May 22, 2025
As a professional dog trainer who has worked with hundreds of dogs and families, I often find myself helping parents understand not just how to train their dogs, but how to keep their children safe around them.
Recently, I was working with a young family introducing their dog PJ to Bronco, a German Shepherd mix I’ve trusted for years. Bronco is tall and lanky—much bigger than PJ—and while I usually wouldn’t pair such a size difference for a first social introduction, Bronco’s excellent temperament made him a good candidate.
But something happened during the session that prompted me to write this post.
As I turned to answer a parent’s question, I caught their 8-year-old daughter bending over to hug Bronco. She’s absolutely smitten with dogs, but like many kids, she doesn’t yet understand dog body language. Bronco was clearly anxious—he pulled back and immediately gave consecutive lip licks. I intervened quickly. That moment stayed with me, because I know it could have ended badly. Plus, I know the statistics.
Why Dogs Don’t Like Hugs
This might sound controversial, but it’s a fact: most dogs don’t like hugs. Hugs are a human, primate behavior—canines simply don’t show affection this way. However, some dogs learn to tolerate it. In rare cases a few may even enjoy it. More importantly, the majority feel anxious or stressed when a person, especially a child, puts their arms around them or leans into their face.
When a dog feels stressed, it will often communicate discomfort through subtle signs long before growling or biting. These include:
- Lip licking
- Yawning
- Turning the head away
- Stiffening of the body
- Whale eye (showing the whites of the eyes)
- Raised lips or growling (these are late-stage warnings)
Unfortunately, parents often miss these early signals. If a dog seems to tolerate hugs, it doesn’t mean they enjoy them. In most cases, it means they’re enduring discomfort until they can’t anymore.
Dog Bite Statistics Involving Children
Here’s an uncomfortable truth: most dog bites happen from dogs the child knows. Often, it’s the family dog that bites.
To put things into perspective, let’s look at a few key dog bite statistics:
What Parents Can Do to Prevent Dog Bites
Education is key. With the right guidance, you can reduce risk significantly. Here’s how:
- Learn to read canine body language.
Recognize signs of stress like lip licking, yawning, head turns, and stiffness. Then, teach your child what those signs look like in your dog.
- Never punish the growl.
A growl is your dog’s early warning—it’s a gift. Therefore, punishing it can lead to more dangerous behaviors like biting without warning. Saying “No!” or “Bad Boy!” is punishment.
- Use slowly progressive desensitization.
Help your dog become comfortable with close contact through short, structured sessions (like husbandry training), always using positive reinforcement.
- Video your dog when your child gets close and review the footage together.
If your child hugs your dog after being asked not to, this approach can help. Reviewing a clip allows kids to better understand what discomfort looks like.
- Use positive reinforcement with your child.
Just like dogs, kids respond well to encouragement. Therefore, offer praise or a small reward for calm, respectful, and gentle behavior around dogs.
- Supervise all interactions with children under age 9.
Never leave young children alone with a dog—no matter how trusted the dog is.
In my own practice, I’ve only met a handful of dogs out of the 500+ I’ve worked with that genuinely enjoy being hugged. Most simply don’t. Even bending over a dog and petting it on the head—a natural human gesture—can feel threatening to some dogs.
Want to Learn More About Dog Body Language?
Understanding your dog’s stress signals is one of the most important parts of preventing bites. Here are a few helpful resources:
Reviewing these materials with your child can be a fun and educational bonding experience. Additionally, discussing them during family time reinforces what safe, respectful interaction looks like.
Ultimately, the more you and your child learn to observe, the safer everyone becomes.
Stay safe and keep training smart.
As a professional dog trainer who has worked with hundreds of dogs and families, I often find myself helping parents understand not just how to train their dogs, but how to keep their children safe around them.
Recently, I was working with a young family introducing their dog PJ to Bronco, a German Shepherd mix I’ve trusted for years. Bronco is tall and lanky—much bigger than PJ—and while I usually wouldn’t pair such a size difference for a first social introduction, Bronco’s excellent temperament made him a good candidate.
But something happened during the session that prompted me to write this post.
As I turned to answer a parent’s question, I caught their 8-year-old daughter bending over to hug Bronco. She’s absolutely smitten with dogs, but like many kids, she doesn’t yet understand dog body language. Bronco was clearly anxious—he pulled back and immediately gave consecutive lip licks. I intervened quickly. That moment stayed with me, because I know it could have ended badly. Plus, I know the statistics.
Why Dogs Don’t Like Hugs
This might sound controversial, but it’s a fact: most dogs don’t like hugs. Hugs are a human, primate behavior—canines simply don’t show affection this way. However, some dogs learn to tolerate it. In rare cases a few may even enjoy it. More importantly, the majority feel anxious or stressed when a person, especially a child, puts their arms around them or leans into their face.
When a dog feels stressed, it will often communicate discomfort through subtle signs long before growling or biting. These include:
- Lip licking
- Yawning
- Turning the head away
- Stiffening of the body
- Whale eye (showing the whites of the eyes)
- Raised lips or growling (these are late-stage warnings)
Unfortunately, parents often miss these early signals. If a dog seems to tolerate hugs, it doesn’t mean they enjoy them. In most cases, it means they’re enduring discomfort until they can’t anymore.
Dog Bite Statistics Involving Children
Here’s an uncomfortable truth: most dog bites happen from dogs the child knows. Often, it’s the family dog that bites.
To put things into perspective, let’s look at a few key dog bite statistics:
What Parents Can Do to Prevent Dog Bites
Education is key. With the right guidance, you can reduce risk significantly. Here’s how:
- Learn to read canine body language.
Recognize signs of stress like lip licking, yawning, head turns, and stiffness. Then, teach your child what those signs look like in your dog.
- Never punish the growl.
A growl is your dog’s early warning—it’s a gift. Therefore, punishing it can lead to more dangerous behaviors like biting without warning. Saying “No!” or “Bad Boy!” is punishment.
- Use slowly progressive desensitization.
Help your dog become comfortable with close contact through short, structured sessions (like husbandry training), always using positive reinforcement.
- Video your dog when your child gets close and review the footage together.
If your child hugs your dog after being asked not to, this approach can help. Reviewing a clip allows kids to better understand what discomfort looks like.
- Use positive reinforcement with your child.
Just like dogs, kids respond well to encouragement. Therefore, offer praise or a small reward for calm, respectful, and gentle behavior around dogs.
- Supervise all interactions with children under age 9.
Never leave young children alone with a dog—no matter how trusted the dog is.
In my own practice, I’ve only met a handful of dogs out of the 500+ I’ve worked with that genuinely enjoy being hugged. Most simply don’t. Even bending over a dog and petting it on the head—a natural human gesture—can feel threatening to some dogs.
Want to Learn More About Dog Body Language?
Understanding your dog’s stress signals is one of the most important parts of preventing bites. Here are a few helpful resources:
Reviewing these materials with your child can be a fun and educational bonding experience. Additionally, discussing them during family time reinforces what safe, respectful interaction looks like.
Ultimately, the more you and your child learn to observe, the safer everyone becomes.
Stay safe and keep training smart.
