Pets Can Give Us Love, Too.
After a tiring day at work and in school, what would feel better than walking through the door and seeing your dog being so excited to see you? Don’t we just love to hug them back and show how much we love and appreciate them? However, as shocking as it is, experts warned us not to do so.
When you enter through the door after a long day, the feeling of affection you get from your dog is priceless. But, no matter how much you want to show them how much you love them, there’s one thing we should stop doing. It’s something we’re all guilty of, and now experts are claiming that it could be harming our dogs.
Can We Hug Dogs?
Is it a big deal to hug your pets? With a heavy heart, we’ll say yes to this. Given the dog population in the US alone, a lot of people need to hear this and to know why. According to the 2017-2018 National Pet Owners Survey, 48% of the American homeowners own dogs!
Daily Paws
If you think that’s surprising, there’s actually more! According to the survey, Millenials were more common to have dogs than anyone else. In fact, they spend so much more on their dogs than previous generations of pet lovers. If they’re right, would it be better to spend more cash on your pet’s new bed rather than hug them?
Pups Are Babies
Nearly a quarter of Millenials who own a dog or two, throw parties for them. If you think that’s way over the line, wait until you meet someone who brought their dog while going on a vacation. It might surprise you but there are actually dog-friendly hotels that give your furry friends a five-star service.
123RF
And to some people who want to take it to another level, they even take their pets to the spa because there’s a special one for dogs! Not only will they be able to relax there but they’ll be pampered and well-taken care of. And maybe, your dogs will appreciate it more than hugs.
What Is It With Hugging Your Pets?
But what’s the deal with the hugging? It doesn’t appear to make a lot of sense. Being embraced by a loved one is wonderful for us humans. And many dog owners would agree that cuddling up with their devoted, wet-nosed companion is the best part of their day.
One Green Earth
However, it’s important to note that humans and animals differ in needs. Even if you consider your fur baby as your “child”, they shouldn’t be treated the way we treat an actual baby. And if you’re still not convinced, take it from someone who knows a thing or two about their stuff.
Different Reactions
According to Caroline Kisko of the Kennel Club, “Dogs are often considered part of the family. However, they are not human and may therefore react differently to certain interactions such as hugging.”
Psychology Today
Claire Matthews agreed with her. According to her, “A hug might be a normal social greeting for humans, but it isn’t for a dog. Subtle stress signals can be missed when you’re hugging your pet, and this could lead to a negative reaction… It’s about recognizing when your dog is uncomfortable.”
Getting To Know Your Pets Better
Your pet’s reaction to hugs differs. That being said, it’s important to know whether or not, your dogs hate hugs? Dr. Stanley Coren can help you with that. He is a canine behavior expert and a professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia. through his studies, Coren was able to discover that dogs display certain signs of stress when embraced by their owners.
PetMD
The professor studied 250 photographs of dogs being hugged and developed conclusions based on their responses. And, we’re sorry to break it to you, but the majority of the dogs showed signs of stress. They could have had flattened or shoved back ears, or the whites of their eyes could have been visible. When dogs are concerned, they lick excessively or yawn excessively.
Research Results
A whopping 81.6 percent of the photographs are of dogs who displayed at least one sign of stress. On the other hand, just 7.6% of the photos showed a relaxed dog. Coren couldn’t tell how the dogs felt in the remaining 10.8% of the photos, but we’re guessing they weren’t happy.
Vetstreet
What causes dogs to show stress signals when they are hugged? “Dogs are technically cursorial creatures, which is a phrase that says that they are evolved for rapid running,” Coren explained in an essay for Psychology Today. That means that in times of stress or peril, a dog’s first line of defense is his ability to flee rather than his fangs.” Has your dog ever tried to squirm out of your arms? You now understand why!
What Might Happen?
It could also be a very bad idea to stop your dog from escaping your hug. According to Coren, “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.”
The Economic Times
What we can do is to save the hugs for our friends and families. There are other methods of showing our furry friends that we love them and that we appreciate their existence. “It is clearly better from the dog’s point of view if you express your fondness for your pet with a pat, a kind word, and maybe a treat,” the professor said.
Results Were Merely From “Casual Observations”
Now that we know about this, it’s disappointing! It’s infuriating! So, here’s a small silver lining for you. Coren has stated that his conclusions are based entirely on “casual observations,” and that his study has not been peer-reviewed, so other scientists may uncover problems in his work.
My Modern Met
You could argue that because Coren’s dog photos were randomly picked from the internet, he didn’t have much context to work with. He couldn’t see how the dogs were acting before they were hugged, so they could have been showing signs of stress for other reasons.
Where Do We Start?
However, don’t get your hopes up too high. Coren’s findings, according to Evan MacLean, co-director of Duke’s Canine Cognition Center, have merit. He told The Washington Post, “This is interesting preliminary data that could serve as an excellent beginning point for a full research.”
Martha Stewart
“Can I embrace my dog now or not?” you might wonder. ” I’m sorry to break it to you, but that’s unlikely! And MacLean is in agreement. “I would advise avoiding touching dogs – at least in the traditional humankind of hugging,” he has remarked. This is primal behavior at its most basic level. Nonhuman chimpanzees, for example, engage in comparable hugs, but it’s not something that dogs do naturally.”
Love Without Limitations
The good news is you can still snuggle up with your dog. MacLean claimed that “There are lots of ways to have close body contact with dogs that don’t require wrapping your arms around them in a confining manner.” You can pet your dogs but take it easy on hugging them.
