Should I pet my dog only when it approaches me?

Question
Hi Charlotte,

my parents and I have been having dogs for all my life now.  Recently a friend of mine has told me, that I should only pet my dog, when it approaches me and shows that it wants to be pet.  He said, that I should leave it alone and not pet it if it does not explicitly show to me, that it wants the attention.
I do not know what to do now.
Is it true what he has told me?

Thank you very much in advance for your answer.

Best regards,
Mark


Answer
Hi Mark'
Your friend is nuts!
You pet your dog when hshe wants you to, and when YOU want to pet him/her.
Sometimes my little Lhasa mix is too busy for me to pet him, but I pick him up,and tell him I am his mom and I will get loving when I please.
I feel sorry for your friend's dog if he has one.
Your dog wants to be a opart of your family.
You bond with your dog. He/she is your best friend.
I love on my dogs all he time.
I hugged my children when they wanted and when I wanted.
Well. my dogs are my 4 legged children.
My grandchildren love on my dogs all the time they are over here, and they love on their own animals all the time.
Just like people, animals cannot have too much love.
They can be spoiled to being allowed to do as they please, but they can't be spoiled with too much love.
I am 71, and have had animals since I was 3 years old, and cared for my own animals. My dad was a Veterinarian, and he taught me how to take care of my animals myself.
You give your dog the love you want to give it. It, just like any other dog, will appreciate and take all it can get.
Whoever told your friend such a thing is obviously ignorant about animals. AND people.
Charlotte