Are You Giving Your Dog the Right Kind of Affection?

Sometimes we forget that our dogs display affection in a different way than we do. While humans display affection through gestures like hugging and kissing, dogs display through licking, jumping, snuggling, and tail wagging.

As a dog owner it’s important to give your dog the right kind of affection at the right times.  With the help of  Animal Wellness Magazine and The Pet Professional Guild we've compiled some information for you and your dog to speak the same language...love!

Kissing vs. licking

While important among people, kissing and hugging are not in a dog’s behavioral repertoire!  On the other hand, licking one another is important to dogs, but not something humans normally do!  If your dog licks you, most of the time it is a sign of affection and attachment.  Dogs probably don’t understand the equivalency of kisses and licks so try to keep this in mind!

How do you know what kind of affection your dog likes?

The best way to know is to observe their behavior!  If your dog enjoys the petting or the scratching, they will remain relaxed and not tense up.  Their ears should stay forward and the tail high. If your dog tries to move away and avoid you, then they probably don’t like it.  If your dog wants you to continue, you should expect them to move toward you and show a behavior that has worked in other contexts to get what they want such as pawing at you or leaning against you.

Hugging

Most dogs learn to accept or tolerate hugs from familiar individuals, but because they cannot hug one another, it is unlikely they recognize this as an affectionate behavior.  For a dog, a hug can resemble the social threat of having another dog place his paws on or drape his neck overtop her shoulders in an act of dominance. 

Being hugged is probably confusing for dogs.  When dogs are confused or uncertain in situations, they may display displacement behaviors.  The most common canine displacement behaviors are lip licking and yawning.  If a dog shows any of these behaviors when being hugged or kissed, it’s a clear sign to stop, because they are not enjoying it!

During an interview with Mother Nature Network, Animal Behaviorist Patricia McConnell talks about reading your dog. “It’s good to be sure how your dog feels when you hug him or her, and how he feels when strangers go in for a hug, especially since hugs mean putting your face next to a sharp set of teeth. If a dog barely tolerates hugs, then the wrong hug at the wrong time could mean the dog snaps at the hugger. No one wants that. Thankfully, dogs make their thoughts abundantly clear through body language." As long as you know what to look for, you will know what your dog thinks of a love-squeeze.

If your dog goes stiff, closes their mouth, or licks their lips they might be anxious, concerned, or think they did something wrong!

Better understanding your dog’s likes, dislikes, and body language can help you communicate to one another how much you care!  Sometimes a nice scratch or rub behind the ears or under the chin, or a belly rub can say a lot more than a hug or kiss!

Source: Animal Wellness, The Pet Professional Guild

How Does Your Pet Say “I Love You”?

On our blog “If They Could Talk,” part of our goal is to help interpret what your dogs and cats are trying to tell you. When it comes to affection, however, your pet is already speaking to you in a language anyone can easily understand. By learning to read your pet’s signals, you can always tell just how much they love you!

Licking: There’s a reason we call our pet’s licks “kisses.” As the blog Miniature Paws explains, though there are lots of reasons that dogs lick; one of the reasons is to show that they love you. This type of licking, which often occurs while you are greeting your pet, can easily be compared to human kissing as it has an affectionate meaning behind it.

Upright Tail Wagging: A swish of a dog’s tail is often the first thing people notice when their dog is happy. The Daily Puppy warns that not all tail wagging means your dog is pleased; a low swing of the tail can often indicate uncertainty or fear. If your dog’s tail is wagging quickly and in an upright position, however, you can be sure that they are happy to see you.

Barking and Jumping: Just like humans, excited pets are prone to jumping around and making a lot of noise. Barking, leaping at you, and even nipping are ways that your pooch expresses their affection and excitement to see you. This indicates that your pet sees you as a friend, and is how they would play with other dogs. There is a fine line between affectionate and dominant behavior when it comes to barking and jumping, however, so make sure you only encourage it when your dog is calm and obedient. For tips on controlling barking, read our recent post on recognizing why your dog barks.

Rolling Over: A dog that offers you their belly for a good scratch is completely comfortable around you. Displaying this kind of security is a sign from your dog that they are happy to be with you!

Trying to get your attention: Dogs and cats do this by pressing against you and calling out to you. You know the way they act: a cat will weave between your legs; a dog will press its head into your lap. These pets love you and want to be with you. They will often follow you around, not wanting to let you out of their sight for even a moment!

Smiling! We are often surprised to find our pets with an expression on their face that looks a lot like a human grin. It turns out this twitch of the face might be an intentional smile. Miniature Paws references a McGill University neuroscientist named Jeffrey Mogil, who said that animals feel many of the same emotions as we do and use the muscles in their face to show it. If you think your dog or cat looks like they’re smiling at you, you might be right to assume they are shooting you a smirk. It means that your pet is happy, filled with love and ready for a perfect photo!

What other things does YOUR dog or cat do to show you their love?