How do you greet a dog politely?

by Martha Knowles | Dec 9, 2016 | Dog Communication Stories

How do you greet a dog politely?

I was visiting a friend’s house for a small social gathering. One of the people visiting brought her beagle puppy to the occasion. Everyone adored the puppy and solicited her attention, immediately wanting to touch or hold her when greeting her. What was telling was that for most of the time that people chatted away at the gathering, the puppy chose to move away from the traffic of people to go sniffing around the apartment in the quieter corners. So, when she had free will to choose where she could go, she chose to stay away. Not much attention is paid to such subtle choices, and you could say there is not much to observe with respect to body language, but the behaviour of the puppy was telling. The fact that she made the choice not to solicit touch or attention and wanted to create more space between herself and the crowd of people speaks quite loudly on its own.

How dogs use and create space when they are interacting with an environment or individual can speak volumes. The amount of space and how it is used are key points. It is also interesting to observe how much confidence and skill individual dogs show in choosing to use the environment by increasing distance, decreasing distance or being able to make the choice to walk away – each dog has his or her own skill set, depending on experience and personality.

It is in our human nature as a species to want to interact with other animals through touch, which we seem to take for granted as an acceptable way for other animals to interact. We might not make the same choices regarding touch when interacting with unknown humans. Patricia McConnell shares some wonderful footage of the interactions of different animal species on her DVD “Lost in Translation”. Starting from 7:09 on the first DVD, there is video showing bonobo chimps interacting, followed by footage of humans interacting with their dogs in a dog class. Patricia points out the similarities in behaviour between the humans and the bonobo chimps with relation to interactions involving hands and touch. In the footage you can see humans repeatedly touching their dogs in the dog class and, similarly, bonobo chimps constantly patting and touching each other during their interactions.The similarities between humans and bonobos using their hands in communication is striking and shows the shared behaviours between us and our primate relations.If you were to watch footage of dogs or wolves interacting, it would not be as common for them to place a paw on each other. In dog interactions, such instances could be seen as rude or bullying. It is worth taking note of the differences in behaviour between the human and canine species and the expectations we may have from a human perspective without considering the canine perspective.

On occasion, while I have been walking my dog, adults, generally accompanied by their children, have approached me and asked permission to pet my dog. Culturally we don’t give much thought as to whether such a request by complete strangers walking up to us is appropriate. There are a few questions to consider in such situations: What is considered a polite greeting from a dog’s perspective? Has any thought been given to the free will for the animal to choose whether they wish to interact with a complete stranger? Even with social interactions within our own species, touch may be appropriate or inappropriate, depending on whom we are interacting with, how comfortable we feel and the social situation we are in. Imagine a stranger walking up to you and running their hands through your hair or hugging you? The thought feels a bit creepy doesn’t it?

How would a dog greet another dog politely?

In dog body language, careful negotiation of space and polite body language is key. Direct eye contact and a direct frontal approach could be seen as confrontational. Communication will normally start at a distance away. One of the dogs may stop and sniff the ground as a calming signal and wait for appropriate body language signals. The dogs may then slowly approach each other in a curve or curving of their bodies rather than a frontal approach. They would take their time approaching, sharing appropriate body language and calming signals. After approaching, they might slowly curve round to sniff behind and then slowly move away from each other. If the sniffs are too invasive, the one dog may walk away, sniff the ground or give signals that he is not comfortable with too much invasion of space. He may even pee on the ground and walk away to give the other dog a chance to have a better sniff without too much contact. After a short introductory sniff of each other, they may go on their separate ways or stay nearby to share some sniffs of the environment and amble around together.

Dogs usually avoid eye contact when being polite, but they do squint their eyes (called shortening of the eye) or blink when giving selected careful eye contact; both of these could be seen as calming signals. These signals could be used to calm the other party down, as a friendly gesture or to show the other party that they are no threat (depending on the circumstances of the interaction).

So how can a human greet a dog in a polite manner?

