Apparently it’s National Hug Your Dog Day! Yay! 😄😄😄 Now let me tell you why that is a TERRIBLE idea.
Let’s start with the NationalToday.com’s description of today:
”Our dogs deserve all the love and affection we can give them, which is why there’s a special day dedicated just to hugging them. It’s April 10: National Hug Your Dog Day.
Hugging your dog releases a hormone in both pup and person called “oxytocin,” informally referred to as “the cuddle hormone.” Not only does a good tight squeeze strengthen your bond, it shows your pet that you care. Today is a day to celebrate your dog for all they do.
So grab your dog and give them an extra cuddle today!
Shall we break it down?
“Our dogs deserve all the love and affection we can give them-“✅
Yes, our dogs always deserve all of our love and affection we can give them. They provide us with unconditional love, why can’t we return the favor?
“Hugging your dog releases a hormone in both pup and person called “oxytocin,” informally referred to as “the cuddle hormone.” ❌/✅
Ok so with this statement is both true and false. Yes when you make contact with your pet your brain does release “the cuddle hormone” and it could also soothe your dog as well. BUT most dogs do not enjoy or appreciate when we get into their space. Did you see the cute picture of the little girl hugging the husky attached to this post? You can’t see the little girl’s face but she’s obviously smiling to some capacity... but does that dog look like he is enjoying the hug too? I don’t think so. We will come back to this in just a second.
“Not only does a good tight squeeze strengthen your bond, it shows your pet that you care.❌
Think about it... if a giant spider came up to you to give you a hug would that strengthen your bond with that spider? Or what about a snake? There are TONS of other ways to show your dog you care!!! Treats, toys, play time, dog park, walks.... I can go on. The best way to really strengthen your bond with your dog is through open communication: you get that through training and working with your dog.
Now let’s get back to the uncomfortable Husky. Our dogs communicate using their body: look at your dogs Eyes, Ears, Mouth, Tail, their body posture, and look for hackles or piloerection. These vehicles of communication drive what our dogs have to say. We don’t want to just look at their wagging tail and say they are happy. You need to look at their whole body and those VOC in groups or clusters. A wagging tail does not always mean happy dog.
Did you now in the United States almost 5 million people every year are bitten by dogs? The ones who are most at risk are children. Here is the kicker: 77% of dog bites come from the family dog.
Check out the resources below to learn more about the #1 breed of dog you are more likely to get bit by (hint it’s not a pit bull), more statistics about bites in the US, and how to prevent them especially with those most at risk.
If you ever want to learn more about your dog, how to communicate and strengthen your bond or just want to learn some tricks, send me a message! I’d love to also recommend ways you can spoil your dog! 😉