For the Love of Science, Stop Hugging your Dogs; They Hate it: Study

According to a recent article published in Psychology Today, Stanley Coren, Psychology professor and neuropsychological researcher says that most dogs do not like being hugged and actually get stressed by it.

For the purpose of the study, the author analyzed 25o internet photos of people who are hugging their dogs in the picture. These pictures were analyzed for known signs of anxiety such as turning their head away, slicked back years and revealing the whites of their eyes.

According to Coren's data, as many as 82% dogs in these photos showed at least one, if not all, sign of stress. While 8% were happy as their masters hugged them, the other 10% remained indifferent or showed a confusing response to this gesture.

For humans, a hug is a sign of warmth and intimacy but dogs find that annoying or even frightening.

"Dogs 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," Coren wrote.

"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."

Corren says that if you want to show your love or affection to the dogs, it is better to pet them and give them "a kind word." You can also give them a nice rub on their bellies, or give them a treat rather than hugging them.