One thing dogs love so much is getting affectionate scratches by the people they love. You might have observed your dog come to you just to get kind strokes.
The funny fact is that, sometimes, a friendly pup might meet a stranger to get scratches, and you tend to wonder why they love getting stroked affectionately.
Well, most times, scratching your dog at their favorite spot helps ease a lot of stress and helps them relax.
Yeah, I mentioned “favorite spot” because every dog has a particular place they love being pet. In other words, all pups have preferences, and there are some points that you would touch and you would notice the ecstasy they get.
The best spots where dogs love to be scratched
These are the 7 best spots that make most dogs melt and wag their tail in pleasure:
Upper Chest
Some dogs love to get soft scratches on their upper chest area. This is common among dogs that are still trying to bond with you.
Most times, they tend to roll over to get a rub on their tummy and this position is less vulnerable.
As you scratch your pooch on their chest, they tend to keep you in full view so they can be sure you’re not going to sneak upon them.
Don’t let your hands go over their head as you scratch them. Otherwise, they might lose vision of it and think you’re about to hurt them.
However, the good part of scratching your furry friend’s chest is that they get a chance to sniff your hand or arm, and this helps them get to know you better.
Under the chin
Dogs also love to get gentle strokes on the underside of their snouts. You can try this on a dog you’ve just met, but ensure you get permission from the owner and the dog sniff you first.
You may instinctively want to extend the scratching to the dog’s head, but many pooches will see this as a threat and this can be dangerous.
So a better bet is to go under the chin of your furry friends, especially the skittish dogs.
Under the collar
The back of a dog’s neck, particularly under the collar, may be hard for them to reach, and this is one of the spots they love to get good scratches.
More so, when dogs wear a collar, the area feels a little itchier, and you can give them a nice, thorough scratching when you’re both safely inside.
The base of the tail
If you’ve ever stroked your dog’s velvety soft ears, you’d have noticed that they tend to turn around and offer you their rear. Although it might not look cute, dogs love being scratched on their lower back.
Dr. Bonnie Beaver, a professor at Texas A&M University, explains, “Most dogs love to get good scratching on their rear because they find it very hard to reach that region themselves.
You can think about it yourself- The hardest place to reach on your body is definitely the middle of your back. And sometimes, you tend to get someone to help you scratch that region.
Shoulders
Another spot that dogs love to get good scratches is their shoulders. When you give your pup’s shoulder some extra attention, it won’t make them feel vulnerable. Besides, that spot is also a difficult one for them to reach themselves.
Just like humans, dogs also love to get a good shoulder massage. So do this often and your feline friend would be so happy and pleased.
Behind the ears
There are a large number of nerve endings on dogs’ ears, and these nerves reach internal organs. When you scratch a dog behind their ears, they tend to feel more relaxed and might even sleep off.
Studies have shown that when a dog gets good scratching behind the ears, their brain releases endorphins, the same chemical that humans release when they experience the “runner’s high” from a physical exercise.
So if you notice that your dog is nervous, stressed, or needs to calm down, you can spend some time scratching behind their ears.
The belly
It’s very rare to see a dog that does like getting a belly rub or scratch. Most dogs even ask for it rolling onto their back when you pet them. This move does not mean they’re submitting to you, instead, they are asking to get a good scratch on their belly.
Science has not been able to prove why dogs love to get belly scratch so much. However, the major theory right now states that the hair follicles on the dog’s belly are very sensitive, and when you scratch their belly area, they sense it and get a good feeling.
You would notice that dogs don’t grow much hair on their belly. That makes it easier for you to have close access to their skin through good scratching.
Worst places to scratch a dog
Although dogs love being pet anywhere, they prefer to get a good scratching in the places mentioned above.
However, there are some worst places to scratch a dog. The word “worst” does not mean that the dog will hate it, but they prefer to be touched in the spots listed above instead of these spots mentioned below:
The tail
The dog’s tail is an important part used for communication with each other and humans. Our furry friends would prefer not to be touched on their tail. Just imagine someone seizes your ability to speak, that’s how dogs feel when you pet their tails.
The Paws/Legs
Dogs tend to feel uneasy when you pet or scratch their legs. This is mainly because they depend on their legs to escape from danger. So they don’t want anything to happen to their “way of escape.”
The Head
Some dogs wouldn’t mind getting scratched on the end, but many of them don’t like it. So watch your dog’s reaction when you attempt touching their head. If they “duck” and close their eyes as you try touching their head, then don’t move further.
One more reason why dogs don’t like getting scratched on their head is that they don’t want you to touch their eyes and nose. They rely on their nose to explore the world around them and it can be hurtful when you mistakenly poke them in the eye.
Conclusion
Dogs love to be scratched by their owners, but they have favorite spots. So what works for one dog may not work for the other. However, the best spots that work for almost all dogs include the upper chest, under the arm, under the collar, base of the tail, shoulders, belly, and behind the ears.
The worst parts to scratch your dog include the head, tail, paws, and legs.
If you want to know the best spot for your dog, you can simply listen more to their body language. You’ll eventually learn about your dog’s favorite spot if the dog is happy, stressed, scared, and so on. A good sign to show that appreciate your scratching is when they wag their tail or nudge at your hand when you stop.
However, the good thing is that dogs are patient pets, and even if you scratch them where they prefer you not to touch them, they still know you love them and will still show you affection.