A dog is man's best friend, but dogs don't always act
this way, so if you want to get close to your dog or an unfamiliar dog, follow
the instructions below, watch for signs of hostility, and pet them in a
non-threatening manner.
There are also
Tips for grooming your dog or another dog you know well, which are included in
this article.
Approach the dog with caution
Ask the dog owner's permission before petting his
dog :
Your dog may seem friendly, but there is no guarantee
that you will react to strangers if you don't know him. If the owner gives you
special instructions that differ from those mentioned here, follow them, but if
he allows you to pet his dog, ask him about the most preferred area for the dog
to be patted.
Beware if the dog does not have an owner:
Proceed with caution and be prepared to defend yourself when necessary if you see an unaccompanied dog roaming the street. Dogs that are chained or left in the yard or other locations with limited space tend to be bitten, as well as dogs that eat or chew something. Approach these dogs with caution and avoid the idea of trying to pet them at the first sign of hostility, as shown below.
Extend your fist:
Offer your fist for the dog to check if he seems to
welcome the pat after these steps, or is at least relaxed and isn't showing
signs of hostility or discomfort. Extend your fist toward his nose, but not
directly in his face, and let him get as close and sniff the back of your hand as
often as he likes.
• Do not extend your hand open because a strange dog
may bite your fingers thinking they are food.
• When the dog sniffs you, he evaluates you and does
not ask you to pet him. Wait until he finishes sniffing before continuing.
• Do not worry if the dog licks you, this is his way
of saying that he trusts you and loves you, and this is similar to kissing in
humans.
Note if the dog is comfortable:
You will know
that your dog is mostly comfortable with you if his muscles relax (not stiff or
tense), look briefly in your eyes, or shake his tail, but tail wag can also
mean he is tense and ready to bite. Move on to the next part but stop patting
and give him your firm fist again. If he tried to get away.
Petting an unfamiliar dog
I patted the dog near his ears:
Gently rub the base of the dog's ears, or pat them slowly, if he is still not showing signs of hostility. Approach the dog's head from the side, not above its face.
Move to other areas:
If you succeed up to this point and the dog isn't
trying to evade, you can move your hand around his back or neck and gently rub
it with your fingers.
• Many dogs enjoy rubbing their backs from the top on
both sides of the spine. The chances of the dog being tense when touching the
front part near the neck and shoulders than in the case of the back near the
tail and hind legs. Avoid the dog's legs, tail and private parts.
• Friendly dogs may enjoy being petted under the chin
or on the chest, while others hate getting close to the jaw.
Stop if the dog responds poorly:
Know that some dogs are averse to touching the head and do not like to be patted, and others hate to be patted on the upper parts of the body or hate touching other areas, i.e. snarling or lowering the tail or sudden movements means that you must stop what you are doing immediately and stand firmly, continue By patting on a different spot if the dog calms down and moves towards you
Do not make any sudden movements:
Don't rub suddenly or forcefully, don't hit or slap
his sides, and don't move quickly to a different area. You can switch from
light touching to light rubbing or from one hand to two hands if the dog enjoys
the pat, but be gentle as you don't know how this strange dog might react to
the rough pat. A quick or violent pat can make a friendly dog overly excited
and cause him to jump or bite your hands.
Find out which spots your dog likes:
Find out what
types of petting your dog enjoys the most as you become more familiar with him,
as some dogs like to rub their stomachs and others like to massage their legs,
while other dogs growl if you approach these areas. Pay attention to your dog's
body language and focus on the areas he enjoys the most. Tail wagging, muscle
relaxation, and groaning when you stop and moving away from you are signs that
he is enjoying the pet. Panting may be a sign of enthusiasm, but this does not
always mean that the dog is relaxed.
Watch out for rubbing the dog's belly:
The dog may be
afraid and try to appease you when it lies on its stomach and does not want to
be pawed. Even a friendly dog that enjoys it may do this movement for another
reason. So don't rub your dog's belly if he appears tense, tight, or sad.
Teach children how to handle dogs:
Dogs often get nervous around children, even those
they have grown up with, because children may be petted violently. Make sure
that all the children in the house know that the dog should not be hugged,
tugged or kissed, because these actions can stress the dog or cause it to bite
the child if it is done with too much force. Teach children not to pull the
dog's tail or throw objects at it.
Give the dog a good massage from time to time:
Take 10 to 15
minutesto massage your familiar dog from head to tail once in a while. Cover
the dog's face, under his chin, and chest in a circular motion, moving the top
of his neck and shoulders, and then down to the tail. Some dogs may allow you
to massage all of their legs.
This helps to
discover any natural lumps that are naturally present in the dog, so that it is
easy to distinguish if any strange tumors or protrusions have arisen, and
indicates any potential health problems, as well as, of course, giving the dog
a pleasant massage that he loves.
Knead the feet of dogs and puppies:
. Some dogs may not allow you to touch their paws, but
if you can touch them, gently rub them to improve circulation and spot pebbles
or sharp objects that are hurting your dog. If your dog's feet appear cracked
and dry, ask your veterinarian a suitable moisturizer for dogs.
• Nail her later because she will get used to touching
her feet.
Massage the puppy into the mouth area:
If she knows
you well, puppies may allow you to rub their mouth and feet. The feeling of a
mouth massage is usually amazing for a puppy whose teeth are growing and helps
him get used to touching in this area, which can greatly facilitate dental
treatment later on.
• Rub your dog's cheeks and jaw in a circular motion to massage his mouth. Use a "finger toothbrush" from a pet store or vet office to massage his gums as well.
Back off if your dog shows any signs of hostility or discomfort:
Signs of
hostility include: barking, tail erection, neck hair erection, snarling, or
rigid body posture. Signs of discomfort, fear, or anxiety include: licking the
dog's lips, the whites of the dog's eyes, avoiding looking into your eyes,
lowering the tail, yawning, or setting the ears back. Never stare your dog in
the eye so he doesn't think you want to fight him and give it up if the dog
hasn't calmed down or approaches you within 30 seconds.
Bend or squat to encourage the dog to approach:
Encourage the
dog to take the first step by squatting and getting close to his level. More
confident dogs need a slight bend, but don't bend directly over him, as this
can make him feel threatening. You can help the dog to calm down in some cases
by introducing yourself to him, dogs introduce themselves to each other by
smelling while this is done between humans by shaking hands, so when humans and
dogs get acquainted it always tends to give humans the back of the hand to the dog’s
snout, and it mostly calms down when smelling it .
• Never squat near an unaccompanied or aggressive dog (see the signs above) and stand up to defend yourself from a dog attack.
Encourage shy dogs to approach:
If your
squatting and calmness does not attract the dog and you find it shy or
capricious (running away or hiding) because eye contact can scare it.
Make nice,
quiet encouraging noises whatever they are, but avoiding noises that are loud
or seem confusing to the dog, turn your body to one side so it looks smaller
and less intimidating.
• Ask the dog's owner for his name and use it to attract him. Some dogs are trained to respond to the pronunciation of their name and are less shy or hostile.
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