Hello, What's Your Name?

Walking in the dog park, Amos and Sam and I meet a lot of people, dogs and occasionally kids. Sam is not too enamored of the smaller set but wise parents always instruct their kids how to greet an unfamiliar dog. And even though I am 100% sure my dogs would never harm anyone (bark maybe and then run behind me is their usual behavior), it is important to teach others about how to greet new dogs.

While I always was instructed to offer my hand for sniffing, preferably the back of it, before petting or reaching for new dogs, these tips below, culled from dogster.com, are even better:

1. Turn your body sideways - While it is normal and acceptable for humans to greet each other face to face, polite dog greetings generally involve angling and arcing the body. Turning your body sideways will make you less intimidating to the dog.

2. Consider bending low – If a dog is nervous, he may feel more comfortable if you slowly crouch down (body still oriented sideways) and wait for him to approach you.

3. Avoid direct eye contact initially – Dog trainers get lots of practice using their peripheral field of vision. Direct, prolonged eye contact can be read as a challenge by both dogs and people.

4. Do not reach toward the dog – Hold your hand at your side, lower than the dog’s head, with your palm facing up. Wait, and allow him to approach to sniff. If he is unsure about you, he may sniff your hand and quickly back away. Do not reach after him as he backs away.

5. Know where to touch the dog – Instinctively, people seem to want to pat dogs on the head. The trouble is, most dogs really don’t like this. Once the dog is actively seeking contact with you, sniffing your hand or perhaps nudging your hand with his nose or cheek, you may pet him.

Dogs like to be petted in different spots but most will accept a gentle pat on the head for a quick hello on the walking path. If dogs are leashed, my experience has been that they may be interested in visiting with your dog than with you and a few sniffs usually suffice!

Happy trails!