Meeting And Greeting

Proper Greeting For Dogs

​When introducing dogs for the first time it’s important to remain calm and be patient.  One mistake that is often made when introducing two dogs is rushing the process. As humans, we often encounter people that may “rub” us the wrong way and we don’t instantly bond with; it’s the same with dogs, we can’t expect them to be best buddies in a matter of minutes. Making sure that the two meet on neutral ground is important and should help the dogs remain calm and without territorial behaviors. If you know that your dog has a favorite toy or gets grouchy sharing, don’t bring the toy for the initial meeting, as this could ignite a fight. ​Making new friends for your pup can be a fun
and rewarding experience. Dogs can play a role in encouraging friendships and meeting new people. They get people out of the house for exercise and motivate owners to become more involved in rescues and shelters. If a first time introduction doesn’t go as smoothly as you’d like, don’t fret, try again in the future. As an example, when my two

Face-to-Face Greetings can quickly lead to fights between
unknown dogs.

Walking dogs together is a great way for them to socialize in
a controlled environment.

rescues met for the first time, my “gets along with everyone” girl was growling and snapping at the other one.  We ended up taking them outside and walking them together as a pack, while maintaining a safe distance. After a the first night of monitoring their interactions we realized that Millie, our lovable girl wasn’t being aggressive, but was teaching Wonder how to play and interact with another dog. Wonder had spent the last 4 months of his life in a crate at an animal hospital and lacked social interaction with other dogs. When he met Millie, he played like a puppy, biting her ear, and tugging at her. Millie corrected his play by teaching him bite inhibition. They are now best friends and love to play keep away by chasing each other around the house. ​While this is just one example of an introduction, it’s important to know the temperament of each dog. While I knew that Millie was a happy-go- lucky kind of girl who is vocal, not aggressive, Wonder seemed like an eager, crazy wild thing that didn’t understand or respect the social norms when meeting other dogs. Humans often shake hands with a person when they meet for the first time, for dogs this translates into sniffing. It may seem and look silly, but nose to tail is the proper meet and greet. Both should remain on leashes, under the control of their owner. This should take place on neutral territory, if possible, with each dog having an eye on their owner for commands or cues. You never want to put a dog in a situation where they may fail (i.e. a tight space where they can’t escape from the other dog).  After the initial sniff and greet, I highly recommend going for a walk. If the dogs looked relaxed after a while, ears back, looking around, rather than staring down other dog, you can try to walk the two side by side, while both leashed and you in control.  Slow increments of exposure go a long way in developing trust with the new dog, and in the owner. Another thing to remember is that when you’re walking with your pup and you see a loose dog, or an owner that wants their dog to play with yours, feel free to say “no”, or say “we’re in training right now”.  As a dog owner it is your responsibility to speak up for you dog, to tell the other (sometimes insistent) owner to back off and not engage in dog play. I know that I’ve been in some sticky situations with my pups, and telling someone else that your dog doesn’t play well with others may feel embarrassing or shameful, but in the end you are making the right decision by protecting and speaking up for you dog, who may not be ready to face the world. -K Paige