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Dog Belly Rubs—Likes and Dislikes 

The most joyous part of having a dog is petting him whenever you wish to. It not only bestows joy to you and your pup but also strengthens the bond, trust and affection between you and your lovely companion. Your dog knows that when you pet them and spend some time with them, you are expressing your love and care for what they are. In response, your four-legged partner may show some postures where their stomach is exposed, paws in the air and smiling face expressing a happy relaxed mood. That means your pup is ready to fully trust you and asking for getting their belly rubbed.

On the flip, sometimes, this kind of postures also indicates submissive behaviors. It can be the act of submission that serves to stop aggression or a tactic executed for combat purposes. Also, it can be observed when dogs are trying to diffuse social nervousness by indicating themselves innocuous or non-dangerous.

By reading the following dog’s body language signals, you can easily understand when your dog is demanding a belly rub or showing submissive behavior.

Signals that need belly rubs:

v  Loose or wiggly body postures

v  Tongue flopping around opened mouth

v  Bright or squinty eyes, not staring at anything for long

v  Sounds in a slow, low-pitched panting voice

v  Swanky tail wag and shows little extra love by pawing at you

Signals that show submissive behavior:

v  Tensed and low body postures

v  Lots of lip-licking, tongue flipping, pulled lips or closed mouth

v  Widely opened eyes staring into the distance without any movement of the head

v  Tucked, still or maybe wagging tail—not in one position

v  No sounds or low soft whine

Now, once you find out that your dog is actually asking for a belly rub. While petting, you might be wondering why dogs enjoy belly rubs? And what if some dogs don’t? Let’s dig it out!

Why Dogs like Belly Rub?

There are many signs that indicate the dog’s trust in humans and this is one of them. When your dog is comfortable to roll on its back and allows you to rub its belly, they simply imply significant trust in you. Loving human touch is one of the most lovable rewards for dogs. It’s also an opportunity to strengthen the bond as dogs love petting. Anecdotally, it seems that dogs could be asking to get their belly rubbed as they can’t easily scratch their tummy areas. While grooming dogs can reach their own shoulders, neck, and face but they do not have a good way to scratch their own belly part.

On the whole, just imagine how pleasant it feels to have someone rub your back or scratch an itch that you can’t reach. The same goes for dogs too, they could also feel very relaxed and enjoyable with their belly rubs.

Not every dog likes belly rubs

Most dogs tend to like or enjoy a comforting belly rub but not all of them. Never force a dog to roll onto his back; it may create other anxious behavioral issues. You can opt for many other ways to gain your dog’s trust and build-up a strong loving bond while petting. If you are not sure whether your dog is comfortable with a belly rub, just check to see any tense expression if they are exhibiting. Signs of being uncomfortable include tucked tail between legs, whining, barking and hunching up body parts to move away.

If your dog does not want to be petted the way you are trying (rubbing their belly), they might hunch up and moves away to relax. This is the most common signal you should take into account that your pup is not comfortable with the belly rub.

However, if your pup does not like to have its belly rubbed, there is nothing wrong. After all, it’s just a dog’s preference. It depends on the dog’s liking and nature