Showing Affection to Your Dog

Humans use touch to communicate greetings, connection and affection with handshakes, hugs or kisses. Dogs use gestures to communicate affection, too–they nuzzle, nudge, rub up against and even groom each other. Using human gestures on our canine companions, however, can be unsettling to them. The following are some better choices on how we can show affection to out much-loved pets.

Respect Your Dog's Space

Dogs don't hug like we do; instead, they snuggle or nuzzle. To a dog, hugging is typically interpreted as an assertive gesture. If you want to give your dog a hug, remember that they may regard the gesture as overbearing. Respect their space, and go slowly over-time to help them get used to your closeness.

Gentle Strokes are Best

To a dog, stroking is similar to nuzzling. When your dog puts their paw on another dog's neck, back or head, they are not "petting" the dogthey are expressing their assertiveness over them. For a human to pet a dog, however, is a perfectly acceptable form of affection, particularly when delivered as a loving stroke and accompanied by soft praise. The least threatening type of pet we can give a dog is stroking them under their chin. Remember that some dogs are hypersensitive to touch due to chronic illness or environmental annoyances. If your dog has an unknown past, even the softest touch may startle them, so keep your movements slow, calm and deliberate. Gently stroke their shoulders and keep contact with their body while you give affection.

Resist Picking Up Your Small Dog

Pups are picked up (by their mothers) only when they are very young. While most of us cannot physically pick-up a Great Dane, we don't hesitate to swoop down and lift tiny dogs like Chihuahuas or Maltese. We forget that no matter how small, a dog is still a dog and is usually uncomfortable being picked up. This is simply not natural to a dog and puts them in a position where he may feel trapped. Although unlikely, lifting up your dog can cause injury. A fall from your arms could break bones, harm the spine or worse. Dogs such as dachshunds, basset hounds and corgis are prone to back problems due to their long backs and short legs. Allowing them to jump up for attention or picking them up can actually cause strain on their vertebrae, leading to chronic pain or slipped discs.

Dogs Learn by Association

If a dog has ever been hit, pinned down, rolled over, kicked or over-handled in the past, we must rebuild their trust slowly and gently. This may mean little or no physical touch until they show through their body language that they are ready for such attention.

Avoid Pulling on Your Dog's Collar

Grabbing your dog's collar to deal with issues like jumping up or rushing out the door can be viewed as very threatening; dogs just don't do this to each other. And you may have noticed that the more you pull-back on your dog's lead or collar, the more they pull forward. This tendency to pull is a natural, built-in reaction-think of sled dogs and how they pull a sled. Every time we pull excessively on our dog's lead or collar, we risk causing damage to their neck and back. Constant tension or grabbing and yanking a dog by the collar can cause real harm by damaging the cervical vertebrae (neck bones), nerves in the neck, and trachea (windpipe). Building a solid foundation of respect and trust with your dog leads the way to your being able to do virtually anything with him! Once you have established a trusting bond so that your dog understands you will protect him from harm, he will come to at least tolerate essential physical activities, and at best, enjoy them. —- This information is brought to you as a public service by Bark Busters Home Dog Training-the world's largest, most trusted dog training company. Bark Busters is the only international dog training company that offers guaranteed lifetime support. Find more information by contacting your local dog behavioural therapist at 1800 067 710 or by visiting www.BarkBusters.com.au