[timdog13]

My girlfriend has an american eskimo, about 7 years old that was a rescue dog from a pound about 4 months ago. He will occasionally growl at her if she is giving to much what I call human love, kisses on the nose, hugs around his neck or when she picks him up to hold/hug him. He will dog play with me batting me with his paws, playful mouth, roll over etc. But he will not do it with her, any ideas why?

Thanks!

 

[Amaryllis]

Those two things are connected. Hugging, kissing and picking up are terrifying and/or angering to dogs. He's tolerating a certain amount, then telling her to stop. She needs to find out what the dog likes, not what she likes.

 

[Nev Allen]

Dogs like their space just as we humans do. Some cuddle some don't. Your's evidently doesn't so your gf needs to do other things to interact with him. Does he play with tug toys. If not make a flirt pole and work with his inherent prey drive until you can hold the rope on the pole and have a game of tug. Build on this but always make it fun and rewarding.

Your gf also needs to become the dogs best friend. Hand feeding him his dinner is a good start. Having a bowl of high value treats at hand and rewarding him for doing things for her such as sit, drop, come, and so on.

Time, patience and consistency will bring good results.

 

[CptJack]

She needs to find out what the dog likes, not what she likes.

This. Some dogs will tolerate being picked up, hugged, or kissed on the face, but very few dogs will enjoy it. My dog is a velcro-dog in the extreme. Which means he wants to be near me/beside me/at my feet/follow me around. He will occasionally crawl into my lap. But being picked up, hugged or kissed? Er. No.

Give him affection HE understands, and do what makes him happy rather than doing what she wants with him, and she'll be far more enjoyable for the dog to be around.

Also, as a general safety measure? Never, ever stick your face in a dog's face. Even if the dog is your own. Especially if you're holding them by the head. That's just asking to be bitten.

 

[xxxxdogdragoness]

Izze didn't like to be hugged by anyone except for me lol, buddy loves to be hugged, josefina doesn't like either but OH (it's 'his' dog so I stay out of it). What if anything does it do to their relationship if he repeatedly does this?

 

[chubby]

I think any dog should have positive associations with being picked up simply because there will be times in his life that he will need to be picked up (i.e if he's injured, etc). in that sense, if you work hard at getting them accustomed to being picked up by giving treats, praise, toys, etc so that eventually the dog will be ok with it (not necessarily liike it but at least he won't want to bite you for it).

Hugging is a very dominant behaviour. Especially if you're looming over a dog, or wrapping your arms around their neck/body. My dog is very small, so instead of 'HUGGING' in a very dominant manner, I just pick her up like a baby and rest her against my chest. She enjoys this far more than me leaning over her and wrapping my arms around her entire body, which is very intimating and dominating to the dog. For kissing, I don't kiss her face. I will kiss maybe the lower part of her neck or even her body if I want to be selfish and show some affection to her. She is happy with this, but just not the face area.

 

[NDpups]

Those two things are connected. Hugging, kissing and picking up are terrifying and/or angering to dogs. He's tolerating a certain amount, then telling her to stop. She needs to find out what the dog likes, not what she likes.

Annoying to SOME dogs. My two favorite dogs ever both lapped it up like sponges. I have one that doesn't tolerate much of it, and he's just an animal I've kept alive for 12 years. He'll play ball, and he was very good at agility (I didn't like it, tho) Not a pet at all to me. In fact, looking back, I wonder why I even kept him.