Oh dear - your dog actually hates this affectionate gesture

If you’re a dog lover, you’re probably keen to stay in this dog-shaped Airbnb and absolutely need to know what your dog dreams about (FYI, it’s beyond adorable). And there’s nothing that makes your heart burst with love more than snuggling up to your pet pooch after a hard day in the office. But there […]

The post Oh dear - your dog actually hates this affectionate gesture appeared first on Marie Claire.

If you’re a dog lover, you’re probably keen to stay in this dog-shaped Airbnb and absolutely need to know what your dog dreams about (FYI, it’s beyond adorable).

And there’s nothing that makes your heart burst with love more than snuggling up to your pet pooch after a hard day in the office.

But there is one affectionate gesture that your dog actually doesn’t love so much, and we can’t quite believe it.

As reported by Her.ie, pet expert Sarah Bartlett explains: ‘The wrong way to approach a dog is to walk up to them head on and just lean in for a head pat.

‘The best thing is to approach them from the side and then go down.

‘Keep your own bubble and their bubble, and it’s then the dog’s choice whether then encroach into your bubble. I’m crouched down sideways and all I’m going to do is offer my hand out. If the dog sniffs your hand, you should then give them a little scratch under the chin or the ear.

‘Another thing to think about is if a dog rolls onto their back and shows their belly, we all love to give them a belly scratch.

‘But what we all tend to do is maybe be a bit firm with it, but for most dogs this is too much.’

So now you know. When it comes to showing your dog just how much you love them, don’t assume that they’re all for a head scratch because they might not be enjoying it as much as you think they will.

Sob.

The post Oh dear - your dog actually hates this affectionate gesture appeared first on Marie Claire.