“He’s Friendly!”
You will hear the chant everywhere! Then, the dog comes running up full boar to the other dog or the other human with his hackles raised and a stiff tail! Or the other chant is, “He just wants to say hello!” Honestly and respectfully, these are excuses for poorly trained or untrained dog.
More and more I think people really have no idea what “friendly” means. No dog should run up to another dog! It really doesn’t matter if he is truly friendly or not. It is rude, pushy, disrespectful behavior on the part of the dog. The other dog may NOT be friendly or the human across the street may be terrified of dogs!
The ONLY way dogs should greet other dogs or humans is if the owner has their dog under control (that doesn’t mean running or charging under “voice” control) and the dog owners asks the other dog owner or human if it is okay to greet.
Friendly dogs display a soft body posture. They don’t hold their heads or tail high and tense. They don’t charge up to another dog barking or quietly. They have a softer movement forward – maybe a trot or a brisk and happy walk. Many friendly dogs will lick their lips or even sniff the ground before approaching.
We all know that hackles are generally not a good sign. Hackles at the shoulder are usually excitement. Hackles at the tail are usually indication of fear. And if a dog hackles all the way down his back, he is probably truly aggressive. There are exceptions, of course to every rule.
If your dog wears clothes or a harness, it may disguise to the other dog they are uncomfortable. If your dog cannot communicate to other dogs, it can make them very defensive. I am not a proponent of anything that covers or disguises a dog’s ability to communicate to other dogs. In some cases, a harness or dog clothing that is uncomfortable may actually make the dog uncomfortable in being able to communicate causing that dog to actually be more defensive.
Restraint can increase aggression too, but that doesn’t mean the dog should just run freely either. Any dog can relate nicely to another dog on a loose leash and the leash can become a tool to stop an argument between two dogs if necessary.
Dogs that put their heads over the neck or across the shoulder of another dog are antagonizing and requesting reprimand or challenge.
Stopping to “say hello” can be a fool’s folly. In most cases, the best thing to do is just keep walking away from another dog with your own dog. Most dogs would rather follow their owner as opposed to entering into an uncomfortable interaction with another dog. Many times, we HUMANS are at fault for aggressive interactions because we put so much pressure on our dog to play or interact with a dog they don’t know.
It’s a fact, not all dogs get along with other dogs. Honor your dog and don’t expect them to play with every dog. Just keep walking along your way. Don’t stop for dogs who don’t know each other to “play.” If you are the owner of an overfriendly dog, respect that dog that is an introvert. Don’t force dog to dog interactions.
Reading dog behavior can be very difficult even for people that do it professionally for many years. There are always exceptions to every “rule.” Each dog is different. Just like people. Even though we may all know English, many have different dialects. It is the same with dogs. The most important thing is, be KIND to other dogs and other people. Put your phone away and watch your own dog’s dialect. You may end up with a closer relationship!
Caption: When multiple dogs come together, strong obedience skills are incredibly important.
