lead this 'study' with a title like "dogs don't like hugs" considering the method of said research.

[alzoron]

In his research, Coren used a random sampling of 250 pictures of people hugging dogs from various online image repositories, such as Google Image Search and Flickr.

Maybe dogs just love hugs but don't like people pointing strange flash boxes at them while getting them.

Seems a little dubious to base your research off of pictures you found on the internet. I swear most of what passes for a "study" these days would have been rejected as a preliminary thesis 20 years ago.

[BuckSparkles]

THE SCIENCE IS SETTLED.

Don't hug your dogs, you anti-intellectual people.

[Cephilia]

Is this really new information for people? I've had dogs all my life and as far as I know, it's general knowledge. Dogs don't hug, and putting their paws around another dog would be a show of dominance, even aggression. Dogs enjoy being close to those they feel close to and show affection that way, but do not naturally understand hugging. I'm not saying there are no dogs that enjoy hugs, but it's a learned thing. Some dogs have learned to "smile" by showing their teeth along with other positive signs of happiness and affection, yet a dog baring it's teeth is more commonly a sign of aggression; this would be a similar thing. I would never hug a strange dog, and most dogs I know don't appriciate hugs, especially smaller ones. Then again, I know quite a few larger dogs especially in families with kids that don't mind hugging or have learned it as a human sign for affection.

[PACOX]

Lol at people reaching to affirm the "study".

Some dogs like it, some don't. Dogs aren't robots.

[Soulwind]

There is a difference between a dog seeking out physical affection and you just randomly coming up to your dog and grabbing them in a bear hug.

Most people don't like random hugs either. Some people don't like hugs at all. The individual and the context matters. Same thing for dogs.

[Leyre]

yeah, thats why my dog sometimes try to "force me" to hug him, he must be some kind of emo dog

[zenkai]

I have always heard this, it's a dominance thing.

[Taeldorian]

I have a frenchie, she's absolutely fucking wonderful. Excited to see both me and my mom when we come home, loves snuggling, not sure about hugs yet I need to pay a bit more attention when hugging. She tends to take one of her toys and chew on it or keep it in her mouth then come over in my lap and snuggle. Chew toys and chill?

Either way, as others have said it depends on the dog. Some dogs love hugs/snuggling/getting physically close with humans while others just don't. Same with cats. I have a cat who literally sits on my stomach/back whenever I lay down, and my face whenever I sleep (whenever I leave my door open) while one of my older cats that passed away hated being picked up, touched, kissed, etc.

[Gheld]

It should also be mentioned that dogs give you that look during all kinds of obedience exercises.

A dog that is trained to react calmly to stressful situations is probably less likely to maul a child to death than one that is completely sheltered from stress thus never having to learn such things.

And in the long run dogs who have a more structured life (based on obedience exercises) are probably fundamentally happier dogs that ones that "live the life of riley". Since dogs are social creatures who look up to their people.