Don’t Be Rude…How to Meet and Greet a Dog

We dogs see things totally different from you…When we see two peeps meet each other we find it so odd, you get right into the other person’s face and look right into their eyes!  Truthfully we think it’s not a polite way to greet a fellow being. We just don’t get why you take a head-on direct approach to each other. It’s just not the way we dogs do it, and in a dog’s point of view, we think it’s not friendly. This is not the way to greet a dog.

Friendly dogs approach each other sideways, often with a little sniff of the bum (just to see how and who they are), and after we have picked up that information we’ll move on to a face-to-face greeting.

Looking another dog in the eye could be read as confrontational (rude), between dogs. Naturally, one dog will glance towards the other, then we’ll look away and then back. Hello! Wag, wag! You see if we did a “hard-eye” stare at another dog, we’ll basically being confrontational, and trust me all dogs recognize that look and know it’s not friendly.

What about a hug?

Okay, I don’t know you, and you want to hug? I’m not that kind of dog, thank you. In dog terms, a hug could be read as threatening. To us, it seems like a status-seeking attempt to us dogs. So tell your kids when it comes to greeting a dog, that they shouldn’t hug us.

Now don’t worry peeps, we don’t mind getting a hug or a pat from you if your part of the family. We’ll happily accept your attention. We dogs love to have peep attention and have learned to be tolerant of your human body language and customs. But if we were offered a choice, I’d take a belly rub any time!

Here’s my dog wagging, paw point of view on the best way to greet a new dog.

Three Tips on how to greet a dog

1.Stand back Please: I know you’re excited, but you are much taller than the average dog that your greeting, and it kind of freaks us out when you’re towering over us. Imagine a really tall person looming over you and invading your personal space…spooky

2. If you’re approaching a dog: If a dog doesn’t come forward to say hello, I’d suggest you don’t approach him. Stand still and look away, focus on the curtains, the trees or whatever, and turn your head slightly. Why you ask?…well this gives us dog a body language message which gives us a calming signal, especially if I’m a nervous dog. This way you’re giving the dog some time to collect himself and decide whether to make an approach.

3. Hold out your paw, I mean hand: Just a little though, while the dog is approaching you. Make sure too that the dog can see your hand as well. And here is a big tip, contrary to crazy human thoughts…most dogs dislike being patted on top of the head. To us it feels just like when your great-aunt would pinch your cheeks!  The reason why we don’t like it, is that we can’t see your hand and the pat, pat, pat on the head is just annoying. It’s just not the same as a loving stroke from someone we love.

What we like after we’ve approached you and gave you a little sniff is a sweet gentle scratch or rub under the chin. If you rub my ears or the side of my face, you’ll have me at hello!

As usual we dogs have learned to adjust on how you peeps do things, regardless of how strange we think it is. Hey, we go with the flow, besides you take really good care of us and we aim to please.

How do you greet a dog?

By Maggie on April 26, 2013   /   Blog Barks!