Study suggests most dogs display signs of discomfort, stress, or anxiety when hugged by humans. 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. For that reason, certain websites, which try to educate children and parents in order to reduce the incidence of dog bites, make a point about teaching children that they should not hug dogs. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201604/the-data-says-dont-hug-the-dog
Humans also have a tendency to run away from dangers. And our body is well suited for long distance runs. Still we like hugs ... I believe the main difference is that a human understand a hug as "giving shelter" while a dog understand it as "help I'm being captured". The suggestion that children better not hug dogs seems to be sensible, still. A dog is not used to be given shelter by being held by someone, so they can't understand this part of the hug gesture.
I'd think that if dogs are raised by humans that always hug their pets from when they are young they will never react badly against those who hug them for it has been ingrained in them from birth that hugs are something that are done to them and don't hurt them.
Even without physical interaction taking place, a small child shouldn't be at eye level with a dog. The latter can suddenly or impulsively construe that kind of eye contact as a challenge from another "canine" of inferior rank or status in the "pack".
True, but that is not to say the dog does not undergo a struggle between its learned behavior and its instincts. That's stressful. A child getting their haircut is similar. It tolerates it - but the instinct to avoid sharp implements cutting off bits of one's person is stressful to resist.
Yes, I think there are a number of variables at work. The last dog I got was from a dog pound. It was a stray. When I picked her up, she would freeze. Every muscle in her body would go rigid, she was just that stressed. Now she is a wet noodle. It all comes down to trust, and it takes time to build trust. It doesn't happen in a day or a week or a month. If children are involved, I can understand why pets might not trust them. Kids can be a bit unpredictable and are more prone to taking risks and making bad decisions.
It's important to note that many of these conclusions were drawn by behaviorists, and not ethologists--or ordinary people with functioning brains who regularly work with dogs, for that matter. The list of idiotic conclusions drawn by behaviorists could fill volumes. Unlike humans, dogs have the capacity to learn, and as Joe and others have noted above, they figure real intentions--dog, human, other--pretty damn quick-like. Whereas humans regularly do not--and I'm talking about humans reading other humans. It's a fuck-all when it comes to reading other species. Of course, this is compounded by their (humans, that is) common practice of lying, deceiving, and just being plain elusive, for reasons not entirely clear to this supposed human.
Dogs are highly social animals and are easily influenced by the humans they live with. Of course each breed has its own specific characteristics, but as a species most of them appreciate physical contact and regard it as an expression of bonding to the members of their "pack" or family. We have Lhasa Apsos, one of the few breeds that not only doesn't mind long periods of solitude but actually prefers them. They're famous for spending the whole day on the sofa, listening for prowlers. Yet by socializing them as pups, we've never failed to raise Lhasas that are as loving and friendly as a cocker spaniel. The one we have now actually dislikes being alone. When we come home after an absence of several hours, he acts like it's Christmas. Yes, we're going to get him a companion. We'd hoped that he and the cat would bond, but it wasn't meant to be. (He was okay when we had an older dog, but she died.)
We've got a Lab who's nearing the end of his life. When we found him at the animal shelter, the first thing he did was jump up on his back paws and give each of us a hug. He's the most sociable animal I've ever known. Not all dogs are the same, but Lab's generally are good-nature animals. I think much of it has to do with the breed of the animal.
There's a reason that Labradors and Golden Retrievers are the most popular breeds in the USA. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
