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You should never rush to pet a dog. Even dog owners make the mistake of approaching unfamiliar dogs and petting them right away. Just like we humans wouldn’t like it if a stranger pats us on the head, dogs feel the same.
Touching dogs without properly greeting them can trigger unexpected reactions like growling or even biting. It’s essential to know the do’s and don’ts of greeting a dog to avoid getting such reactions.
This article will teach you exactly that – how to greet dogs. Plus, we’ll also cover petting manners and greeting stray dogs so you can make an instant connection with unfamiliar dogs you meet in public.
Why Greeting Dogs Properly Is Important
When you meet a dog for the first time, you’re a stranger. Like people, dogs don’t like strangers invading their space. These points are especially true for dogs in animal shelters, as they may have been through traumatic experiences or may be overwhelmed by being a shelter resident.
If you rush approaching a dog and start touching them without introducing yourself properly, they will take it as an invasion of their personal space and feel threatened. The next thing you know, the dog will snap or even attempt to bite – all could have been prevented if there had been a proper introduction.
Even if the dog has a friendly demeanor at first when you approach them, overexcitement can also make dogs exhibit these behaviors.
For these reasons, properly greeting a dog is important. You’ll ensure safe interactions with dogs and may even find your fur-ever friend.
Outside of shelter greetings, you’ll also want to consider the dog’s owner. Nobody likes a stranger bothering their dog, even if they mean no harm. We’ll get into how to do this too, as the steps are pretty much the same.
How to Greet a Dog Properly
Greeting a dog isn’t as simple as getting their attention so you can give them affection. There are key points about greeting dogs that every dog lover should know. Here’s how to greet a dog properly, from the moment you see the dog to finally building a quick bond.
Outside of an Animal Shelter Setting: Ask the Owner
First things first, get the owner’s permission before approaching a dog. At a shelter, you’ll almost always be able to greet a dog that you’re thinking about adopting, so you can skip to the next step.
As we stated, greeting a dog in an animal shelter is about the same as greeting one anywhere else, but this is a very important first step when interacting with public dogs.
While most dog owners are okay with strangers giving their pups affection, some may not be okay with it. The dog may also not like strangers or have behavioral issues you won’t be aware of before speaking to the owner.
Getting the green light from the owner is particularly important with breeds inherently aggressive or wary of strangers. Think of breeds like the Anatolian shepherd. These dogs may think that you, a stranger, are intending to cause harm just by approaching their owner, which will aggravate the dog, making it impossible for further interactions.
Ask the owner if you can greet their dog first to ensure you’ll have a good interaction. However, don’t immediately start touching once the owner tells you it’s okay to interact with their dog. Here’s how you should proceed after getting the green light from the owner.
Let the Dog Come
Instead of walking toward the dog, bring yourself down to the same level as the dog. Let the dog come to you by offering the back of your hand to sniff. You can think of this as a handshake in the dog’s language. Since dogs experience the world around them with their nose, they first want to get a taste of your smell before doing anything.
When the dog approaches, you can start praising them in a friendly tone to indicate that you’re not a threat.
If the dog doesn’t come, it’s a sign that they aren’t interested in meeting with you. At this point, standing back and respecting their space is important. Forcing a dog to interact with you is never a good idea, especially when they are wary of strangers.
The person working at the shelter will likely invite the dog over to the both of you if the dog is shy. When dogs know someone, they tend to be more open to interaction and affection.
Slowly Interact With the Dog
Once the dog comes, take things slow and don’t rush to touch them. Avoid sudden movements or loud noises, as these will make the dog anxious. These can also trigger certain instincts that can cause overexcitement or aggression.
Additionally, avoid staring directly into the eyes when interacting with an unfamiliar dog. Dogs stare at their owners as a way to show their affection, but it’s the opposite when there’s a stranger in play. Dogs take this as a challenge with a stranger, which can make them possessive of their resources and lead to aggression.
Gauge the Dog’s Reactions
As the dog gets to know you, gauge their reactions by looking at their body language. Are they calm? Do they wiggle? Are they particularly interested in interacting with you? All these can tell if the dog likes you.
Dogs that enjoy interacting with strangers also get a little excited. However, attempting to pet an excited dog risks arousal biting. Wait a minute or two, and they should be calmer than when you first met – the perfect opportunity to start giving them pets!
Start Petting the Dog
It’s common for people to raise their hands over a dog’s head to pet them. While familiar dogs are okay with this, a dog you meet for the first time is likely to feel intimidated by this move, especially one in a shelter. It’s essential to pet dogs you’ve just met in a non-threatening way.
Avoid reaching over the head altogether, and pet areas dogs are okay with being touched, like the chest and sides of the body. The person working at the shelter may have specific tips depending on the dog. Also, raise your hand from the side or under the chin to begin petting them – never directly over their head.
