Whenever you find yourself wanting to pet a dog its always a good idea to ask the owner and then also ask the dog. Many times an owner will say something that does not truly reflect their dogs opinion of being pet (especially when approached while being held, in a scary situation such as being in a busy public place or a veterinary clinic, or being pet by a person who is approaching head on and reaching over the dogs head). You can ask a dog if they want to be petted by letting the dog decide to initiate the interaction and reading their body language throughout. Often times crouching down, avoiding direct eye contact, and keeping your hands by your side (not reaching out to the dogs face or nose, as many people including myself used to be taught) will allow the dog the space to decide if they want to interact. If they come over to you and the appear loose and relaxed you can try petting their side or chest. If they enjoy the interaction they might stay for more, if not they may walk away. It is important to note that many dogs do not enjoy being petted by strangers, and it is very frightening for them. It is also important to note that a wagging tail does NOT always indicate that a dog is friendly. It is solely an indication of arousal (they may wag their tail between their legs when theyre afraid or wag their tail stiffly up in the air when theyre chasing a squirrel). You can avoid making a dog fearful or uncomfortable by asking them as well as the owner, and this might even save yourself or someone you know from being bit (most dogs try many times to tell us theyre afraid before they bite, unless theyve been punished for retreating, growling etc). You may see their mouth suddenly close if they had been panting, their head turn away, a stiff stare, you may see the whites of their eyes or their tongue flicking over their nose, they may crouch or roll over to show their belly (this is almost always NOT an invitation for a belly rub but instead a cry for you to stop what youre doing) and they may stiffen and tense their muscles. So listen to the dogs you encounter and understand that many dogs you encounter probably dont want to interact. If its ok with the owner you can ask if you can toss the dog a tasty treat, this might help the dog become more comfortable with certain environments or people in the future. Here is some information on canine body language if youre interested, its like learning a new language and youll start to hear dogs talking wherever you go! Here are some flyers on canine body language and appropriate ways to interact with dogs from a veterinary behaviorist: drsophiayin/blog/entry/free-downloads-posters-handouts-and-more Here is a brief article from the American Veterinary Medical Association on dog body language: https://avma.org/public/Pages/How-to-read-dog-body-language.aspx And here is a video demonstrating basic canine body language: youtu.be/bstvG_SUzMo
Posted on: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 17:34:30 +0000
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