Many dog owners have the idea that meeting every dog you pass during a walk is an essential part of dog socialization. It is not. On-leash greetings are actually the opposite of what you want to do. Rather, they are a great way to cause fights, reinforce poor behavior, and damage the bond between you and your dog.
How Do You Introduce Dogs Properly? Greetings are most likely to go well when dogs do not feel trapped, so if possible, introduce the dogs off-leash. When dogs are on-leash, the greeting is not on their terms because they are being forced to be close to each other and lack the freedom to move away.
See, dogs prefer to greet other dogs in a very specific manner. In a typical greeting, a social dog will approach an unfamiliar dog in a banana curve with a loose body. The dogs will quickly sniff each other's noses, then rear ends, and finally sniff noses again, focused but relaxed.
Normally friendly dogs may become more aggressive when on the end of a leash, a behavior known more commonly as leash reactivity or leash aggression.
Walking your dog off leash gives your dog some of the most pleasurable moments of its day. Being off leash even for five or ten minutes allows your dog to satisfy many of its innate needs.
CONS OF LETTING YOUR DOG OFF-LEASH
You lose control of potentially dangerous situations with other dogs, animals, wildlife, etc. and you really never know how other dogs/animals will react to your dog. This can potentially lead to fights and other unfortunate situations.
It's our only Down Dog rule – that when dogs meet and greet each other that time should be limited to three seconds, then you call your dog away and praise them for their wonderful manners. It does depend on the breed, and, most importantly, you only allow your dog to meet and greet if both dogs are happy to do so.
Greet With Dog-Appropriate Actions
Restrict your pats to the dog's side, neck, back, or chest. Even better, ask the owner if their dog has a favorite spot for petting. Avoid reaching over the dog's head as that is frightening. And don't hug or restrain the dog in any way.
The dog word for “hello” is woof (pronounced wuf, wüf, and sometimes wrüf, depending on breed and regional dialect). Facing your dog, say woof in as energetically and friendly a way as possible (tone of voice is very important; the similar-sounding weuf means “Back off!
In general, it's best to introduce an aggressive dog to a new dog using the parallel walk method. This method utilizes movement and distance to help the dogs meet each other calmly and help the aggressive adult dog socialize safely. Have both dogs on leashes and back-clipped harnesses.
Touching is a sign that animals not only get along well but also that they trust one another, said Nelson. "If they are sleeping with each other and snuggled up together — really truly making contact with each other — then that's an obvious sign that there's true affection between the animals," Nelson explained.
It is now a well-known fact that, like us humans, even our four-legged friends remember other dogs very well and manage to identify those of their own kind that they have already met, even months later.
Just like meeting new people, the first time two dogs meet it might not go perfectly. The most important thing is keeping everyone involved safe and comfortable. If your dog is showing signs of fear or stress when meeting a new dog (or person) it is best to end the interaction and allow your dog to calm down.
It's important your dog isn't always let off lead to run around even if they are social, as you need them to be able to stay calm in the presence of other dogs when on lead; remember, just because your dog wants to say “hi” doesn't mean the other dog feels the same way!
Dogs have amazing senses of smell – they can gather information just fine from where you are, so go ahead and keep your hands safely to yourself! Angela loves helping owners better understand their dogs using force-free methods and positive reinforcement that make training enjoyable for both people and dogs.
Keep your dog close to you and stay alert to others. Your leash should be short enough to prevent your dog from contacting or jumping on passersby. Don't play while on leash. If you meet another dog on a walk (and it's alright with their caretaker) let the dogs sniff each other for five seconds and move on.
Dogs should eat at least two meals each day, about 12 hours apart. But a breakfast, lunch, and dinner schedule is an equally great option. If more than 12 hours elapses between meals, the stomach can become hyperacidic causing nausea.
When it comes to where dog's get their daily calories, we recommend following the 90/10 rule: 90% of calories from a complete and balanced diet, 10% from treats! Treats can be considered the splurge, but more often, the actual act of giving a treat means more to the dog than the actual treat itself.
A dog will not forget you. A dog can remember someone his entire life. It's safe to say that your dog will not forget you after two weeks, a month, or even if you are gone for many years.
In general, it is not recommended to let your dog off the leash unless you are in an enclosed area. Your dog must be properly trained to behave well and stay right by your side or under your voice control at all times when it is off the leash.
Please be aware that keeping your dog tied up for a longer period of times, might make them aggressive as they are always on a leash and are unable to interact with other members in the family. Tying up your dog should not be a punishment.
As with people, dogs can carry a lot of tension around the muzzle and jaw. If a dog carries tension in the mouth area its ability to communicate may be limited. It may be slow to mature and difficult to train since the mouth is linked to the ability to process thoughts and actions.