Petting means caressing. It is a show of affection and love. It is also considered as a form of foreplay and thus has sexual connotations. Actually it is an American term and originally meant to stoke or caress. But today it means to stimulate someone by 'cuddling' or 'snogging'. It is a slang term and is often used since the 20th century.
This term is also used when humans stroke, caress and cuddle their pets like dogs or cats. Here this term is an indication of affection and liking. It involves brushing, scratching its fur, rubbing its belly. It offers a mutual enjoyment and builds a bond between the owner and the pet. It can act as a reward when training an intelligent animal such as a dog, rather than to reward behaviour with food. There are different ways of petting and different animals respond to different ways according to their nature.
This term is also used when humans stroke, caress and cuddle their pets like dogs or cats. Here this term is an indication of affection and liking. It involves brushing, scratching its fur, rubbing its belly. It offers a mutual enjoyment and builds a bond between the owner and the pet. It can act as a reward when training an intelligent animal such as a dog, rather than to reward behaviour with food. There are different ways of petting and different animals respond to different ways according to their nature.