Firstly, do not approach the dog; let him approach you. It is always best to give the dog choice and let him decide whether he would like to approach or not. Allow the dog to have enough space to move away; do not restrict his movement in any way by holding, touching or blocking access to escape by the position you choose to stand in.
A frontal approach (facing the dog) could be seen as rude or threatening in dog body language; turning your body side-on so your one shoulder is facing the dog is much more inviting. Stand still and wait for him to make the choice whether he would like to approach you or not.
In dog body language, direct eye contact can be seen as rude and is normally used to warn or threaten. Try to avoid direct eye contact by turning your head away ever so slightly and using your peripheral vision instead. Or if you do give eye contact, do so for short periods, with ever so slightly squinted, softened eyes (slight squinting and softening your eyes will most probably encourage you to smile) or blink slowly when doing so.
Once the dog has come up and given you a sniff, let him walk away and leave, especially if it is a dog you do not know.
If the dog guardian is there, it is best to ask for permission if you would like to pet the dog, and you should ask what type of contact the dog enjoys. Some dogs do not want to be touched; a hands-off greeting is perfectly appropriate and all that is needed. The dog will be perfectly happy with a quick sniff and walk away. I know for us humans it may feel like we have been snubbed, and somehow we don’t feel complete without touching. Our egos get bruised easily if there is no contact, and we feel the dog might not like us. There is actually a greater chance of the dog becoming friends with you and liking you if your greeting is a hands-off one. The dog will appreciate your polite gesture of being respectful of his space.

How to greet a dog politely, dog greeting

My dog is generally friendly with people and is good-natured, but he does not feel comfortable with all people. It takes time for him to warm up to strangers. His reactions may vary, depending on how comfortable he feels with someone and the situation he is placed in. He may bark at people he is not comfortable with or he may shy away, not masking his fear. It is easier for people to notice fearful reactions when dogs shy away, but they often don’t realise that a dog that is barking could actually be fearful too. It may be difficult inviting new guests who are not aware of dog body language into the house, and, depending on the guests’ comfort level, it can be overwhelming being given a list of dog body language to follow when interacting with a dog. I generally choose to manage the situation by either removing my dog from the environment or, depending on the person, asking them to just ignore my dog – this seems to be the simplest instruction if trying not to overwhelm someone. I have the great fortune of having a few friends who are well versed in dog body language, which makes an introduction with my dog so much easier. It is a real joy when I can step back. I had a dog savvy friend come over, and she showed some wonderful body language to introduce herself to my dog. He is a smaller dog, so she crouched down^* at a distance, with her body turned away (about three-quarters side-on to my dog). This allowed my dog to make the choice whether to approach. Due to her posture and position, he felt comfortable enough to approach and have a good sniff; he then had the choice to walk away and did not have to endure being touched. This interaction was really positive for him; he walked away with a relaxed body and gentle tail wag. Due to his space being respected, I have noticed his relationship with this person has grown quickly, as it started on such a positive note. He now seeks out this person when seeing them, approaching with gentle tail wags and a soft body. As this relationship grows and he learns to trust this person, he will allow himself to be touched and will accept scratches with time.

^* Just a safety note on crouching down: It does make smaller dogs feel more comfortable if you do not loom over them, so crouching is an option when you interact with small dogs. However, I would not crouch down with a dog you do not know, as this puts you in a vulnerable position. If you misjudge the body language and you make a wrong move, your face is nearer to the dog when you crouch down and is not in the safest position should you get bitten. I would especially avoid crouching down for larger dogs. Turning side-on whilst standing is sufficient for larger dogs. Please take note that if you do crouch down for a small dog, it is better doing so at a distance, as crouching down suddenly into the dog’s space could unsettle him.

A hands-off greeting between human and dog is perfectly polite and adequate from a dog’s perspective. Invading space can be seen as impolite behaviour and could start the relationship on a bad note.

Sometimes the dog will not show ‘calming signals’. What can you observe in situations like this?

Going back to the social gathering and the beagle puppy: At one stage a person was overwhelmed with the cuteness of the puppy and grabbed the puppy to hug it. The puppy landed up lying on its back and being held by the person. Normally you would look for calming signals like lip licks, head turns and yawns as signs of stress indicating how the dog is coping with an interaction. I was surprised there were no calming signals displayed. Did this mean the puppy was comfortable with the interaction and being held in this manner? No, the puppy was not comfortable at all! It is important to look at the body language as a whole – not just the signals.

There may be various reasons as to why signals may not be shown, depending on the individual. Here are some possible reasons to consider:

The individual may be too stressed; she may simply be shutting down.
The dog’s signals may not have been listened to in the past, so she does not find it beneficial strategy to use them.
Each individual has different skills and experiences when it comes to communicating; this may lead to different communication strategies.
The dog may not feel confident expressing herself directly.

