"Behaviorists believe that depriving a dog of that course of action by immobilising him with a hug can increase his stress level and, if the dog's anxiety becomes significantly intense, he may bite.
"行为学家认为,拥抱使得狗难以动弹,剥夺了它的行动自由,会提升它的压力水平,并且,如果它变得非常焦虑,也许还会咬人.
"The clear recommendation to come out of this research is to save your hugs for your two-footed family members and lovers.
"显而易见,基于这项研究,我们建议大家还是把拥抱留给家人和爱人吧.
"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'.
"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."
The advice was also repeated by animal experts in Britain who recommend 'calm stroking' of pets instead of a cuddle.
英国动物专家也提过这样的建议——"平静地安抚",不要搂抱.
Claire Matthews, Senior Canine Behaviourist at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, says: "A hug might be a normal social greeting for humans but it isn't for a dog.
"巴特西猫狗之家"的资深犬类行为学家克莱尔·马修斯说："对人类来说,拥抱可能是社会交往中正常的问候,但对狗来说不是这样的.
"Subtle stress signals can be missed when you're hugging your pet and this could lead to a negative reaction, so it's about recognising when your dog is uncomfortable.
"你在拥抱爱宠时,并不会注意到那些微妙的压力信号,这可能导致它们的消极反应,因此你应该意识到你的狗什么时候感到不舒服.
"Some people think that giving their dog a hug is a nice thing to do, but the reality is that a family pet will often tolerate a hug but doesn't like it.
"有些人认为,给狗一个拥抱是好事,但事实是,家养宠物经常不得不忍受拥抱,而不是喜欢.
"When you hug a dog it usually show signs of stress because it invades their personal space – a person putting two arms around the neck of a dog can be interpreted as being intimidating and means that it can't move away from the situation it is uncomfortable with."
"当你抱着狗狗时,它通常会表现出紧张的样子,因为你侵犯了它们的个体空间——两条胳膊绕着狗的脖子会被狗理解为威胁,意味着它难以从不舒服的环境中逃脱."
Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary added: "Dogs are often considered part of the family, however they are not human and may therefore react differently to certain interactions such as hugging.
"养犬俱乐部"秘书长卡洛琳·基思科补充道："狗通常被认作是家里的一分子,然而它们并不是人类,所以也许会对拥抱之类的互动有不同的反应.
"On the whole dogs are sociable animals and love interacting with people, but any action that restricts a dog's movement could make them uncomfortable and it is important for an owner to recognise the signs of stress or anxiety."
"总的来说狗是喜欢交际的动物,喜欢与人交流,但任何限制它们活动的行为都会让他们感到难受,所以主人能识别出压力或焦虑的信号就显得十分重要."
英文来源：每日电讯报
