Luvk9s Dog Training

                 Making new dog friends

           
     
“I don’t care what people think of me. Except dogs. I want dogs to like me.”
- Author unknown.
     

Before COVID-19, it was considered good manners to extend your hand in greeting when meeting somebody new. Most of us do something similar when meeting a new dog. Commonly called the sniff test, we were taught to extend our hand towards the dog’s face to allow him to sniff.
       
The training community is starting to rethink whether this introduction is in the best interest of the dog.
             
How not to meet a new dog
        
The reasoning behind the sniff test was that by extending your hand towards the dog’s face, he could take a quick sniff and determine if you were friendly. While an extremely confident dog might not be overly bothered by this invasion of space, dogs who are not as confident might consider this gesture to be threatening. Think about it; if somebody you never met suddenly stepped into your space just inches from your face, wouldn’t that unnerve you just a bit?
     
Eureka Dog Services of New Zealand noted in a recent post on Facebook (that has gone viral) that “when you reach out towards a dog, you are using body pressure at them, giving them no time to assess whether you are safe and whether they require further investigation to pick up your information. You are forcing an interaction of a relationship that has not had time to develop. To some dogs, this is quite rude and the reason a lot of dogs snap at or bite people.”
        
How to properly meet a new dog
    
Be mindful that even though you adore making new canine friends, not all dogs (or their owners) feel the same way. Always ask permission before attempting to meet a new dog. If the dog is nervous around people, the owner may choose to move on or may ask you to help him with some sort of counterconditioning training.
   
If the owner says it’s OK to meet his dog, try the following.
    
- Stand up straight with your hands by your side. Do not bend over the dog; give the dog space.

- Ignore the dog but continue conversing with the owner. Turn your body slightly away from the dog. Not making direct eye contact will make you less threatening.

+ Wait for the dog to approach you. Some dogs will approach immediately wagging their bodies and tails and start nudging you, inviting you to interact with them. Do not pat dogs on the top of their heads; try rubbing their backs or scratching their chins instead.

+ If the dog appears hesitant and you have a high-value dog treat handy, ask the owner if you may offer the dog the treat. Toss the treat on the ground and let the dog take the treat that way. If the dog takes the treat and starts to approach you for more, you can try offering the dog the treat out of the palm of your hand, but make the dog feel safer by avoiding eye contact.

If the dog does not want to take your treat, don’t force an introduction and just move on. You are helping the shy dog (and owner) by not turning the interaction into a stressful event.

Happy training!