Trouble Showing Affection To Your Dog?

[Zisso]

I am affectionate with all my animals, but Nadia does not like the mushy kissy face stuff. If I try to kiss her nose, she bucks her head up in protest and about knocks my front teeth out!

[sashadog]

I'm not a very cuddly person in general and while I'm more than happy to give my dogs pets, or scritches, as my family calls them , I'm not one to love being around needy or clingy dogs. My parents boy is the kind of dog that always wants to be touching you whether you're making dinner or taking a nap, he will get as close as possible to you and it drives me nuts!

I prefer to spoil my dogs with hikes, awesome food, yummy raw bones and by taking them to work with me. They are my constant shadows around the house and bring joy to my life. That doesn't mean however that I'm against a little snuggling every now and then or that I don't adore my dogs. I'm also lucky enough to have three dogs that don't love physical attention and would much rather just be near me than getting tons of lovin from me. My cattle dog mix actually seems to actively avoid physical affection! Which is part of why we're so good together

They seem to know that if they want to wrestle around or get some good cuddles, my (now) fiancé is the one to go to. I'm here for everything else

[RocketDog]

Originally Posted by julie87

Men are affectionate they just don't want to show their true feelings to random people.

This does not apply just to men.

[Kyleigh]

Men are affectionate they just don't want to show their true feelings to random people.

This does not apply just to men.

If I showed my true feelings to random people, I'd be locked up!

[hunterisgreat]

Originally Posted by Gharrissc

I've heard this before mainly with men and don't really understand it still. Have any of you known someone who has problems being affectionate with their dogs,but takes good care of them in every other way? It's like they will feed the dog and do all the basic stuff,but you will never see them really petting or playing with the dog because 'it's not their personality'. This post may not even make sense.

To me the emotional part is just as important as everything else,but I guess it's harder for some people. I think the dogs certainly appreciate it as well.

It took me a few years to learn how to give Jäger the affection he needed. With Katya it was much more natural... she's really affectionate... an attention wh*** even. Jäger and I were earlier on, much more of a "fist bump" type man-fection. He wasn't a licker or a cuddler anyway so it didn't seem as though he wanted that.

One day I noticed my neighbor 5 houses down, whenever she drove by if Jäger were outside he would bolt down there to greet her. He was very affectionate with her, and it was because she had a really high pitched voice and talked to her like a woman would interact with an infant... seeing this, I started doing that myself at home with him. It was awkward at first for both of us. I felt stupid, and he was confused. Very quickly though he really warmed up to this and now we are much more affectionate with each other.

[Lilie]

I provide affection, the amount depends on each animal. My husband is more affectionate towards the animals then I am.

Hondo doesn't care for affection. If he comes up to me and stands next to me, I'll give him a scratch. If I'm sitting and he sits next to me, I'll give him a scratch. But to me it's more like acknowledging his presence. "Yes, I see you here, thanks for stopping by." He would rather lay on his own as long as he can see me.

My husband will lay on the floor and cuddle with Hondo. You can see in Hondo's face and body language that he is tolerate of it. It's as if he knows it's expected of him with hubby. Hubby will lean over and give him body hugs. Hondo won't move until he's done.

Maggie needs affection, from anybody. Therefore, I give her more affection then I do the rest of the dogs.

Tug will not tolerate body hugs or anything that would confine him. He likes scratches, but that's his limit.

Lonestar is still young. His idea of affection is tug and fetch. He is only now starting to settle long enough for a good scratching. For him, it's ear rubs. Anthing else, to him, is an invite for play.

Even with my horses, if a horse comes and stands next to me, (to me) they are requesting body touches (affection). I'll give them a good scratching. But I won't halter and hold and require them to allow me to be affectionate. To me that is totally different than grooming.

[MattLink]

Im not comfortable with the high pitch super-excited praise that people do and often recommend. But, yesterday for example, me and Link were laying at opposite ends of the couch and I went over and practically flopped on top of him. I started petting him and gave him a kiss. I thought it bothered him so I got off and went back to my spot, he immediately hopped in my lap and started rubbing his head on my chest and licking my hands/arms.
I can understand how some people (especially men) could be less affectionate, I probably would be too but once I look at him I go into the "awwww he's so adorable!" State of mind.


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[SukiGirl]

I think it depends on the dog, for sure. Some dogs are more independent, don't really need all the hugs and kisses.

My dog is not one of them. She is a kisser and cuddle monster to the core. She's my favorite cuddle partner (don't tell my husband). I love that she wants physical contact, it helps us feel closer to each other not just physically but emotionally.

[zekni]

I'm female, and not all that affectionate with my dogs. Really, just the occasional scritches. Probably mostly because, while I've always had dogs, I'm allergic to most of the things they play in, grass, plants, ect. But I take them places, hiking, park, walks, work, training classes. And they love all that just as much as they love my boyfriend for getting down and wrestling and rolling around on the floor with them.
If we split up I think they'd have a really hard time choosing who they'd rather go with. Lol.

[RowdyDogs]

I've also found that a lot of men might feel discouraged from being openly affectionate with animals, but when there aren't other people around to judge things are different. I still remember the time when I was in elementary school and I woke up early for some reason, only to discover my dad (who supposedly didn't really like our pets, a Basset Hound and 2 cats) cuddling on the couch with the Basset (who wasn't allowed on the furniture) and baby talking to her while giving the cats the leftover milk from his breakfast cereal. He was embarrassed but admitted he did that every morning. He gradually relaxed and got better about showing affection to them as he got older, though.

I am female and I also tend not to be super affectionate to my dogs, though--not in the way a lot of people are anyway, especially in public. No baby talking or high pitched voices, just quiet praise and maybe the occasional gentle ear scratch if they need reassurance. At home we cuddle, but it's them pressed up against me while I ignore them. We play a lot, but we play rough--I wrestle and growl. But I'm a pretty reserved person in general.

I don't really kiss my dogs either, except my dog Bandit because he hates it so it becomes a game. Did I mention I like tormenting my dogs?