I have to confess that once upon a not-long-time ago, I was often guilty of having really poor etiquette when it came to meeting dogs out in public that I wanted to pet and fuss over.
We’ve all done it. We’re at the farmers market and spot an adorable fur ball on a leash who is just too cute not to squeeze and fawn all over.
So we run right up and start excitedly talking to the dog, reaching out to pet them, while completely ignoring the human by their side. Can you blame us? Dogs are way more interesting than people!
Unfortunately, this bold behavior is why bites happen.
Why? Logically speaking, one wouldn’t run up to a stranger and start patting them on the head and speaking gibberish to them in an excited, ridiculous tone. No one likes having their space invaded. Even dogs.
When it comes to how we interact with people, we talk a lot about the importance of consent these days — and I think that’s a really beautiful shift.
But just as it’s important to make sure we always seek consent to occupy personal space in our human relationships, it’s equally critical to show that kind of respect with our animal companions.
The holidays come with a lot of opportunities to socialize with our friends and family. Since most families have at least one pet these days, it’s important to remember the right ways to interact with pets we haven’t met before.
With the help of my friend Carlos F. Morales, animal behavior specialist and founder of K9 High School in Long Beach, I’ve come up with some basic tips for how to properly introduce yourself to a dog.
Ask (the human) first: Look, I get it. Dogs are more interesting to talk to than most people. But before you engage with someone else’s dog, you should first ask permission to do so from their human companion. It’s just good manners. But beyond manners, it’s important for safety.
You’ll get valuable information from the human about whether or not the dog is friendly and whether or…
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