Every once in a while, I'm struck by an alarming question

[conuly]

What if Moonpie does not like tummy rubs? What if she merely endures them, playing along because she's a small dog and we are big humans?

I think she likes them.

But what if she doesn't?

Dogs are not as easy to understand as cats are.

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Comments

[movingfinger]

My rule of thumb is, if the animal initiates or invites, they like it. The cat-on-back signal is confusing to people who know dogs, there's a posture for "stroke my tummy like Mommy used to" and a different one for "TUSSLE PARTY!!!!"

[conuly]

Yeah, we generally assume that too. Except when the worries hit.

[pwcorgigirl]

The article about reindeer eyes is fascinating. Our oldest dog was born without the tapetum lucidum in her eyes, so they glow red in the dark. The other dogs have the more usual green glow in the dark. She's also the dog who has lost most of her vision and her pupils are permanently dilated, so when she's angry, her eyes turn dark red. She has scared the hell out of a few door to door sales people with those eyes! :-D

Our dogs generally prefer to have their chests gently scratched instead of a tummy rub. All of our cats operate the Venus Hand Trap: they'll flop onto their backs and when we reach out to pet that soft tummy, they grab our hands and try to kill them.

[conuly]

I'm not dumb enough to pet a cat tummy.

But cats are so easy to understand! They headbonk you, and they purr, and it's clear that they mean business.

[cellio]

I would think that a dog (or cat) who doesn't like what you're doing would find some way to communicate it. Even if the animal is feeling dominated and therefore compelled, I would think that whines, tail thumps, or attempts to roll away would be possible.

But I have cats. Cats'll just smack you. So there's that.

[conuly]

Yeah, but she's such a sweet dog.