Don't give your dog hug, study says

A new study indicates that dogs don't like hugs, which could be surprising to a lot of dog owners.

According to an article published in Psychology Today, hugs stress dogs out. Canine behaviorist Stanley Coren wrote than when a dog gets hugged, they interpret it differently than humans.

Scroll down to take our poll. How often do you hug your dog?

According to a "Today" show article, humans get a surge of hormone oxytocin when they hug. But a happy dog is one that approaches someone and doesn't feel immobilized by someone's arms.

"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," Coren said.

The following are signs of stress in your dog:

• Turning his head away from whatever is bothering him
• Closing his eyes (full or partial)
• Eye whites (dogs have them, but we only tend to see them when the dog is stressed)
• Lowered or slicked-back ears