It can be exciting to meet a new dog when you’re walking down the street or at the park. No matter if they are big or small, some doggos can’t help but transmit joy and cuteness wherever they go, so much so that sometimes we can’t resist the temptation to approach them and pet them. However, if we do it in the wrong way, we might scare them and instead of having fun, we’ll end up with a bad experience. And that can happen even with dogs that are usually friendly.
That’s why Bright Side wants to share with you a few tips from veterinarians to make this process go smoothly. That way, both the dog and you will be happy to meet.
Sometimes, we’re walking down the street or around the park, and we suddenly run into a stranger walking his or her dog. It feels like we can’t control the urge to walk up to a dog and cuddle it. Well, Sophia Yin, an animal behaviorist, says that doing that so abruptly can be intimidating for dogs (and maybe for humans too). The best thing to do is to approach it slowly and in a relaxed manner. This way, the dog will have a chance to feel safe and will know that you are not going to hurt him or his master.
Another common mistake we all make when “meeting” a new dog is to go straight to cuddle that little furball. We get it, we’re just as excited to meet the dog, but we shouldn’t forget to ask the owner if we can approach it. This, besides being an act of courtesy, can also help us in case the dog is aggressive or in case we need to approach it in a particular way. Dr. Yin suggests that we take the time to ask the owner’s permission, so the dog will also feel more confident around us.
Even for humans, looking a stranger in the eye can be a bit awkward and even intimidating at times. It makes most of us feel uncomfortable. The same thing can happen with dogs. The doctor also recommends that, once we have their owner’s permission, we should not look directly at the dog’s eyes. That’s just to make sure that they feel comfortable in our company. Then, when we’re ready to approach them for the first time, we should do so from the side, never from the front, so as not to appear intimidating to them.
Unlike humans, dogs have a more developed sense of smell and that is their way of approaching and understanding the world that surrounds them. For them, their nose is almost like having a second pair of eyes. That’s why another tip from Dr. Yin is to let them come to us, instead of us going to them. The goal is to make sure they can sniff our legs and hands, so they can choose whether or not they want to be pet by a stranger.
It’s fairly common that when people are petting a dog, they put their hand on the dog’s head. That’s probably because very few people take into account that, while some dogs don’t seem to mind, some others do, and they mind a lot. In fact, veterinarian Uri Burstyn says that this gesture may appear to them as an act of aggression and that’s why it’s not uncommon for it to trigger a violent negative reaction. So he suggests instead that after we have approached the dog, we lower our hand a bit just to let them get to know us.
Now that you have lowered your hand your new friend can sniff you a little, and get to know who you are. Still, Burstyn recommends, for the safety of both children and adults, to close your hand gently, and turn it so as to show the back of it to the dog. This way our fingers are protected in case the dog turns out to be aggressive for whatever reason. After all, you might still do something that upsets them and you’re a stranger, so they might react to that.
Personal space is also important for dogs, and if we are going to bend down to pet a dog that has already given us their trust, it is advisable to respect it. Therefore, Dr. Yin recommends keeping a certain distance to give them freedom of movement while they are getting to know you and while you’re getting to know them as well.
Once we have gained the animal’s trust, we can pet it. But instead of doing that on their backs or their heads, Dr. Burstyn suggests that we start with their chin, right under their muzzle. That’s because their chin is a safe place for us, while at the same time it feels gentle and non-threatening for them. That way we can be sure we are not doing anything that might upset them in any way.
Human expressions of friendship may not mean exactly the same thing for dogs, and that’s something that we should take into account as well. Things like hugging or kissing can cause high levels of stress in dogs, even if that’s hard to believe for us. Now, imagine you’re dealing with an unfamiliar dog, and you’re actually stressing him out. You can get yourself into a fairly dangerous situation there, let alone if we’re talking about children approaching the dog. Dr. Yin recommends always petting instead of cuddling or anything else.
Observing the dog’s behavior can help you tell if they want to be petted or not. It can happen that they are just not interested in meeting you or that they are nervous. After all, nobody really knows how to meet strangers in the right way all the time. So, if you see that the dog isn’t up for socializing with you, it’s better to not force them to do anything they don’t want to do. One of Dr. Yin’s recommendations is that we approach only if we see that they are relaxed and happy — if they are not, it’s better to just look at them.
How do you approach an unfamiliar pet? And does your dog like to meet new people?
some really good advice here... although I know about asking permission of the owner, talking to the dog first and letting a dog sniff your hand first there were many things on how to approach or stroke the dog I didn't know. As an animal lover I found this extremely helpful... thanks!! 🐶❤
