Do: Let the dog sniff you
Introducing yourself to a new dog is all about understanding the dog’s instincts. Dogs have an extremely keen sense of smell. They use scent to understand, and make decisions about, their environment. In just a few sniffs, a dog can get a feel for the gender, health, and even the history of another dog. When a dog sniffs a person, they can determine whether that person has a dog of their own, where in the neighborhood the person might live, and more. They can also pick up on a person’s unique scent to jog their memory as to whether and when they’ve met before! To let a dog sniff you, don’t extend your hand to their face. Instead, let the dog approach you and sniff your hand on their own terms.
Allow the dog to sniff you
Once the dog comes over they will begin sniffing you. Scent is an extremely important sense for dogs. According to Phoenix Vet Center, their noses have 300 million olfactory glands, while ours have only 5 million. Furthermore, the part of their brain that analyzes smells is 40 times bigger than ours. I don’t know about you, but I’m seriously impressed by this!
It’s no wonder the smelling and sniffing stage of meeting a dog is so important! Giving a dog as much time as they need to sniff you down, uninterrupted is crucial. During this time the dog is learning things about you, like whether you have a dog, where you’ve been, what you’ve eaten, and maybe even where you live.
Dogs have associative memories that are often tied to scents. Your unique smell will help a dog remember you if you’ve met before, or catalog you for future meetings.
If the initial approach and smelling is going well, and you’re not seeing any negative, aggressive, or fearful body language from the dog, it is safe to present your hand
Hold your hand out, with the top of your hand facing up and fingers lightly curled under for sniffing. This is also the first movement you’ll make towards the dog and will allow you to further assess their reaction and comfort level with you.
At Dog Gone Seattle, we are always looking to match the right family with the right dog. Once we have ‘approved’ an application, the next step in the process is a meet and greet! This is an opportunity for you to meet the dog you are interested in adopting, and also for the case manager or foster to meet you. Consider this a “mutual interview” and please know that a meet and greet is not a guarantee of adoption. We need to feel good about the placement, and of course you do as well. That being said, here are some tips for potential adopters to help navigate meet and greets:
How To Approach A Dog Correctly! What To Do When Meeting Dogs.
At Dog Gone Seattle, we are always looking to match the right family with the right dog. Once we have ‘approved’ an application, the next step in the process is a meet and greet! This is an opportunity for you to meet the dog you are interested in adopting, and also for the case manager or foster to meet you. Consider this a “mutual interview” and please know that a meet and greet is not a guarantee of adoption. We need to feel good about the placement, and of course you do as well. That being said, here are some tips for potential adopters to help navigate meet and greets:
