They Are Seeking Attention
Some dogs are attention seekers—plain and simple. They notice that something interesting is going on, and they want to be part of it. If this is the case, your dog might try to join in by licking you and wagging their tail or barking. Rover may simply be looking to get his dose of attention. Some attention-seeking dogs become pushy when their owners are on the phone or simply ignoring them, and others become pushy when their owners are getting intimate with a partner. They just want to be part of the fun!
If your dog wants attention, make sure you play with him enough throughout the day and regularly take him on walks. He will feel secure knowing he has a promised play time and might not be as attention needy when you try to hug someone. If your dog’s jumping turns into barking, growling, or standing stiffly when you hug, you should definitely see a trainer. This is guarding behavior and can escalate quickly. Your dog might be protecting you, but clearly, you like the person you are hugging and this could be a tough spot for them. Your dog should be trained to socialize properly with humans and reducing a guarding behavior can be tough without a professional.
If you ever want to move out of the friend zone with your human friend, you need to tame your canine best friend. Not only are you staying just friends, but when your dog jumps on your guests it can make them rather uncomfortable. They might be afraid of dogs, allergic, or your pup might even knock them to the ground. You want to make it so your guests want to come over and your dog is pleasant when they are there. Also, you want to be able to give hugs freely and go about your business. Not everyone enjoys the friend zone. There are a few tactics to reduce or eliminate this behavior. One is to simply ignore it if you can. It might escalate, but if you reward him when he stops jumping, he will begin to make the connection that being calm is the preferred behavior. Also, this could give you a reason to get a few more hugs in. Just tell your friend it is for the dog’s training purposes. With any training, keep it consistent. If you aren’t consistent, you will confuse your pup. When in doubt, visit a trainer. The trainer can give you tips and will be able to work with both of you to get rid of this interference.
Hugging is a human behavior that is not normal to a dog. We wrap our arms around each other and squeeze tightly. Hugs can have a calming effect on humans and it is a way we show affection. Dogs tend to show their affection differently than humans. They will put a paw on your knee or rest their head on your lap. Hugging to a dog can be a very peculiar thing and they interpret it as such. And dogs do not like to be hugged. Even though many of us humans hug dogs like they are our children, they do not really like it. It is not a natural sign of affection for a dog, so it can pose problems, which leads to jumping.
The whole night you’ve been watching a movie with a friend, who you’re hoping will take you out of the friend zone and make you more than a friend. You chose the cheesy movie, had all the best snacks, and of course, gum for minty fresh breath. Your dog has sat in his bed the whole time, only snoring so quietly it was cute. When the night ends, you get up to wish your friend goodnight and go in for a hug. You’re not sure if this will be more than a hug, but a friendly hug is a place to start when you’re in the friend zone. After only a second of embrace, your dog is barking and jumping at you two, begging for your attention. Your human friend pets your four-legged friend, waves goodbye, and walks out the door. Your dog just kept you in the friend zone.
Once you are in the friend zone, it is tough to get out of so do not let your dog be the thing that is stopping you from advancing. Reward your dog for calm behavior and keep training consistent. It might be ruff at first, but it will definitely be worth it. And if you notice more aggressive behaviors, talk to a trainer.
Reason 4: Your Dog Is Protective
It’s clear that dogs don’t see hugging the same way humans do and according to Stephanie Gibeault, CPDT, most dogs may tolerate us when we hug them but that doesn’t mean they like it.
When dogs interact Gibeault states that “they might pin each other to the ground, but it’s in only one of two contexts: play fighting or real fighting.”
So, when your little pooch sees you hug another person they might feel that you are in danger and that they need to keep you safe.
That’s why you may notice your dog freak out and even go to extreme behaviors like jumping on the other person, trying to get in between you, braking, and growling as they do so.
This type of behavior can be more common in guard dogs, these dogs according to AKC “have a natural instinct to protect their home and family.”
If your dog perceives hugging as a sign of conflict or they find the person you are hugging untrustworthy they might come between you to deescalate the perceived danger.
Joshua Van Bourg from the Department of Psychology actually found that rescuing an oner is a rewarding action for dogs.
Herding breeds can also exhibit similar behavior. These working dogs were bred to move livestock and they are triggered by movement.
Seeing you and your friend suddenly move to hug can cause your dog to react in a way a herding dog would with sheep.
They might start pushing you and even nip your ankles in the process.
Of course, we can’t only look at a dog’s breed, and we need to look at dogs as individuals as well.
Any dog that hasn’t been properly socialized may be more suspicious of other people, and if they see you interacting intimately with someone they don’t know well then they might simply freak out.