Hugging Your Dog May Be Doing More Harm Than Good — Here’s Why

Humans commonly use hugs to express affection, comfort and security. Dogs, however, communicate through a different system of posture, movement and space, meaning an embrace intended lovingly can sometimes feel restrictive or threatening.

This does not mean every dog hates physical closeness. The effect depends on the individual dog, the person, the situation and whether the animal can choose to participate or move away.