Trouble Showing Affection To Your Dog?

[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.

[x11]

i seriously doubt this is a gender based issue.

furthermore one person's affection is another person's overbearing so hard to answer, do you realise some dogs don't enjoy constantly being muled by humans that think they are being affectionatte.

[Gharrissc]

It may not be gender based,but most of the people I have seen do this are men,I'm not saying women don't do it as well. I wasn't really talking about constantly being in your dogs face either.I've heard quite a few people say that they don't really pet their dog because they aren't into the mushy stuff or if they are training,they don't feel comfortable with praise. To me,petting your dog isn't mushy or overbearing.It's not like it's a full body hug.

Originally Posted by x11

i seriously doubt this is a gender based issue.

furthermore one person's affection is another person's overbearing so hard to answer, do you realise some dogs don't enjoy constantly being muled by humans that think they are being affectionatte.

[Cassidy's Mom]

Originally Posted by Gharrissc

To me,petting your dog isn't mushy or overbearing.It's not like it's a full body hug.

With Keefer it is!

[Liesje]

I am affectionate with my dogs but not really in public so I guess people might have the impression that I'm not. Truth is I'm a few minutes late for work almost every day because I will never leave the house without stopping to pet my dog for a few minutes and tell him he's a good dog. Male GSD sitting in my lap right now

[llombardo]

My boyfriend was like this with our first two dogs. Then the golden came along and everything changed. You could see the pride in his eyes with that dog. That is his boy and that boy has made that man see what loyalty and love real is. I on the other hand pet them and cuddle with them any time I can. They love it and it helps me relax.

[Dainerra]

I've met a lot of people who would think that showing "love" to your dog would make as much sense as showing affection to the lawn mower. It is just the way that they were raised - dogs are animals and they need food, something to get under out of the rain, and a bowl of water.

[julie87]

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

[Kyleigh]

I know exactly what you mean !!! From what I've seen, it is gender based - and no, I'm not here to slam men or demean them.

I've worked with dogs and their owners for a number of years, and without fail the "gender" that I have to encourage to get playful with their dogs is always the men - or rather, the husbands! They just didn't seem to "get it" ... BUT I will say, once they "got it" man oh man, did they have a blast, and you could just the bond strenthen.

With younger boys ... so not an issue! The only issue I ever had with younger boys was getting them to "calm down / slow down" with their "attention." They wanted to wrestle and be all rough and tumble.

I think a lot of is society, and could also depend on the age of the "man". Society is changing, and thankfully men aren't looked down on anymore for showing their emotions.

My great grandfather would be perceived as very cold as he very seldom spoke to anyone, didn't laugh very often, and was seldom engaged with family members. He did however, know each and every one of us by name, and knew all our birthdays.

His son, my grandfather was similar, but a bit more talkative (as long as there wasn't a hockey game on).

My dad was different, and I credit a lot of it to my mom. My mom is very vivacious, and lives every moment in joy. She passed this on to him (a somewhat watered down version of her!) My parents divorced, but they are still friends.

My dad lives upstairs, I live downstairs. When Kyleigh sees my dad, she's a nut - she LOVES my dad. My dad doesn't get "all down and rough" with her, but he loves to see how happy she is to see him, and he always takes time to say hello to her, play with her for a bit. He never shooes her away, and she gets to leave on "her terms" (i.e. when she's done the greeting!)

My dad's brother, who has had dogs his whole life (and a wife who is an ice queen!) NEVER shows affection to his dog the way my dad does, or "other" people. I asked him one time how come he never played with his dog. He looked at me and said, "I'm not a dog, she can play with other dogs, I am her owner." I thought it was sad.

I think the next generation of kids is going to be a real eye-opener (in so many ways LOL). But I really believe that in the next 20-30 years we are going to see some huge changes in what is "manly / womanly" and I really hope that the "emotionless" man is gone for good!!

[Angelina03]

I'm super affectionate! With all my animals. Always have been. In fact, people can't believe how affectionate my cats are. Rocco is a total love bug. He loves the affection and reciprocates. My husband, on the other hand, was never affectionate with any animal until he learned to be from me. Now he is affectionate with Rocco a lot and with the cats a little. I do believe it has to do with gender. Not that it applies to all, but it is what it is. From what I've seen, women are much more affectionate than men over all, even with their own children.


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