All animal lovers have had that urge; we see that cute, loving face, the soft coat, the wagging tail, and we just want to engage to get some puppy love.

But stop and think for a minute, and put yourself in the dog’s shoes (or paws).  Do you like complete strangers coming up to you and stroking your head, getting in your face?  I would say the majority of us humans would be rather taken aback by this sort of intrusion into our personal space.  We don’t expect our young children to accept this kind of introduction with strangers, we might even get pretty defensive. Likewise, we shouldn’t subject our canine companions to this onslaught of unsolicited attention either – for everyone’s safety.

Like humans, every dog has its own unique disposition and history. Just because the dog is a so-called “friendly breed” like a Labrador, Golden Retriever, or Bernese Mountain Dog, doesn’t automatically make it a dog that wants anyone’s and everyone’s attention. A dog that isn’t keen on interacting doesn’t necessarily mean it’s poorly socialized. Just like people, some dogs are a bit more introverted and prefer moderate stimulation and interactions. If we judged people by the same standards, more than half of humanity would be labelled socially recluse!

It’s a sad and perhaps surprising fact that 77% of dog bites are preventable.  Over three-quarters of bites could have been avoided (including resulting euthanasias) if the affected humans had been knowledgeable and respectful of canine stress signals. Dogs naturally want to avoid conflict. It’s in their own best interest for their survival.  They avoid conflict through communication. Most people understand (or certainly should) that a growl or bared teeth mean that a dog is agitated or feels threatened and wants the threat to back off.  But dogs have a multitude of other, more subtle signals to communicate tension and appeasement.

Some of these include:

Licking the lips or nose

Turning the eyes, head, or body away from the threat

Showing whites of the eyes and/or pupils dilated

Yawning – this is often used to release tension

Dry shaking – also used to release tension

Squinting or half closing the eyes

(refer to the graphics included in this article which describe canine body language)

It’s important to watch for such signals when interacting with a dog to determine if our presence or touch is a source of stress or enjoyment for the dog.

As with any greeting, it’s best to follow proper protocol to ensure all parties feel safe and comfortable. Adults, as well as kids, need to follow these steps when meeting an unfamiliar dog to reduce a dog’s anxiety and the danger of a dog bite.

1. Stay quiet and still as the dog sniffs and checks you out.  It’s a bit like if you were to investigate something you’re unsure or a bit frightened of, like a lizard or a spider.  If the animal stays calm and still, you’ll feel more at ease, but if it suddenly moves or makes a noise, you’ll most likely be startled.
2. Lower your gaze or turn your head away. This communicates to the dog that you are not a threat as it ventures to examine you.
3. If the dog doesn’t back away or show signs of fear, ask the owner if you may pet it.
4. Pet the dog under the ears, chin, or on the chest, not on the head.  Having a hand on or over the head is a bit threatening to a dog.
5. Wait for consent before continuing.  After the first pat, stop and have a look to see if the dog is enjoying the contact, or not. If the dog stays close or leans in, if its tail is wagging in a relaxed, horizontal fashion; it’s probably enjoying it and you can continue.  If the dog looks or turns away, licks its lips, has its ears back, against its skull, tail low; it’s showing tension and you should leave it be and give it space.
6. NEVER put your face close to a dog’s face. It’s quite unnerving for a dog and can result in a nasty bite.
7. NEVER hug a dog. In the dog world, it’s overbearing and quite unnerving.

Dog owners need to give their dogs choice in whether they want to engage or not in a social interaction and respect their dogs’ decision.  We owe it to ourselves, our children, and our canine companions to learn at least this much dog language and etiquette to avoid misunderstandings and potential life-long scars or tragedies.