After petting the dog for a little while, check their body language again. Some dogs enjoy the feeling of getting scratches, especially in the right spots, but are still intimidated by strangers. At these times, dogs allow you to pet them because it feels good, but the doubt about whether you are friendly still exists.
Holding back for a moment will ensure you won’t get a bad reaction from a dog once they’ve had enough and realize that a stranger is touching them, which can make dogs display aggression.
After you stop petting the dog, pick it up from where you left off if they seem to enjoy your presence. If not, retreat and end your interaction with the dog until they are more comfortable with your presence. You can try other means of showing affection next time you see each other, like offering to play or giving them treats.
If you find that the dog really likes you and you enjoy the dog’s company and demeanor, it may be just the dog for you! If you don’t have as much chemistry, you can always try visiting again or see if there are other dogs at the shelter that you click with more.
Greeting Homeless Dogs
Although you can take some of the points mentioned when greeting a homeless dog, you’ll need to approach them differently. Since you can’t know what to expect from a homeless dog’s behavior, greeting them requires extra caution. Here’s more on how to greet stray dogs.
Body Language
When you spot a stray dog, bring yourself to the dog’s level first. Since homeless dogs typically don’t trust strangers, squatting down to the dog’s level is critical to give the signal that you’re not a threat. Otherwise, the dog is likely to feel intimidated by your size and run away from you.
Praise and Interact
Once you’re on the dog’s level and have their attention, start praising the dog with a soothing voice and slowly put the back of your hand forward for them to sniff. If you have treats or something else that a dog can eat, you can also use this to make them come to you.
However, don’t feed a homeless dog from your hand without establishing trust. Instead, leave it to the ground for the dog to eat.
Gain the Dog’s Trust
Build trust with the dog by making them realize you’re not a threat. The best way to do this is by offering something a dog likes. Food, water, or gentle pets are some of the effective ways to gain a stray dog’s trust.
However, take your time before attempting to pet a stray dog. Check their body language and reaction to your presence to understand if the dog is calm and happy to see you. Once you spot a tail wagging and relaxed posture, you’re good to touch them in the areas dogs like – more on the best places to pet a dog below.
Next Step With a Stray Dog
With 70 million stray pets nationwide, you’re likely to come across homeless dogs. The above will help you greet them safely and allow for friendly interactions. To get the most out of your interaction, consider helping the dog by contacting local authorities or rescue organizations in your area.
Optionally, you can consider fostering a stray dog. While it’s a big challenge to rehabilitate a homeless dog to an adoptable condition, it’s undoubtedly one of the most rewarding experiences.
Whether you call a rescue or take a stray dog in, make sure that the dog is homeless first. Checking if the dog has a collar or a microchip will help you find out if the dog is homeless. Also, you can post pictures of the dog on social media to see if they have an owner looking for them.
Petting Manners 101: How to Pet a Dog
Petting isn’t just about giving a gentle pat on the head. While this is the most common way people pet dogs, it isn’t something every pup likes. As mentioned, raising your hand over a strange dog may make them feel threatened and anxious.
Knowing how to pet a dog is just as important as everything else mentioned. Here are some of the petting manners to know to make dogs accept your presence quickly.
Best Places to Pet Dogs
Individual preferences vary among different dogs. However, most dogs enjoy receiving pets in neutral spots. These spots don’t make dogs feel threatened like the top of the head, making them the best places to pet a dog.
Under the chin, behind the ears, the top of the back, the sides of the body, and the base of the neck are some of the best places to pet a dog. Dogs typically don’t feel anxious when you touch these parts.
You might think to yourself, what about belly rubs? Without a doubt, dogs love their bellies rubbed, but it’s an extremely sensitive area. Unless the dog rolls over submissively to clearly demand it from you, touching an unfamiliar dog in these parts before gaining their full trust is not a good idea.
Where to Avoid
Besides the belly and top of the head, there are places you shouldn’t touch. Legs, paws, ears, muzzle, tail (except the base), and genitals are a big no when petting a strange dog. Touching these body parts makes dogs anxious, which may cause them to act aggressively.
Also, you should never stroke a dog on the opposite side of their fur. Even if you’re touching the right spots to pet, going in against the fur’s direction can give dogs anxiety.
Greeting Dogs the Right Way
Now that we’ve gone over how to greet a dog, it’s your turn to put this knowledge into practice. By following what we’ve discussed throughout the article, you can make friends with most dogs and stand out among the crowds of people who don’t know how to greet dogs properly.
The importance of greeting dogs the right way becomes especially apparent when you interact with a dog nicely, and the owner says they usually don’t like strangers. A moment sure to make you feel like a dog whisperer!