Mistakes People Make When Greeting A Dog
There are a litany of offenses that well-meaning humans commit against unsuspecting dogs when they meet for the first time. Who can honestly say they’ve never been guilty of one of these infractions?
1. Neglect to ask the dog’s person for permission to meet their dog.
2. Reach over the dog’s head and pat, pat, pat.
3. Put your face up close to the dog’s face and coo, “Oh, you’re soooo cute.”
4. Spot a dog you want to meet, make direct, unblinking eye contact, and quickly approach the dog making high-pitched vocalizations.
5. See an irresistible bundle of fur and walk up behind the dog to enthusiastically rub his or her cute little rump.
6. Approach a dog by looking directly at her and as you near with your arms extended, clap your hands, or click your fingers right at the dog’s face.
7. Notice a sweet dog laying down, crouch over at the waist, and slowly slink toward the dog with your arm outstretched.
8. Believe that because you love dogs, all dogs love you, too, and that you can forego the formalities that ordinary humans should observe.
I’ve been guilty of several of these infractions … and I’ve been lucky. Any of those situations could have ended badly for me and, even more tragically, for the poor unsuspecting pup.
To understand how these behaviors might be upsetting to a dog, ask a partner to help you. Request that your partner wait until you’ve completely forgotten this conversation, then stare you in the eye while approaching, quickly swish his hand past your eyes, over your forehead, and pat, pat, pat you on the head. (Go on, try it!)
If you have a stealthy partner, you’ll probably duck, twist your face in disgust, and pull away from his reach. If he’s really good he’ll continue to stare, smile, and squeal over how cute you are, and then pat, pat, pat you again.
My guess is that you’ll duck again and backed farther away. You’re likely to experience feelings of annoyance and possibly anger – and you know this person. Imagine if you didn’t!
Unfortunately, our dogs are often subjected to similarly inappropriate greeting. And then they’re scolded if they respond less than enthusiastically!
Dogs have their own language and protocols for meeting strangers (dogs and people) and, if you’re really a dog person, you’ll respect their preferences. After all, we don’t go to foreign countries and expect the locals to abide by our cultural norms. It’s not fair that the full burden of navigating life with another species should fall entirely on our dogs.
Not all dogs want to be approached by strangers. If you’ve ever said, “It’s okay … I’m a dog person!” in response to an owner’s warning that their dog prefers to be left alone, this article is for you.
When we traveled with Ty and Buster, we were often approached by people who want to meet the dogs. When I’d tell them that Ty was afraid of strangers and preferred to be admired from afar we’d often hear, “That’s okay, I’m a dog person!” The person would then proceed to ignore Ty body language and forget all the etiquette for how to greet a dog.
Even people with the best intentions make mistakes when greeting dogs they don’t know. Keep these tips in mind, and you’re likely to have a lot more furry friends.
Do: Let the dog approach you
When meeting a dog, it’s important to be calm and go slow. Your first instinct may be to run towards the dog with open arms, but not so fast! Approaching a dog in this way may startle them, and it can come off as intimidating. Instead, hold a natural stance, and allow the dog to come to you. You want to avoid coming across as fearful, however, as this can lead the dog to be defensive. Be careful, yet confident, when meeting a dog for the first time.
4 Key Tips on How to Meet Your New Rescue Dog for the First Time
As a dog lover, it’s hard to resist a furry face. The moment I see a dog or puppy, I suddenly stop in my tracks and grin from ear to ear. As I adore the dog from afar, I fight the urge to run up and pet the darling. Yes, my dog trainer self steps in and immediately reminds my dog lover side that not all dogs like to greet people and other dogs. So, I smile and walk away. It’s the best thing for the dog.
Within the dog world, polite greetings have recently changed. Instead of approaching a dog, and holding out your closed fist for a sniff, there’s a safer way to greet a dog for the first time. Not only is this greeting safer for people, but it’s also much safer for and more respectful to dogs.