Do's and Don'ts of Dog Greetings

10/13/2020

Let’s face it, dog greetings can be a tricky thing. One of people’s chief concerns with their dog is their dog’s behavior on leash, especially around other dogs.

So, we’ve compiled a list of some Do’s and Don’ts for Dog Greetings:

DO: Make sure your dog is in a calm, submissive place before starting your walk.
DO NOT: Leash up your dog until it is calmly sitting and waiting to be walked.
DO: Make sure that your energy is calm and assertive before beginning your walk.
DO NOT: Anticipate the worst. Your dog looks to you for cues and your energy communicates the type of behavior you are looking to receive from your dog.

DO: Find a neutral place to introduce dogs so that neither is likely to feel territorial.
DO NOT: Avoid other people and dogs on your walk: This avoidance communicates danger to worry about and a need to step up and protect.
DO: Keep the lead loose.
DO NOT: Pull. Tension on the leash tells your dog that you are fearful or anxious and that they should be too.
DO: Allow the dogs to cross paths with plenty of distance between them, so they can smell where the other has walked.
DO NOT: Let the dogs meet face to face as that can lead to fights. In the dog world, the initial greeting is side to side.
DO: Watch the body language of the dogs as they pass and meet.
DO NOT: Panic or Yell. Remember, our dogs mirror our own state of energy.

If you are unsure or are struggling with these things, it’s okay! We are here to help! Please don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment so that we can help you better understand the do’s and don’ts of dog greetings, what to watch for and how to handle various situations.

BONUS: With Halloween just around the corner, we’ve got some extra Do’s and Don’ts to keep in mind!

DO: Be Careful With Costumes - Costumes on your pet can cause undue stress. Make sure they are not limiting in any way, that they fit well and don’t have spare things dangling that could be a choking hazard. Consider a festive bandana if your pet seems stressed.
DO NOT: Leave Decorations and Pets Unattended - Small pieces can be choking hazards if your pet decides to play with them and jack-o-lantern flames can cause fires.
DO: Keep Your Pet Away From Candy - Chocolate and Xylitol can be extremely toxic to pets. Make sure to keep those sweets well out of reach of your 4 legged friends.
DO NOT: Allow your pet to roam the room during peak trick-or-treating hours. The high number of strangers and unfamiliar sights and sounds can cause undue stress for your pet and a higher likelihood of your fur friend bolting through the door.

** This important blog post was written by our Lead Trainer: Mark Dunlap

11 Comments

Jeff Carbine link

1/20/2022 04:38:07 am

I never knew that one of the most common worries with dogs is their behavior on a leash, particularly in the presence of other dogs. I never thought that it would be like this, I'll share this with my aunt. Thank you for the information about puppy training.

Jeff Carbine link

1/29/2022 12:42:24 am

It's awesome that this article talked about before you begin your stroll, make sure your dog is calm and obedient. I'm glad that you explain it thoroughly and now it makes more sense. You did a great job of explaining dog walking.

Victoria Addington link

5/24/2022 10:36:06 pm

It was fascinating to know that the owner should also feel assertive and calm before walking a dog. My husband wants to train our puppy. I should tell him to look for a company that provides puppy training programs so he can effectively teach our puppy.

inteligencia canina

9/14/2022 09:48:45 am

A esta edad persiguen, corren, patean, muerden y pelean. Su entusiasmo por la vida y por conocer el mundo que los rodea puede ser agotador. Éste es el momento perfecto para comenzar a pensar en un entrenamiento básico para cachorros.
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Iris Smith link

10/12/2022 07:42:10 pm

I appreciate you mentioning that it's best to introduce dogs in a neutral location so that neither will likely get possessive. I just got a dog. I'll enroll my dog in dog obedience lessons to ensure that she develops decent manners.

Iris Smith link

10/17/2022 07:19:53 pm

Thank you for advising that before beginning your walk, make sure your dog is in a relaxed and obedient position. She wants to adopt a dog. I'll get her a puppy and register her at a certified dog trainer school.

Henry Killingsworth link

10/31/2022 01:45:16 pm

I thought it was interesting when you mentioned that dog greetings can be a tricky thing. It seems like it would be important to make sure that a large dog knows how to properly greet someone. It could be a good idea to find a trainer to work with if you are having a hard time training your dog.

John Carston link

12/2/2022 06:29:16 pm

I like how you mentioned that you should ensure that calmness of your dog is obtained for proper walk. A few nights ago, my cousin told me that his dog is smart and he was planning to enroll his dog in a dog training program to communicate better. He asked if I had any idea what would be the best option to consider. Thanks to this instructive article, I'll tell him they can consult a trusted dog training program as they can provide more information about the training process.

Iris Smith link

12/28/2022 12:20:53 am

Thank you for mentioning that the dogs should cross paths with plenty of space between them so they can sniff each other's footprints. My sister got the dog as a pet. She wanted to enroll in a puppy-training course. I'll send her this article so she is aware of all the dos and don'ts for training the dog.

Steve Smith link

2/2/2023 03:37:05 pm

I like how you mentioned that you should consider understanding the act of motion of your dog before the walk. Last night, my cousin told me that his dog is intelligent. He planned to enroll his dog in an obedience dog training program to achieve better communication and obedience traits. He asked if I had any idea what would be the best option to consider. Thanks to this instructive article, I'll tell him they can consult a trusted behavioral dog training program lesson as they can provide more information about the training process.

Jessie Holloway link

2/7/2023 11:33:10 am

I love how you talk about how you should never take your dog out to walk until they are calm and sitting still. My aunt just got a new puppy and she wants to make sure she takes care of it properly since dogs require a lot of attention. She, unfortunately, works a day job though so she's been looking into taking him to a professional trainer to help train him in her absence.

Virginia Dunlap

Virginia has been involved with dogs for a great many years both in breeding and training.

Virginia is currently retired but still keeps a finger on the pulse of things in the training world. Her particular area of interest has always been dog behavior.

She is constantly updating her knowledge to keep abreast of current methods. However, that being said, she has noted that rewards, steady corrections and lots of love and enthusiasm usually work the best!

Do's and Don'ts of Dog Greetings

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