Hug your dog? Maybe not

Here’s a study we’d wager that even science-loving Santa Feans might dispute. Despite our desires to hold them close, dogs might not like being hugged. That’s right, despite the human tendency to want to give dogs big hugs, a British Columbia observational study has uncovered this seemingly startling news — nearly 82 percent of dogs being hugged were uncomfortable.

The research was carried out by Stanley Coren, a canine expert and professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia. Coren studied some 250 dogs being hugged by both children and grown-ups. He examined the canines for signs of stress. Those include a dog with his ears down, the whites of her eyes showing, one with his head turned to avoid eye contact, or a dog with shut eyes and licking her lips. Dogs who yawn or raise their paws also can be uncomfortable.

In his article in Psychology Today, Coren discussed how he arrived at conclusions. He searched through Flickr and Google images to look for photos of dogs being hugged, using such terms as “hug dog” or “love dog.” Then, he went through the 250 photos of human-to-dog hugs, and he and colleagues analyzed the body language. That’s how they determined that 81.6 percent of dogs don’t like hugs — through observation. To be clear, though, the study has not been peer reviewed.

The Washington Post’s Rachel Feltman, who writes a column called “Speaking of Science,” is emphatic that, no, Coren’s study did not prove that dogs hate hugs. “Has science shown that the well-meaning cuddles your dog seems to love are actually loathed? Not even close,” she says. She goes on to write an interesting blog about the scientific method and how to interpret data.

Coren, too, in an interview with Feltman, warns people not to make sweeping conclusions. But he is serious about the need for humans to take dogs’ sensibilities into account. For humans, a hug means love. But dogs, Coren writes, “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.”

That’s right. Hug too long, and the poor dog might grab a bite. Children, especially, should be taught not to hug too tightly so they are less in danger of bites. Coren told the Post that he hopes another scientist takes his initial observations and completes further study. In the meantime, we might consider not squeezing the pooches.

Santa Fe, as we all know, is pet crazy, with dogs being the most favored species. Dogs are carried around in stores, even put in shopping baskets at grocery stores. There’s a state law allowing pets to sit on restaurant patios. Banks, stores and just generally kind people leave out dog treats or put bowls of water by the curb. The Santa Fe animal shelter is one of the city’s most favored nonprofits. This is a city that likes its dogs.

This study, then, should give humans pause. Maybe, although more research is necessary, our mothers were right. Remember that voice: “Don’t touch the dog so much. It makes them nervous.” To show love, try a pat on the head.