Proper Etiquette on Walks

There you are walking in your neighborhood and you run across the cutest dog you’d ever want to meet so naturally everything within you wants to head on over to say hi.  As you do you’re surprised by the dog’s reaction!  He growls or lunges at you!  Perhaps the thought that runs through your head is, “Well I guess that dog isn’t friendly!”  The reality is you made a big mistake in your approach that is all too common in today’s world.  In today’s blog I’d like to address proper etiquette when meeting and greeting dogs and strangers to hopefully lead to less encounters like the example I cited above.

How to Approach a Dog You’ve Never Met:

*   Always ask the owner if it is okay to greet their dog.  Never assume that it is.  Even if they say it’s okay, you’ll want to keep an eye on the dog’s signals.  For instance, if the dog is backing away or growling, they’re saying STOP I’m Not Comfortable!  Receive that communication and give them what they’re asking.

*  Allow the dog to approach you, rather than the other way around.  Turn the side of your body to the dog and avoid direct eye contact, while keeping your hands to your side.  This is less threatening to the dog and puts them more at ease.  Allow them to sniff and get to know you.  If the dog is showing no visible signs of stress, bend down to your knees and pet the dog gently.   Don’t make the mistake of leaning over the dog, patting the head or hugging them.  They really don’t like that as much as you do!  If at anytime the dog pulls away or is showing visible signs of stress stop and give them space!

*  If your dog is with you, it’s not a good idea to allow him/her to run up to say hi even if you believe your dog to be friendly.  Remember you don’t know the other dog or how they’re going to react!  Some dogs find that to be threatening and some are fearful of dogs they don’t know.  When a dog is on a leash they could feel trapped and unable to retreat, as they’d like, thus more apt to react in that situation. That’s one big reason your dog should always be on a leash when in public.  There are much better ways for a doggy introduction.

How to Handle a Stranger Who Doesn’t Abide by Proper Etiquette:

*  Have you heard about the Yellow Dog Project?  Dogs that wear these yellow ribbons around their collar are in need of extra space.  If your dog has that need for space, it’s a good idea to wear the yellow ribbon!  Some people don’t know what it means, but others will.   You can also purchase a vest, if need be, for your dog to wear that sends the message, “Dog in Training Give Me Space!”

*  The stranger may totally miss the stress signals your dog is communicating and rush up to say hi, so that’s why it’s important for you to speak up for your dog.   You don’t have to be rude about it, but simply get the point across to the stranger: “Please don’t approach my dog!”  Memorize and use those five simple words.   At times people will disregard your request and if that happens to you, simply turnaround and walk away.  They may think you’re rude, but in actuality they are!

*   When I was a police officer we had a saying that applies here, “Keep a high visual horizon!”  In other words keep your eyes up, as far down the road as possible when you drive!   I also like to keep a high visual horizon as I’m walking my dogs.  If I see a potential problem I’ll either turn around, or create space between them and us. Sometimes you can avoid an uncomfortable situation by keeping an eye out.