Holistic Pets Jennifer Mariee

Want to be able to make friends with new dogs when you meet them? You can signal that you’re friendly by using canine body language! We often hear that you’re s...upposed to offer a dog the back of your hand to sniff, but the body language of this move is actually quite threatening. When we lean forward to offer our hand, we’re facing the dog square on, looming over them, making eye contact and invading their space. All of those signals combine into an intimidating message, and as a result many dogs will become uncomfortable when greeted in this fashion. Confident dogs will usually respond with a couple of signals like turning their head away, yawning, or licking their nose, which means they’d like the human to ease up a bit. Shy or anxious dogs will back away, cower, or even growl, snap or bite. The best way to greet a dog is to either stand side on to them and invite them over by patting your leg or calling to them, or crouch down on the ground and let them come to you. This method ensures that it’s the dog’s choice to come and say hello they’re moving up to you, rather than you moving up to them. If the dog chooses not to approach, it means that they don’t want to say hello. It’s important that you respect that choice, and leave them be. If you’re going to be spending some time with the dog, be patient and hang back the best way to win the trust of a shy dog is to avoid putting pressure on them to interact. Move slowly, blink your eyes a lot to avoid staring, and don’t speak loudly. If they approach to sniff you, don’t pet them right away. Let them sniff, then when they’re finished move away from them and try inviting them closer again. Best of luck making some new doggie friends Dog Geeks! We’d love to hear how being conscious of your body language has helped you greet dogs, or if you’ve ever won the trust of a shy dog by being patient and avoiding pressuring them. - Maddie Ross CPDT-KA ---------------------------------------- For more graphics and videos on training and behaviour, check out our library: https://www.beacondogtraining.com.au/thatdoggeek