I always feel more comfortable when I see signals and become a bit more wary when I don’t see them. It is easier to read when there is direct communication and deliberate signals are apparent. This is why it is vital to listen to and encourage communication.

What body language did I observe in the puppy to know she was not comfortable?

The puppy initially flinched away, her body was stiff and frozen as she was held, her mouth was closed (and you could see a bit more tension around the mouth/lip area), her eyes were large and there was a bit of whale eye (seeing the whites of the eye). When the person let go of her, she immediately chose to walk away, removing herself rather than staying close and did a small shake off (this is when the dog shakes herself ever so slightly as if she were shaking water off, even though she is not wet). The shake off may occur after a stressful event. She then continued to remove herself and walked away to another room.

How do you know whether your dog is enjoying being petted?

I prefer to avoid touching dogs that I do not know and have not yet established a foundation of trust with. In the case of your own dog, if you have built up a relationship with him, you can watch the responses he gives you through his body language. Some dogs are fine and will actually solicit touch; some are not that keen, while some ask for it occasionally on their terms. There are some that prefer petting only from people they know. I would recommend trying a body language observation session with your own dog and videoing the interaction so that you can look at it objectively.

Even when petting your own dog, it is still worth using polite body language: sit side-on with your one shoulder facing your dog. Once again, try not to give too much direct eye contact. When giving any eye contact, try squinting ever so slightly or blinking slowly. In general, dogs do not really feel comfortable with hands going over their heads, so try slowly moving your hand to the chest area or side of the shoulder. Give a gentle scratch and do so for the count of about 3 seconds, then take your hand away. Observe for body language signals such as lip licks, yawning, head turns, freezing, and try to notice if your dog moves his body away or ducks away. If you see any such body language, the dog may prefer your quiet company without touch. If he leans in or paws for more, then it is very clear he would like you to continue. Sometimes dogs may have a specific spot they prefer to have scratched; each is an individual. Often body language like freezing or walking away is overlooked, as to the uninformed it may look as if nothing is happening, but these subtle signals speak very loudly.

There is another scenario that may occur when you are observing whether your dog is enjoying petting. He may show mixed signals; for instance the dog moves in closer to you for scratches or does not move away but at a point starts showing lip licks. The dog may not necessarily dislike the whole experience, but he may feel conflicted at some stage during it. Sometimes things within the interaction change; the dog may have moved in and been fine with one-handed scratches, but when the person moved to scratching with both hands, the dog may have felt uncomfortable and trapped. Another reason could be that an obliging dog may not have as much confidence to remove himself from a situation; he may have initially enjoyed scratches, but then he started to regret his choice, as the situation might have gotten too much for him. When observing, it is worth giving breaks from scratching, just to monitor whether the dog still wants to be petted. By stopping the scratching, you are really asking, “Is this ok?” and accepting that the situation may keep changing, so it is important to keep watching, reassessing and readjusting according to what you observe.

I hope this changes expectations and helps to create awareness of how species differ with regard to greetings. What may be appropriate in human terms might not be so in dog terms. Open the conversation, ask for permission, listen and readjust when necessary. A hands-off greeting is perfectly polite in dog terms; being respectful of space will help build trust and will ultimately start your friendship on the right note.

I will leave you with an informative video of a ‘Consent test’ by Eileen from eileenanddogs.com

In the first half of the video you can observe some body language signals by Zani such as lip licks and head turns, showing she wishes not to be pet. Then observe the difference in body language in Summer from about 2:36 in the video. Summer softens her eyes displaying wonderful ‘shortening of the eye’ as part of her communication expressing comfort with petting.

Video Credit: Eileen Anderson from eileenanddogs.com

Martha Knowles

Author

My vision is to create a community of dog guardians who share their observations and interpretations of their dogs’ silent conversations. Hopefully, these experiences and stories will provide some insight into dog communication, which is often overlooked by the untrained eye because it is unfamiliar to humans. We are accustomed to communicating mainly with sound, so we are not attuned to the silent subtle gestures and body language used by dogs to communicate. If you take the time to observe, you will start to see these 'silent conversations' going on around you. My dream is for dog communication to become common knowledge with all dog guardians and as many people as possible. Surprisingly, there are still some professionals working in various dog-related careers who are uneducated about dog body language. Greater awareness of how dogs communicate will help to provide better understanding and improve the mutual relationship between dogs and humans. This will promote safer interactions between our two species and hopefully remove some of the expectations placed on dogs within human society. I would like dog guardians to feel empowered with their knowledge of dog communication so that they can be their dogs’ advocates and stand up for themselves and their dogs when it really matters.