Depositphotos
But, if embracing isn’t allowed, what about having dogs sleep in your bed? Experts decided to go more into the scientific evidence of what occurs when your dogs snuggle up under your covers, and what they uncovered about your dog’s paws that may cause you to think twice.
Should I Let My Dog Sleep With Me In Bed?
Researchers were given access to an American woman’s house to observe the impact of her three dogs sleeping in her bed every night. After all, how could she say no to their adorable little faces? After seeing the terrible findings of the TV team’s experiments, she might have found it simpler. Their test results would have major health ramifications for her.
MeMD Blog
Leah, a 19-year-old human mother to three active dogs. Furthermore, she is completely devoted to her retriever, Kevin, and her poodles, Sashie and Charlie. So much so that the young woman and her canine companions are rarely separated. She also allows her pets to sleep in her bed with her almost every night.
Dog Owners Are Found Guilty
When asked about her furry pets, Leah revealed as much to the CBS-syndicated news magazine show Inside Edition. She isn’t the only pet owner who enjoys cuddling up with her canine companions at the end of the day.
Sarah Anscombe/Getty Images
According to Pet MD, up to 79 percent of dog owners in the United States do the same. However, while it may be a heartfelt nightly gesture, may there be a drawback to this practice? Apart from cuddling and company, what else may the animals contribute to the bed?
Seeking Answers
That was the question the Inside Edition news crew set out to answer. To accomplish so, the show’s producers sent presenter Lisa Guerrero to Leah’s house. Kevin, Sashi, and Charlie, Leah’s three canines, were also enrolled. Guerrero received a paw from each of Leah’s furbabies, who would play an important role.
You Did What With Your Weiner
The three dogs were displayed in the yard, on the street, and on Leah’s bed, where the presenter swabbed their paw pads with a medical cotton bud. The data were then forwarded to a lab for processing to determine exactly what the dogs had picked up on that particular day. When Guerrero asked Leah what she believed the lab would find, the mutt mother said that she had no idea. She did confess, though, that she was concerned about the outcome.
Efforts To Validate Claims
Testing one dog owner’s furbabies is unfair and unacceptable. However, Inside Edition found another volunteer. Shauna, who lives in a more built-in urban environment than Leah. Shauna was shown walking her two furbabies down the streets of the city.
Scottie and Angel, Shauna’s little woofers share a bed with their owner. It made them a great candidate for the swab test. Furthermore, Inside Edition made an additional experiment with these adorable puppies.
Ultraviolet Light
At Shauna’s apartment, the team used a fluorescent marker to track her dog’s paws. After doing so, they turned off the lights and used ultraviolet light onto the floor. The results of the experiment did not surprise them but it was definitely illuminating.
Guerrero told Shauna, “Your dogs have been all over this flat.” “Look at the prints behind you – they’re all over the back of the couch,” the reporter added, pointing to the bright proof. Shauna was taken aback by the number of paw prints that were visible around her home.
Laboratory Results Of Dirty Dog Paw Test
The big reveal came next. Guerrero clutched the lab test results for the dogs in her hand. And Leah was proved correct in her prediction: the outcomes were not favorable. In fact, the results of the lab’s examination of their pups’ paws astounded both doggie parents. The number of germs these five dogs had picked up while going about their regular activity was astounding.
Healthline
Churchill spent his time as a member of the Hussar’s Cavalry split between a seven-month summer training season and five months of prolonged leave. In 1895, Churchill travelled to Cuba for a personal adventure before joining the rest of his regiment in India.
Shocking Findings: Bacteria, Parasites, Fungi And So Much More!
Shauna’s two pups were up next. The swab results of these city slickers revealed a similar number of bacteria. Angel had E. coli and Scottie had seven bacteria types and one fungus. E. coli was one of the six bacteria she was carrying. The report’s conclusions seemed to shock both Leah and Shauna, who were noticeably taken aback.
Following the disturbing Inside Edition findings, dog owners must be aware of the types of diseases that their dogs are likely to carry. Zoonoses are diseases that can be transmitted from animals to people. And parasites, in addition to bacteria, viruses, and fungi, convey them across species barriers.
Imposing Dangers To Humans
Domestic pets can be infected with tapeworm and hookworm. These can cause several health problems in humans and animals aside from having fleas. Ticks, which can cause deadly illnesses like Lyme disease, can also be passed on by pets.
123RF
The breadth of potentially dangerous zoonoses identified by the Dirty Dog Paw Test is much more concerning. E. Four out of five of the furry friends tested positive for E. coli, a germ that causes food poisoning. On Shauna’s dog Scottie, a bug was discovered that can cause pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and even meningitis; it can also spread MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and other Staphylococcus bugs.
How Is It Contracted?
Many of these diseases can be transmitted by coming into contact with a pet’s saliva. Another route is through animal excrement, which is found on the paws of most dogs. So, given all of this, how risky is it to spend the night with a four-legged companion? Isn’t it safe for a dog owner to let his or her pet sleep in a human bed?
Healio
Leah and Shauna still decide to share their bed with their pets. However, Shauna says that she will be taking extra care in making sure that they’re safe from zoonoses. “I’m going to use baby wipes and then wash their feet, maybe,” she told Guerrero and the Inside Edition, team. “But, yeah, they have to sleep with me. I can’t give that up,” she concluded.