Animal psychologists say dogs feel stressed and unhappy when they are embraced by their owners, because it stops them from running away.

In a study which analyzed 250 pictures of dogs as they were being hugged, eight out of 10 animals looked visibly uncomfortable. Experts at the Kennel Club and Battersea Dogs & Cats Home also agreed that owners should not treat their dogs like children, because most pets do not like to be cuddled.

The new study was carried out by Stanley Coren, a canine expert and professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia.

At an extreme end, when a dog is especially anxious, it bares its teeth or may bite, but Coren said there are “subtler indicators” that it may be uncomfortable. Signs of stress include the dog folding its ears down, half-moon eyes or turning its head away to avoid eye contact. If the dog has its eyes closed or is licking his lips it could also be a sign of anxiety. Yawning or raising one paw is another warning sign.

Coren found that in 81.6 percent of the photographs the dogs showed at least one sign of discomfort, stress, or anxiety. Only 7.6 percent of the photographs showed comfortable dogs while the remaining 10.8 percent were either neutral or ambiguous.

“Dogs are technically cursorial animals — a term that indicates they are designed for swift running,” Coren wrote in an article in Psychology Today.

“That implies that in times of stress or threat the first line of defence that a dog uses is not his teeth, but rather his ability to run away.

“Behaviorists believe that depriving a dog of that course of action by immobilizing him with a hug can increase his stress level and, if the dog’s anxiety becomes significantly intense, he may bite. It is clearly better from the dog’s point of view if you express your fondness for your pet with a pat, a kind word, and maybe a treat.”

The advice was also repeated by animal experts in Britain who recommend “calm stroking” of pets instead of a cuddle.

动物心理学家说，当狗狗被主人拥抱着的时候，它们会感到压力和不快，因为这样妨碍它们跑走。

一项研究分析了250张狗狗被拥抱的照片，十个里面有八个看上去明显不舒服。“养犬俱乐部”和“巴特西猫狗之家”的专家们也认为，主人们不应该把狗当做小孩，因为大多数宠物不喜欢被拥抱。

此项最新研究由斯坦利· 科伦负责，他是不列颠哥伦比亚大学的犬类专家和心理学教授。极端情况下，如果狗狗极度焦虑，就会龇牙或者咬人，但是科伦说还有“更微妙的迹象”表明它也许非常难受。

把耳朵耷拉下来、眼角耷拉或扭过头避免眼神接触都是狗狗感到压力的表现。如果狗狗闭上眼，或舔嘴唇，也可能是因为焦虑。张大嘴或举起一只爪子也是警告信号。科伦发现，81.6%的照片上，狗狗都至少有不舒服、紧张、焦虑中的一种表现。只有7.6%的照片上，狗狗看上去很舒服，而剩下那10.8%则反应不明显，或模棱两可。科伦在《今日心理学》杂志发表了一篇文章，他表示：“理论上讲，狗属于走兽，这个术语表明它们天生就喜欢敏捷地奔跑。”

“也就是说，当狗面临压力或威胁时，它们的第一道防线不是牙齿，而是逃跑的能力。行为学家认为，拥抱使得狗难以动弹，剥夺了它的行动自由，会让它感受到压力，如果它变得非常焦虑，也许还会咬人。从狗的角度来看，如果你想表达对它的喜爱，轻轻拍一下、说句温柔的话或者给点好吃的，这些方式显然更好。”

英国动物专家也提过这样的建议—“平静地安抚”，不要搂抱。(Chinadaily.com.cn)

(Chinadaily.com.cn)

   Words to Learn 相关词汇

    【拥抱】yōngbào cuddle hold fondly in the arms, hug tenderly

    【走禽类的】zǒuqín lèi de cursorial adapted to or specialized for running