Splitting behaviour in dog communication

by Marilyn Aspinall | Sep 2, 2016 | Dog Communication Stories

Splitting behaviour in dog communication

Some years ago “Gentleman” Gus joined my family. He was a lovely, large mixed breed – probably German shepherd, collie plus other “unknowns”- who had spent far too many of his eight or nine years in rescue kennels and was labelled as dog aggressive. Happily for him and other residents of the shelter, the manager took part in a Sheila Harper course, where she learned (among other things) how dogs communicate and use body language. Applying this to the way animals were assessed and rehabilitated in the shelter changed so much for the dogs in her care, and, by the time Gus and I met, he was well on his way to becoming a first rate canine ambassador.

Dogs use a range of behaviours when relating to us as well as to other animals. I wonder whether you ever spend time watching a group of dogs at play? It can be very informative, entertaining and, for those who have some knowledge of canine communication, occasionally it can be rather worrying.

Often it may look like our pets are having great fun, but, depending on various factors, including personalities, skills and experience of the participants, over exuberant play which goes on for too long can present the perfect opportunity for a dog to learn how to bully or perhaps further develop that tendency. If the activity is a regular occurrence, not only does the bully get more proficient but the dog who is being “picked on” may well become fearful and perhaps start to display aggression to ward off the attention of any other dog.

It is not uncommon to see a couple of dogs engaged heavily in play and perhaps a third one that is hovering in the vicinity, occasionally diving in to the melee. For those not familiar with canine communication, it is easy to assume that they are having a good time; just being dogs. Even the most loving owners may miss distress signals and adrenalin driven pushiness that is on display right in front of them. Fortunately, dogs are much better at assessing situations, and that third dog may well be doing his or her best to bring the interaction to a safe conclusion.

Gus, splitting behaviour dogs, canine communication, dog social skills

Gus often came with me on group walks, where his good social skills helped maintain a generally peaceful atmosphere. On one memorable occasion, the established group of dogs was joined by a ten month Labrador. He was allowed off lead almost from the outset and, with typical puppy ways, rushed around introducing himself to everyone. The mature dogs largely ignored him and got on with their walk but a fourteen month Cocker spaniel responded to his overtures and they began to play. This went on for several minutes with noise and energy levels rising. Both owners put their dogs on lead, but the lab constantly pulled to get to the spaniel so his owner unleashed him. The spaniel owner did likewise and the wrestling and barking kicked off again. Once more the adolescents went back on lead for a short time before they were set free to play a third time.

It was evident that the spaniel was not enjoying this degree of rough and tumble, but his owner did not seem to realise his dog was asking for help to get him out of the situation. I was aware that Gus had been observing the youngsters for a little while, and he clearly decided that enough was enough. He calmly and slowly walked across to the wriggling, squealing pair and, picking his moment as they briefly drew apart, he bent forward so that he was between them, tucked his head between his forelegs and placed the top of his skull parallel to and almost touching the ground, forming a most effective barrier. He remained in this ungainly position for several seconds as the pair of youngsters looked on for a moment then turned away. Gus stood up and the lab bounced towards the spaniel again but Gus just shifted his position slightly, pup thought better of it and ambled back to his owner.

For the remainder of the walk, the lab and spaniel were kept on lead and well away from each other. If Gus thought play time was over, who were we to argue?

Previously, I had seen videos of dogs using splitting up to diffuse potentially explosive situations and had assumed that the action was always done at speed. In fact, I remember my lurcher, Jep, dashing between a visiting Jack Russell terrier and our tiny, blind cat, which literally stopped the J.R. in his tracks and prevented a chase up the garden developing (as well as maintaining feline dignity!). Seeing Gus adapt the technique to suit the relative size and situation of these two adolescents was quite remarkable and achieved the desired result with no fuss.

Aren’t dogs amazing? They have a huge range of abilities and can teach us so much if we are prepared to learn.

Marilyn Aspinall

Author

Dogs have been much loved members of my family for around fifty years but it was only in the mid 1990s, when street stray Tanna arrived (full of fears and phobias) that I came to realise you could not simply apply obedience training to combat anxiety and stress based behaviour. Looking for other ways to help this neurotic, hyperactive young lady, I attended a seminar hosted by Sheila Harper which introduced me to the concept of canine communication and Calming Signals. Subsequently, I became a member of Sheila’s “team” and, since around 2004, have supported her endeavours, and those of colleague Winny Boerman, to educate dog owners and people working with dogs to attain a greater understanding of the canine species.

