8 Horribly Depressing Scientific Discoveries

6. Dogs Hate Hugs

Hey, wanna know something that will not only ruin your day, but also your life, both past, present, and future?

Dogs hate being hugged.

Your dog hates it when you hug it.

Stop hugging dogs.

Although it might feel like a loving thing to do, one study showed that as many as 80% of the 250 dogs that they studied looked visibly uncomfortable and stressed whilst being hugged, and the likelihood is that even more felt stressed on the inside.

Signs of stress and anxiety include folding its ears down, turning its head away to avoid eye contact, closing its eyes, or licking its lips. Yawning or raising one paw is also not a good sign.

Animal psychologists think that this is because dogs are naturally cursorial, which means that their primary defence mechanism is running away. Hugging them prevents them from being able to do this if they wanted to, putting the dog under stress. The advice is to stroke your pets calmly or play with them, but not to try and restrict their movements.

If you're looking for a shred of good news, you can take comfort in the fact that this was just one study, and wasn't peer reviewed. If your dog really seems to dig cuddles, then go for it.