Here at Tails on Trails we do a of work training our dog walkers and pet sitters to interact safely with our clients’ pets. Safety of our walkers and your pets is our highest priority.
One of the things we work with our walkers and pet sitters on is reading the body language of the pets they work with. Most dog owners know that a wagging tail is not necessarily indicative of a happy pet. But other signs like a submissive licking of the lips might go unnoticed.
We work hard to help our dog walkers and pet sitters understand dog’s body language and we thought we could share a tip with you.
We all know how good it feels to give our dogs a nice big hug.
But have you ever wondered whether your dog actually enjoys the hug as much as you do?
Chances are they might not.
A hug for a dog is an unnatural sign of affection. Consider how dogs interact naturally–do you ever see them place their paws on one another? Is it usually a sign of affection? Usually it’s the start of some intense play or an attempt to gain status over another dog.
When it comes to humans, some dogs tolerate the hugs of their owner, but might not actually enjoy them. The next time you want to give your pet a hug, pay attention to his reaction.
Is his mouth open? Is he relaxed and leaning into you? Or is his mouth closed and he’s leaning away?
Look closely and consider whether or not he’s actually enjoying the hug. If you’re not sure and you want to learn more, check out this interesting article.