Amanda Teixeira
A hug or a stare usually means something completely different for the dog than for humans. Find out now which mistakes dog owners often make in body language and how you can avoid them.
Experts estimate that around 95 percent of problems between humans and dogs arise during communication. This is probably also due to the fact that dogs interpret certain physical signals in a completely different way than we humans do: the body language of dogs works differently than that of humans! This is how misunderstandings arise.
Dogs don’t want to be hugged
A hug means affection for us humans. Since we love our dog, we want to hug him too. But studies show that dogs only endure hugs and do not enjoy them at all. This reveals the body language of the animals. Wrap your arms around your dog, restrict his range of motion. That stresses him out.
Show kindness properly
If we find a dog cute, we bend over and pat its head. Dogs don’t like that at all: it looks threatening to them. Instead, you should make yourself smaller, for example bend your knees. If he allows it, you can also scratch his chest.
Don’t stare at the dog
When people are afraid of a dog, they often instinctively stop and stare at them. A huge mistake: This will likely irritate the dog, especially if it’s a strange dog. The dog will understand much better that you are afraid if you look to the side. It can be different when dogs seek eye contact with their owners during cuddle sessions. However, if you are afraid, you should not look a dog directly in the eye.
Avoid unclear signals
If you move too fidgety and hysterically, your dog will no longer be able to follow you. These ambiguous body signals stress the dog because he cannot understand them. The dog is just as overwhelmed when signals are not used consistently. Try to communicate calmly with your dog. Think about what you want from him and how you can make that clear to him through gestures and facial expressions.