hug therapy, reconsidered

Wondering if there's something to that hug therapy mentioned on Back Yard Chickens...

While I was sitting down and distracting the geese from Spouse's car repair efforts yesterday, the two ganders - for whatever crotchety reason - decided to charge me.

[Mind you, Billy-Bob and Godzilla are about as scary as a down pillow being tossed about. Perhaps because I've raised them by hand I know they're mostly bluster and bluff.]

From their individual charges, each almost ended up in my lap. I would then scoop the gander up, snuggle securely and gently pet him until he calmed down. Miraculously, they were both much less cranky towards me afterward. Then again, perhaps they were too busy to be cranky, both preening themselves furiously after their hugs as if to rid themselves of the stench of "that @#$!! human!"

[pic: I think that's actually Dr. Girlfriend and Duchess. Oh, and geese smell SOOO good, like sunlight and warm grass. "Mama loves her goozuls, yes she does!"]