Dog Hugs Are Good Any Day

I was intrigued when I came across the Beneful Facebook "Hug Your Dog Day" event because I thought who hugs their dog? Then I realized I do. A-lot. This of course for the most part is a marketing campaign but according to a recent poll more than half of dog owners hug their dogs more than their human relations.

I decided to head to Facebook to check out all the hullabaloo and found that a number of responses were concerned that children could be bitten while hugging dogs. This happened to my son when one of his sisters was giving a little too much love to our Jack Russell/ Chihuahua mixed breed Nacho and is a serious concern. My pets are used to being around children and are well adapted but every creature has their limit. My son suffered only a minor cut on his nose but it was scary.

I'm all about hugging those puppies but animals are just like people you have to read into what makes them uncomfortable and adjust your behavior. I hug my dogs until their eyes bulge out but that is because they are accustomed to me behaving that way, and since they bite my rear and the back of legs as part of their welcome home ritual...we're even. I'll hug and  squeeze  my dogs when I get home but I won't be telling the kids about any of this hug your dog day business. I'll tell them its national walk your dog day and save myself some work.