Over the years, helping on courses and seminars has given me the chance to enjoy observing and getting to know a great many fantastic dogs (plus their owners!) while extending and developing my own knowledge. It has been a privilege to see people deepen and, in some instances, repair relationships with their dogs as a result of seeing things from the canine point of view so that they work with their dog rather than depend upon commands and control.

Employing this ethos has enabled me to reach a good understanding of Jorge, the eight year old flat coated retriever who is my current canine companion. He was quite a troubled boy when he first came to live with me four years ago and, given the natural sensitivity and excitability of the breed, initially had me wondering what I had let myself in for. However, his endearing personality always came through and, with mutual understanding and respect, a rewarding partnership has evolved.

It is my hope that many more people come to enjoy similar outcomes through owners and carers learning to appreciate their dogs’ silent conversation.

Considering the effects of walking or running straight towards a dog

by Martha Knowles | Feb 26, 2016 | Dog Communication Stories

Considering the effects of walking or running straight towards a dog

A reflection on head-on approaches from a dog body language perspective – a reason to curve off the path occasionally.

A simple body language experiment – Are there any differences between how a dog and human may approach one another?

I remember the period of my life when I used to commute from the suburbs into the city every day for work. It was a short walk to the station from my house; many times, I had to walk briskly down the road, or even jog (with wet hair) in order to catch the train on time. A dog lived at the corner house, opposite the station. Every morning and evening, the dog would stand behind his house gate and bark at the hasty commuters passing by.

From a human perspective, walking straight down the pavement seems mundane, as though there is nothing to consider about the topic. We live in cities and towns where every day we walk straight down a pavement directly towards a flood of people. People jog past us, bicycles and skateboarders pass us; sometimes we are late and walk with haste, not noticing the world pass us by – these are humdrum, everyday occurrences in the human world and nothing unusual. If you see a dog ahead, have you ever considered the effect on the dog as you walk towards it and pass it on the pavement? How do things appear from the dog’s perspective? Are there any differences between how a dog and human may approach one another?

On one occasion, I had time to spare and was able to be carefree about getting to the station on time. I decided to try a body language experiment with the dog at the corner house. Seeing the dog ahead, ready and waiting to bark at me, I carried on walking calmly in a natural manner but slowed my pace. A little before I reached the garden wall of the house, I started to curve off the path a bit and turned my shoulder ever so slightly away from the dog. When passing the dog, I averted my gaze and turned my head away (I could still see the dog with my peripheral vision). No bark! I was overjoyed that the experiment worked and the small amount of courteous body language seemed to pay off in this instance. Some dogs may need even more space; every situation and dog is different, so what may be enough for one, may not be for another.

When dogs approach each other, they do not rush up, straight towards each other. This kind of behaviour may be typical of a puppy, adolescent or individual who has not honed the finer nuances of polite appropriate social greetings. Careful negotiation and communication start a distance away in dog communication. The dog may slow down, start curving, sniff the ground, assess how the other dog is responding to its body language, offer appropriate body language signals, and make a decision whether to approach (usually in a polite curve or subtle curving of the body), or it may choose to slowly meander away, choosing not to interact with this particular individual. It is also worth considering that dogs have a phenomenal sense of smell. I know my dog has picked up or followed a scent of a dog that is quite a distance away, so there is a possibility that information has been gathered from scent already at a distance.

Are head on approaches considered polite in dog body language terms?

My dog is not comfortable with other dogs and occasionally certain people. Because of this, I try to avoid or offer a bit more distance from dogs and some people on walks, to help him cope with the situation. Sometimes things don’t go to plan, but I try my best. In the case of a dog approaching, I will change direction or cross the road, depending on the situation and the space necessary to allow my dog to deal with the situation. I would avoid approaching another dog head-on with my dog. My choice of avoiding may seem odd or unfriendly to some people, but it actually is very polite and the friendly thing to do from a dog communication point of view. I have had a few occasions when people continue to walk directly at me with their dogs or even decide to follow me and cross the road to approach directly (though I have deliberately turned my back on them). I find this behaviour odd. In human culture, too, turning one’s back would be an obvious signal that you do not wish to interact. Based on the experiences they have had with their own dogs, people may feel they have friendly dogs and there is no need for avoiding, but they cannot be certain that the other dog has had the same experiences.

