I've got some bad news: Your dog doesn't like being hugged, even though you love to hug them.
Human face: Joy. Dog face: Terror.
That isn't definitive, nor is it every single dog (#NotEveryDog) - Louboutina, for instance, is seemingly all about hugs.
But, chances are, your dog isn't. And that's just scratching the surface of the many misconceptions we often ascribe to our canine family members. What other commonly-held beliefs about dogs are actually wrong? And what does it mean for our relationships with the dogs in our lives?
Reuters/Claro Cortes
How do dogs feel about clothing, for instance?
I spoke with dog cognition researcher Dr. Alexandra Horowitz - author of "Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know" and "Being a Dog: Following the Dog Into a World of Smell" - to learn more.
Here's what I found out.
More from Ben Gilbert:
- You probably shouldn't hug your dog, and 3 other common things we get wrong about dogs
- Everything you need to know about 'Battlegrounds' - an unfinished game that's already made $60 million
- 10 crucial recipes for surviving in 'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild'
- Everything we know about the new 'Call of Duty,' which is returning to World War II
- The only recipe you need to conquer the delightfully tough new 'Legend of Zelda' game (NTDOY)