Introducing Yourself to a Dog

[JPriest]

OK, I'll bite first.

Real live dog, or stuffed animal?

I'm thinking real, but danged if I can tell for sure!

Real live dog! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92CNVveVw9c

 

[GatorFarmer]

I suppose you could try to mount it and establish dominance. Though that is likely illegal in 42 states. The other eight...well best not to visit them.

 

[walkin jack]

I'll do what ever I can to get along with a dog but I gotta draw the line and sniffin' butts. he can sniff mine if he really wants to but he should know going into it that I will NOT reciprocate.

 

[ironhead7544]

I used to do service work and visited many homes in a day. I would stand upright and offer my hand next to my leg. Some dogs see reaching out as a threat. Let the dog sniff your hand at your side. Then rub the muzzle with the back of your hand. Dont touch the head right away. Rub the back. If the dog still seems friendly, you are OK.

If you have been there before, when the dog comes up, make a loud sniff. That is the way they say "hello, I remember you".

 

[rwsmith]

Caj is back.

Same was as to a pig. First get verrrry drunk and then send a drink over to her.

Looks like Caj is back!

 

[PA Reb]

Believe me when I say this because I have approached many dogs that didn't know me from Adam and most of them were rottweilers at Schutzhund competitions and also trained combat dogs. One very important thing to remember is that you have to first think like a dog and allow it to accept your presence. One of the worst things to do is to stick your hand (just like a stranger shaking a fist in your face), whether palm up or palm down, to it - you now entered their protective zone and if its a jittery dog, don't blame the animal if it chomps on you (and the strange shouldn't be surprised if you set him on his butt). Let the dog accept you and come to you and there will be fewer emergency room visits with stitches. This vet offers some good advice.

Preventing Dog Bites | Animal Behavior and Medicine Blog | Dr. Sophia Yin, DVM, MS

 

[Big Max]

Make a fist and let the dog sniff, if dog snaps it will not get you fingers.
I always ask the owner first if dog is friendly.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

I always liked Cesar Milan's ("The Dog Whisperer") advice when meeting a new dog: 1) no talk, 2) no touch, 3) no eye contact. He advises to act like you are the coolest kid in school (i.e. boredom and indifference to the dog), and let the dog approach you for a greeting. Sound advice, and it has always worked for me.

Regards,

Dave

 

[handejector]

I give them a card and tell them to call me if they sniff out any old Smiths.
I might mention bacon.......

 

[model70hunter]

Ok, I was a phone guy for 42 years, the first 3 years I worked outside.

Dogs either liked me or not. I did try to be nice. I once danced on a pit bull for a while that attacked me. Not pretty but he always respected me when I was in the neighborhood after that.

Once I told a very vicious German shepherd as I got out of the truck with my 2# lineman hammer that either he took his act elsewhere or today he expires. HE looked me in the eye and went elsewhere. This dog chewed on your truck and would not let you out. None of the other guys would go there. HE treated everyone this way. One day I decided that there would be no more, the owner had been told 20-30 times by the phone Co. to lock it up. Rural, sheriff did not care. The owner kept asking me what I did to his dog because it would not bother me. I told him I gave the dog a choice, he chose life.

 

[reddogge]

I'm a dog guy and never have had a problem with a dog discounting the German Shepard that was killing my beagle and I hit it with a stick and it bit me in the butt. A strange dog on the street I won't approach but if with someone I'll talk nicely to it and offer the back of my hand to smell. I don't do the fist due to it may have been hit by one once. An open palmed hand may signal some unpleasant memories too.