Even for “friendly” dogs, walking directly towards another dog is impolite and awkward from a dog communication perspective, and such behaviour may not actually be considered that friendly, especially from a strange dog that they have never met before. Sure, there are some dogs that seem to tolerate this, but there are many that struggle. Slight curving either of the body or approach, along with other body language signals would be more appropriate. There are also dogs who may need space (DINOS) and prefer no approach at all. Funnily enough, I have looked back at a person who was hot on my tail with a supposedly “friendly” dog. I could see their dog expressing the opposite emotion with its body language, showing that they would rather not approach, but the person was unaware of the subtle body language his dog was showing. It is also a strange expectation that a dog should meet with every strange dog that he bumps into on the street. We don’t walk up to strangers on the street and look to interact with every stranger, so why would we have that expectation for our dogs?

Dog walkers’ courtesy – consideration for on-lead dogs

It is also worth considering how it feels to be on a lead. Being on lead can make a dog feel trapped, as there is no escape or control over a situation. Imagine being tied to someone and relying on them to make all the choices! It really depends on the guardian’s skills and observations as to what situations the dog is placed in, so the dog is vulnerable to the guardian’s choices. It is advisable and courteous to avoid approaching another dog which is on-lead with your dog, unless you ask the guardian if you are allowed to approach and they give you permission to do so. I would especially not approach if the dog is on a short lead and unable to express its true feelings through body language, due to being restricted. Dogs use their entire body to communicate; if their movement is restricted with certain walking equipment, they may not be able to communicate fully. I would rather avoid an encounter if I cannot see the full capacity of communication occurring between dogs. It would also be unfair for an off-lead dog to approach an on-lead dog, as the on-lead dog has the disadvantage of no escape due to the lead and can feel threatened.

I am hoping it becomes common knowledge and courtesy between dog walkers not to allow the off-lead dog to approach an on-lead dog – it should be common dog walking etiquette. If you see a dog ahead, call your dog and put him on lead. Always communicate at distance with the other dog guardian. It is courteous to ask if you can approach with your dog, even if your dog is on-lead.

Going back to head-on approaches … How would you feel if a stranger ran towards you at full speed?

Would it make you feel uncomfortable? You would wonder what they wanted, what they were up to; it could seem quite threatening. What if they were wearing sneakers and lycra? I guess seeing it from that perspective, you would understand there is no threat – it is just a jogger out on a run. Dogs do not understand the association of lycra with exercise, and the fast movement directly towards them can seem scary and threatening.

From a dog’s perspective, a direct, speedy, front-on approach can be seen as threatening behaviour. Another dog might do this to threaten and intimidate, or they may be impolite with such an approach. If the other dog were trying to be polite, they would take their time and negotiate a slow approach and offer appropriate body language signals. Direct eye contact, staring and front-on body posture is also used to threaten and can be used as a warning to the other party.

So, seeing joggers, cyclists or skateboarders from a canine perspective might explain why there is such a reaction to them from dogs. If you are jogging or cycling and approaching a dog ahead, I would avoid racing directly past or towards it; this could frighten or threaten the dog, and there is a chance it might bite you out of fear. I thought this would be an appropriate opportunity to share Jessica Dolce‘s (creator of DINOS – Dogs In Need Of Space) humorous blog post, ‘How to Score a Dog Bite: The Joggers and Bikers Edition‘ as further reading.

The Dog Pulse project – measuring pulse rate of dogs with head on and curved approaches

Youtube video from the Dog pulse Project

There is an interesting project called the Dog Pulse Project where they measured the pulse rate of dogs with a person approaching the dog head-on in a straight line or approaching in a curve. The pulse rates of the dogs seemed to go up with the head-on approach as opposed to the curved one. Interesting project and gives some food for thought.

Observing body language – How comfortable is your dog feeling with an approach?

Sometimes dogs may choose to sniff the ground as there is a good scent, but in other instances it might be a calming signal showing they are no threat or displacement behaviour showing that they are not feeling comfortable – all depending on the circumstances. Observe the situations in which they start sniffing the ground. I have seen dogs slow down, stop and start sniffing, due to seeing something ahead that they might not feel comfortable with. It is worth observing, taking note and listening to your dog, trying to understand what they may be communicating.

