We do all kinds of things to our dogs that let them know we haven’t been to canine charm school. We pet them on the top of the head; we walk straight toward them rather than in a banana-shaped arc; we look directly at them; we hug them. These gestures are much too forward in the world of dog etiquette, too aggressive — equivalent to getting a kiss on the lips when all you expected was a handshake. In some cases, our good intentions might even be perceived as a physical challenge to a dog.
Yet our dogs forgive us our transgressions. Although our clumsy, misguided attempts to show affection might seem distasteful and even threatening to most dogs, our own pets are clear that we love them and just don’t know how to express ourselves properly. They have developed trust in us because they spend so much time studying our behavior and our body stance and can distinguish between well-meaning and pushy.
But imagine how great your pet would feel if you showed him affection according to his rules. It becomes even more important when you’re greeting a dog on the street who’s not familiar with you. You don’t want to make a dog feel frightened or, worse, like he has to protect himself. With dogs’ emotional comfort in mind, here are some tips for petting and greetings in general. They’re standard for a dog you meet on the street, but if you try them on your own dog, you’ll also see very satisfied responses.
Not the top of the head. Standing directly over a dog and touching the top of his head is an aggressive move of one-upmanship in the canine world. What a dog really loves is to be stroked on the cheeks and along the sides of the neck.
Go with how his hair grows. Dogs prefer longer strokes in the direction their hair goes — backwards from the neck to the tail, and down the sides from the back.
The belly. Yes, by all means with your own dog and any other dog who feels comfortable enough with you to offer his tummy, belly rubbing goes a long way.
Avert your eyes. This is more for the dog you want to win over on the street rather than your own dog, who already knows you’re in the dark when it comes to canine manners. Direct staring is literally considered hostile in the canine world, especially if it’s sustained.
Approach indirectly. Again, this is for a dog you don’t know, or don’t know so well. Making a bee-line for a dog is perceived as an act of aggression. Better to approach gently by making a slight arc in your path and coming up from the side. It gives him more time to size you up without feeling a direct threat.
