Lisa's Dog Training

We all love our dogs; I certainly love mine.  Who doesn’t enjoy a cuddle with their dog?  

I see lots of loving families post pictures on social media cuddling their beloved pet dogs.  Young children gripping a family pet tightly round the neck, in all innocence having a snuggle, followed up with lots of comments about how cute this looks, how well behaved the dog is, and how good the dog is with the children.

Why do we have dogs in our homes?

• Companionship
• Support 
• Enjoyment of walking and going out in the fresh air, keeping active
• Help us to meet like-minded people 
• Working dogs

Why do we want to hug our dogs?

• It comforts us
• It reassures us
• Because we love our dogs
• We think we’re reassuring our dogs
• We think that our dogs enjoy it

Our dog’s mind

However, what is really going on in the dog’s mind? Unless we miraculously develop superpowers or turn into Doctor Doolittle overnight, we will never truly know what our dog is thinking or feeling. Dr Bruce Fogle’s book ‘The Dog’s Mind’ is a great insight into ‘understanding what your dog is really thinking’ and is very informative in helping to understand how your dog’s mind works. 

So, what signs should we watch out for to try to understand whether our beloved pet is enjoying the experience or whether it is feeling uncomfortable and would prefer to be somewhere else?

Dogs communicate through their body language. We need to improve at observing our dog’s body language and watch out for the subtle signals. We all like to think we know our own dogs, and I agree, who better understands a dog than its human. The person who has lived with them, played with them, fed them, walked with them and snuggled with them. However, sometimes being so close can mean we unintentionally miss the subtle signs that other people might notice, or we ignore them because we don’t want to see them. We don’t want to believe that our dog could be anything else than a loving family member that wants to spend time with us.

What are some of the subtle signs that your dog may be feeling uncomfortable?

• Is your dog’s head facing away in a different direction to which its eyes are looking so that you can see the whites of its eyes?
• Are your dog’s eyes hard and potentially fixated on something?
• Is your dog’s body weight forward or trying to pull away from the hugger?
• You may see piloerection of your dog’s coat.
• Your dog may yawn, this is often a sign of fear or anxiety, not tiredness.
• Panting can sometimes indicate your dog is feeling stressed.
• Take note of the shape of your dog’s mouth – does he/she suddenly, tightly close their mouth.
• Does your dog become still or freeze?

It’s really important to note that this is not a definitive list, these are, in my opinion, some of the main signs to watch out for.  These signs can occur very quickly and can very easily be missed.  It can sometimes escalate to a snap or a bite in a very short space of time.

I cannot stress strongly enough that seeing some of these signs does not always mean your dog is uncomfortable – you need to read the situation, what is going on in the environment around the dog, and what has happened in the dog’s history, to gain a better understanding.  Context and behaviour go hand in hand.  

How to manage the situation if your dog is feeling uncomfortable is whole different topic and one that I would suggest you seek the support of a knowledgeable trainer or behaviourist if you have concerns.

It’s equally important to be able to understand when your dog is happy and relaxed.  If your dog approaches you and ‘snuggles up’ which mine often do, then this is probably a situation they’re comfortable with.  

Conclusion:

Does your dog enjoy being hugged?

Yes and no! I’m guessing that’s not the answer you may have been looking for! 

Know your own dog, observe his/her behaviour, take note of the environment, watch out for signs, give your dog space if needed.  

Canine body language is a huge and sometimes complex topic.  There is too much to cover in this article, this is just a snapshot.   

Want to learn more?

There are several books and publications on canine body language.  I’ve already mentioned Bruce Fogle ‘A Dog’s Mind’.  

Two other great books which are well illustrated are

Canine Body Language – A Photographic Guide’ by Brenda Aloff.  

Talk Dog by Alex Wilson, with Nate Can’t

Look out for Canine Body Language workshops, ensure they’re run by a reputable person or organisation.

I also add to this, never leave a young child alone with a dog, no matter how much you trust your dog, and properly educate children (and visiting adults) on how to behave and interact with your dog.

Post created by Lisa Mugridge, (own original work), 11th July 2021 and updated 4th May 2026

Thank you for reading.