Greeting a Dog.. their way!
Scroll down for Easy to Follow Rules for Greeting a Dog!
Scroll down for Easy to Follow Rules for Greeting a Dog!
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Saying hello to a dog is something most people have done and feel comfortable doing! Dogs have been an integral part of out lives for centuries. However, not many people stop to think "Does this dog want me to pet it right now?" We are often overcome with love and admiration for their adorable faces, we tend to move right in and begin petting the dog in front of us.
One of the biggest causes for dog bites are miscommunications between humans and dogs. We tend to think we know what dogs are feeling.. but these assumptions are not often accurate. We humans have ways of communicating with one another that are in fact similar to dogs.. however there are a few major differences that can cause our doggie friends to feel threatened by us without you even knowing!
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no no
yes yes
NO NO!
YES YES!
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We assume dogs enjoy what we do when we greet them.. things like: bending over so they can smell our hand.. making eye contact or staring at them.. standing shoulder square.. approaching with intention to touch them.. bending down and hugging them.. holding their face while we kiss them.. touching their belly when they roll over.. to name a few!
In truth, most dogs do not like any of this type of interaction when first meeting you! All of these behaviors feel super invasive to dogs and most dogs need established trust with an individual to enjoy these interactions. For us, it would be like meeting a stranger and instead of extending a hand to shake, they kiss you on the lips! That would be extremely WEIRD and you might have some words for that person.. you may even push them away from you! But for some reason, we expect dogs to tolerate our incredibly rude but well intentioned behavior.. Interesting, isn't it?! You must be thinking.. well how SHOULD I say hello to a dog then? Easy! Greeting a dog should include lots of observation and neutral engagement! Meaning.. just hang out standing or squatting where you are with your shoulder back and chin up, use a happy voice to invite the dog over to you, allow the dog to come to you and sniff without you bending over them or petting them too much. Remember, dogs explore with their nose and them sniffing you isn't an invitation to pet them! That's just them being curious about you!
This will give you a few moments to get to know the dog and judge their comfort level. Anything less then jumpy, wiggly, tail wagging, mouth open with uncontrollable obvious joy from the dog about your presence means the dog isn't fully comfy and will need some space from you. Dogs really take well to predictable and fluid movements. The less erratic you are, the more they will gain trust points with you! The best thing you can do to ensure a positive experience for both you and the dog is to take their lead, read their body language and don't overwhelm them with your desire to touch them. NEVER.. I mean NEVER put your face down in a dogs face that you do not have established trust with! |
Here are some easy to follow rules for Greeting a Dog!
1. Let the dog come to you! If they don't come to you, they don't feel comfortable or safe to say hello yet. Don't force them!
2. 3 Second Pet Rule. Imagine your naked and everyone wants to touch you.. not fun, right? Well, that's how dogs feel when they are being petted TOO much! The 3 Second Pet Rule is an easy way to pet the doggie while also ensuring you're not overwhelming them. Only touch the dog for max 3 seconds them stop. See what the dog does.. does he walk away, does he come closer to you, does he slink under a table? This will give you valuable information on where you stand with that doggie!
3. Don't bend over. Bending at the waist is REALLY scary to dogs! Direct eye contact and bending over are both very threatening in their language! Instead, squat or stand off to the side, keep your shoulders back and chin up.
Do not put your face to their face. That is a big NO NO!
1. Let the dog come to you! If they don't come to you, they don't feel comfortable or safe to say hello yet. Don't force them!
2. 3 Second Pet Rule. Imagine your naked and everyone wants to touch you.. not fun, right? Well, that's how dogs feel when they are being petted TOO much! The 3 Second Pet Rule is an easy way to pet the doggie while also ensuring you're not overwhelming them. Only touch the dog for max 3 seconds them stop. See what the dog does.. does he walk away, does he come closer to you, does he slink under a table? This will give you valuable information on where you stand with that doggie!
3. Don't bend over. Bending at the waist is REALLY scary to dogs! Direct eye contact and bending over are both very threatening in their language! Instead, squat or stand off to the side, keep your shoulders back and chin up.
Do not put your face to their face. That is a big NO NO!
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Open inviting space for the dogs to move and feel comfortable through. Yes!
The next dog you say hello to will most surely THANK YOU
for speaking their language!!
for speaking their language!!