Petting 170659 218729623 2008-06-11T22:22:43Z Asgar 1109448 In German, 'Petting' is always sexual, but this article mainly refers to petting an animal, this is 'Streicheln' {{Two other uses|the affectionate behavior|a petting zoo|zoo|the village in Germany|Petting, Germany}} [[Image:Groundhogpetting.jpg|right|thumb|Petting a [[groundhog]]]] '''Petting''' is the affectionate act of [[stroking]], [[brushing]] or [[caress]]ing an animal's fur, scratching its ears, rubbing its belly etc., for mutual enjoyment. Grooming behavior in some animals is similar to petting, but generally the verb "pet" refers to a human petting a nonhuman animal or another human being. ==As reward== Petting an animal can act as a reward when training an intelligent animal such as a dog, rather than to reward behavior with food. [[Affection training]] enthusiasts say that food should be given only at mealtimes. An affectionate ruffling of the neck fur, a scratch behind the ears, or a kind word may work quicker and be more humane than 'treats.' ==Technique== Different animals respond well to different types of petting, even within the same species: one [[cat]] may enjoy a light scratch, just between its eyes, while another cat may demand to be kneaded like a loaf of bread. A [[dog]] might like to be brushed, a [[horse]] may prefer a curry comb rubbed in circles, whilst [[parrot]]s can enjoy having the tops of their heads gently scratched, against the grain of their [[feathers|plumage]]. Some animals, including many cats, seem to hate being petted in the reverse direction from the way their fur goes, so much so that to "rub someone the wrong way" is an idiomatic way of saying that an action annoys someone. ==Between humans==<!-- This section is linked from [[Foreplay]] --> By extension, between humans, petting also means [[affection]]ate stroking and caressing. In the latter case the term often has a [[Human sexual behavior|sexual connotation]], eg. ([[Outercourse|"heavy petting"]]). ==See also== *[[Affection]] *[[Animal love]] *[[Pet]] *[[Physical intimacy]] [[bg:Петинг]] [[cs:Petting]] [[da:Petting]] [[de:Streicheln]] [[es:Petting]] [[it:Petting]] [[lt:Glamonės]] [[ja:ペッティング]] [[nn:Petting]] [[pl:Petting]] [[ru:Петтинг]] [[sk:Petting]] [[sv:Petting]] [[uk:Петинг]] [[Category:Human-animal relationships]] [[Category:Intimate relationships]]