We like hugging.

We hug in greeting, and we hug in parting. We hug to show love, support, happiness, and much more.

However, dogs do not have the same language for hugs that we do.

Dogs are built differently, and communicate in a different way.

Do Dogs Like Hugs?

According to experts (Turid Rugaas and Patricia McConnell), the closest thing a dog knows to a hug, is mounting or placing a paw on another dog’s neck and back. Both of these gestures are commonly used for dominance.

When we try to hug a new or unknown dog, he will likely interpret that gesture as threatening and will either run away, submit, or return the challenge.

Many people naturally find it disturbing, when dogs shy away from their touch, or worse, respond with dog aggression. This is not surprising, because when a person shies away from our hug or responds with violence, we can quite rightly surmise that the object of our affection, may not feel the same way as we do.

However, when dogs do it, it is not from lack of love or dislike. The dog is just misinterpreting our gestures, because he speaks a different language than we do.

My Shiba Inu used to dislike any kind of hugging, but now he tolerates it, and will sometimes even come over and ask for some hugs.

Can a Dog Learn to Like Hugs?

Most definitely!

All we need to do, is to teach him that when we hug, it is not an attempt at domination. Instead, we want to show him that hugging means something positive, including dog play, dog toys, and yummy dog treats.

Start handling exercises with our dog, as soon as possible. It does not matter how old he is, all dogs can learn to like or tolerate handling.

First, I get my dog to go into a down position. Then,

• I touch his body briefly, and treat him.
• I touch his paw briefly, and treat him.
• I touch his ear briefly, and treat him, and so on.

Once my dog is comfortable with brief touches, I start to slowly lengthen the duration of the touch. Keep handling sessions short, fun, and positive.

Use a soft touch and do not poke. Make sure that we do not push things too quickly, and spook our dog.

Dogs are usually more sensitive about handling on their paws, ears, and muzzle. Therefore, make touching very rewarding, and go slowly in those areas.

Touch exercises get our dog comfortable with people stroking him, and is extremely useful during dog grooming, body examinations, or vet visits.

Touch exercises also help to build trust, and establish pack leadership.

By repeating these exercises, and pairing it with food and other rewards, our dog will soon learn that hugging can be fun, because it means getting attention and treats.

Note – If our dog is aggressive, or if he has a bite history, then it is best to address the dog or puppy biting issue first. Make sure to get a professional trainer if necessary.

Buying Our Dog’s Hugs?

Some people may object to pairing hugging with food. They feel that using food, is somehow bribing or paying for their dog’s love and affection.

However, remember that our dog is not a human. To a dog, hugging is not a sign of love or affection, but rather a sign of dominance. We are merely teaching him to re-associate hugging with something good, like food, rather than something stressful, like dominance.

Research also shows that dogs, like most animals, respond to conditioning. They will repeat behaviors that get good results (e.g. food), and stop behaviors that get bad results (e.g. time-out). Using food rewards, is just an effective means of getting them to repeat behaviors that we like.

Nevertheless, we already feed our dog everyday. Instead of giving him his food in a silver bowl, just give it to him slowly, for working with us on hugging exercises. In this way, he gets to work for his food, we become a better pack leader, and we get some nice furry hugs.

Dog Hugging Dos and Don’ts

• Do not hug our dog too tightly. If we hug him too tightly, he may feel physical discomfort. He may also get stressed, because his freedom of movement is being limited, and he can no longer run away if he needs to.
• Do not hug unknown dogs. An unknown dog may not have had the hugging exercises listed above, and may think we are trying to dominate him. In addition, some dogs may not generalize hugging across different people. They may only allow their owners to hug, and no one else.
• Do not hug our dog for too long. Some dogs actually like hugging, whereas others may only tolerate it. In addition, a dog may sometimes want to be alone, to rest or sleep. Never force a dog hug. If our dog wants to move away, let him do so. Humans are not always up for a hug either.
• Keep track of the environment. Sometimes, our dog may decide that hug time is over, because of changes in the environment. For example, a dog or person may come into view, there may be a new, unfamiliar sound, or a squirrel may appear on a nearby tree. Let our dog go, when he starts showing any signs of agitation.
• Protect our dog from unwanted hugs. If he does not enjoy hugs, especially from strangers, then make sure to keep strangers away. This is also important for dogs who are sensitive about their personal space. When attempting a meeting, educate people on how our dog likes to be greeted. In addition, it is best to stay away from people with bad energy (afraid of dogs, too excited, or too nervous).

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