body language part 3 Written on February 24, 2010, by marlene.

How to Approach a Dog

******Now that you know how dogs use body language to communicate,********
*******use those same body language techniques to interact with dogs.*********

To avoid a bite:
Dogs have a series of behaviors that they show before a bite. If you aren’t aware of these
subtle warning signals that come before a bite, you could be taken by surprise!

Whenever you approach a dog, it’s best to avoid direct eye contact but keep observing the
dog’s body language, just in case the dog gives you a subtle warning that he feels threatened.

Never pet a dog without watching its reaction as you are doing it. Too many times people have
been bitten seemingly “out of nowhere”, meantime the dog was showing warning signal after
warning signal, subtly, but the person wasn’t looking! This will most likely happen as a stranger
is handling a dog. Please watch how they interact, and if a dog seems uncomfortable, let them
know what to do to make the dog more comfortable and trusting (i.e.: slow down!)

If a dog stiffens, averts its eyes, tightens his mouth closed, and his body is tense, he feels uncomfortable.
It’s best to leave that dog alone, or at least stop touching or approaching. The best thing to do is to
wait for the dog interact with you at his own pace. If you choose to keep going forward with a dog
that is showing these warning signals, you are putting the dog in a situation where it may HAVE to
bite you in self defense because you are threatening the dog past its comfort level. Be patient- the
dog doesn’t trust you yet!

When you are approaching a fearful dog, use the body language that a dog who is trying to
avoid conflict would use (turn to the side; no eye contact; no forward movements like petting
over the head, ignore the dog). When you are taking a scared dog out of its comfort zone,
use these same body language techniques (loop them from the side, not from the front or
over the head.) Remember: fearful dogs believe that you are about to hurt them. Many are
scared for their lives. Try to be as non-threatening as possible so the dog will learn to trust
you. This will possibly include keeping silent, because your voice may even pose a threat!

A great way to think of interacting with a new dog is this:
If a stranger hugged you in the street, would you hug them back? Probably not, yet that is
how humans greet strange dogs all the time. If we greeted dogs like we greeted strangers,
we wouldn’t have any problems. We stop a few feet from the person and extend our hand.
If they respond, that’s great. If the person looks you up and down and walks away, you would
not mistake that message. Dogs give this message all the time, yet people insist on handling
them. Innocently, we force dogs into biting.

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