Ben Johnson met the brindle pitbull he adopted when he was volunteering at the Humane Society.

Assuming that the abandoned dog might be suspicious of humans, he got down on the pup’s level – and it turns out the sweet Pittie that would come to be named Dash was quite the hugger!

“I squatted down so I didn’t appear intimidating. He walked over to me, put his head in my chest … I put my arms around him for a hug for about 10 minutes,” Johnson told The Dodo.

Dash doesn’t just like hugs, it’s like he needs them. In fact, he insists on them!

“Every time I saw him after that he would push into my chest until I hugged him,” Johnson said.

Of course, that gave him an instant affinity for the sweet shelter pup and Johnson decided to sponsor Dash in the Society’s charity walk that year. When it was over, he got permission to take Dash home for the night for some relaxation since it had been so hot out that day.

And we all know what happens next.

Dash loved being in a home and even snuggled up to Johnson’s lab mix on the couch that night.

But what really convinced Johnson to make him part of the family was what happened the next morning, when he looked around for Dash only to find the sweet Pittie in the bedroom of his 5-year-old son.

“Our son had a Fisher-Price tool set out and was giving Dash a dental exam with a plastic screwdriver,” Johnson said. “Dash laid on his back with his mouth open while our son gave him a full exam. It was at that point that we realized he was never leaving our home.”

That’s quite a lot of patience for any dog to have!

Of course, Johnson ended up adopting Dash, who was grateful for the new home he fit into so well. And that fateful night wasn’t just the pitbull being on his best behavior – sweet, friendly, and patient is just the way this dog rolls.

Even a few years later he still absolutely LOVES his hugs.

In fact, Dash still insists on a hug every single morning before he has his breakfast.

“He has engaged in the pre-breakfast hug routine for a couple of years now,” Johnson said. “When putting his bowl down, he will wait to eat, wag his tail, and glance over at you until you hug him.”

While some researchers have posited the dogs don’t enjoy being hugged by humans and actually feel stressed by it, it’s clear that even if that proves largely true, it simply isn’t the case for all dogs. (Of course, you should never put your arm around a dog you don’t know and aren’t on good terms with.)

Some dogs, such as therapy dogs, also learn to tolerate hugging. But just because your dog might not like hugs doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy affection – they just don’t enjoy being constrained and squeezed.

But if you have a dog like Dash (and, remember, we don’t know how he became so eager to hug since he was a rescue), you’ll find yourself practically forced to hug your dog.

Dash will sometimes stop mid-meal just for another reassuring squeeze.

“He requires at least one hug, sometimes two, and occasionally will stop mid-meal for an extra hug,” Johnson said of the sweet pittie.

You can click here to get a glimpse of Dash’s mealtime affection routine in action.

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Source: The Dodo, American Kennel Club, Mother Nature Network