My dog copes with passing certain people on walks on the street, but he may not cope with others. The people that he struggles with are generally men – particularly those wearing hats and sunglasses. He is also wary of people who move very stiffly (front on, stiff, staring approach), and unusual looking or loud, animated people. I watch my dog’s body language carefully; he is able to move freely and express his body language on a harness and loose lead. I observe his interest level; he may start looking a bit taller, his movements become slightly more jittery, his ears go up and forward, and his tail might start pushing forward. Generally his tail is up and curled over his back, so there is a very subtle difference, with the tail moving slightly more forward or up at the base. In the case of other dogs who normally carry their tails at the same level as their backs, the tail base change in height is more noticeable than it is in the case of a tail that is curled over the back.

The other body language that my dog may display to communicate that he is not feeling comfortable with the person ahead is that he slows down and starts sniffing the ground. If he is not feeling at ease at a substantial distance, it is likely that he will not feel more comfortable as we move closer, so I prefer to find another route and avoid the person ahead. I have seen many dogs that are not able to express their discomfort, as they are on a short lead, unable to even touch the ground with their noses and express natural body language signals like sniffing or curving. I have also seen dog handlers not realizing that their dog is communicating discomfort via body language signals. The dog handler gets frustrated, thinking their dog is acting stubbornly or disobediently by slowing down, stopping and sniffing the ground, when he is actually trying to communicate rather than being stubborn. It is important that the dog is able to express himself and his body language is listened to. Even if I pass people that my dog is able to cope with, I try to curve a bit and provide a barrier with my body to make my dog feel more comfortable when passing.

There is some fantastic footage demonstrating a dog’s discomfort with regards to a person running straight up to the dog on Turid Rugaas’ DVD ‘The Wee Signs of Dogs‘. If you forward to 33:19 in the video, a woman runs straight towards a dog. The dog shows some wonderful body language by first turning his head then his whole body away in response to this approach. Shortly afterwards, the dog shows some displacement behaviour by rolling on the ground, revealing how uncomfortable he felt with this direct fast approach. Displacement behaviour like biting the lead, biting clothing, humping, scratching or rolling can occur if the dog is put in situations that are too much for him. The behaviour indicates that he may not be coping, so it is worth observing your dog’s body language carefully to understand when he many need more support from you. The dog in the video was on a loose lead and able to show his discomfort through his body language. There are many dogs placed in situations they cannot cope with, that require them to ‘sit’ or ‘stay’ without allowing them to express their true feelings about the situation with body language or the choice to remove themselves. Giving dogs some choices by allowing them to avoid situations that they don’t have the skills to cope with is a much less stressful option for them.

Final round up – the dog’s perspective and human expectations

I hope this provides some understanding to the joggers, cyclists and skateboarders as to why dogs may react to them. Pavements may be straight, and our human perspective is to follow straight paths, but it is worth curving (even if it is very subtle) and going off the path occasionally, especially if you see a dog ahead. For dog guardians, observing the body language of the dog and providing support where needed may mean avoiding a particular environment or situation in some instances. Consider, too, how much pressure is placed on the dog to conform to human expectations. There are some great dogs that seem to tolerate these demands, but even with great dogs, it would be a friendly gesture to curve off the path. In the case of dogs that struggle to cope, I hope this provides some understanding on seeing matters from their perspective. For these dogs, streets can be a difficult environment to navigate. Your dog is not misbehaving; he is just being a dog and may need more support to cope with a human world and human perspective. Perhaps a quieter environment may be more appropriate. If you see a dog reacting, barking or lunging, please give them lots of space; do not continue to approach: cross the road, and curve away – a friendly gesture that will be appreciated by the dog and guardian.

Video footage of subtle dog body language

I will leave you with a short subtle video showing a dog curving on approach. At first you may watch it and think there is nothing going on, but if you watch it again, you will see the dog subtly curving to the right on approaching the person. You will also see some polite body language on approach; at 0:05 there is a head dip and head turn. At 0:10 you can see the dog’s body starting to curve very slightly as she starts to curve to the right on approach – another quick head turn. At 0:11 another head dip; the eyes are soft, slightly shortened and almond shaped. There is a soft gentle tail wag on approach. With the slight curve, this means the side of the dog’s shoulder is facing the person on approach rather than the front of her body. It is worth also noting the speed and pace in which she approaches.

Video Credit: Lisa Kanne from One on One Dog Training

Martha Knowles

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