Do you like dogs? I do, too. When I was a kid. I wanted to pet every dog I saw. I wanted to walk right up to them, look at them, talk to them and pet them.
I don’t do that anymore. I still like dogs. But now I understand dogs better. I know that sometimes dog don’t want people to touch them.
So the best thing to do is Ask.
1. First, ask the owner if it is okay to pet their dog. Don’t worry if the owner says No. Maybe they know the dog isn’t feeling well right now.
2. Second, ask your parent if you may pet the dog. If your parent is not around, then you should wait until another time.
3. Third, ask the dog. How do you do that? Stand very still and wait. Don’t stare at the dog. In dog language, staring is very rude. Instead, you can look at the ground. Turn your body a little sideways. Let the dog come up to you. If the dog stays hiding behind his owner, that is his way of saying he doesn’t feel like saying Hello right now.
If the dog lets you know that he does want to say Hello, the best place to pet him is on his side. Dogs don’t really like to be touched on the head.
Dr. Sophia Yin is a veterinarian. She made a poster that shows the best way to greet a dog. You can get a copy of this poster by clicking here.
Here is a cool place to go for more fun with dogs
