An expert explains how dogs greet each other and the people around them. Learn what dogs are actually doing when they sniff, play, or approach you, and how to safely greet a dog the way it understands.
A very common question among people who live with furry friends is how do dogs greet each other when we arrive home and they greet us enthusiastically? Is that their way of greeting us? And how do they greet each other? In this video by an animal expert, we'll talk about canine greetings and their characteristics so that you can understand how dogs greet each other and humans. Let's get started. Greetings between Familiar Dogs Greetings between familiar dogs involve a whole ceremony of gestures and body postures. The animals appear relaxed and confident, touching each other with their bodies and flying. In addition, they sometimes adopt playful postures with the inside of their bodies against the ground and the back of their bodies raised. Canine greetings have a very important social function when performed between members of the same group. This social function is to reinforce the hierarchical positioning within the group. Just by watching a dog's morning greeting, we can interpret its social position within the group. A dog greeting, a more dominant member of the group, does so with a less relaxed posture, flicking its tongue in the air and trying to appear smaller than it is. The dominant dog, on the other hand, stands tall, calm and relaxed. Greeting between Unfamiliar Dogs A greeting between two unfamiliar dogs is somewhat colder and more distant. Gestures and body postures do not show as much relaxation as in the previous case. Each animal is waiting to see how the other dog responds in order to decide whether or not to continue with the friendly greeting ritual. If one of the dogs has not received adequate socialization, this greeting may not take place because the unsocialized dog will tend to bark and display a hostile attitude. This is why it is so important to socialize a dog correctly. Discover how to introduce two dogs correctly in the video included in the card. How they greet the humans in their environment When a dog greets its owner or someone else in its immediate environment, it will move around, wag its tail frantically, and if it is used to doing so, it may lick the person being greeted. Generally, dogs are relaxed and their facial expressions, as well as their body posture, indicate their mood. How do they greet unknown humans? Some dogs greet unknown people simply because they look at them, talk to them, or bend down to touch them. This happens to dogs that have always had pleasant experiences with the humans they have interacted with since they were puppies. Although they differentiate between people they are close to and strangers, in general, they have a completely positive view of humans. This means that when a person shows a friendly attitude, the animal immediately greets them. Let's now see how we should greet dogs correctly. How to greet an Unknown Dog before approaching an unknown dog. It is important to observe it to check if it is receptive or not. If it seems receptive, approach it slowly so as not to scare it or convey the wrong attitude. At all times, remain calm to convey security and confidence, avoiding sudden movements. When you are close, let the animal come closer to smell you and then allow it to come forward. If it smells you and seems happy, you can pet it around the neck, not the head or snout, unless you are absolutely sure that it will accept the gesture positively. How to greet a dog when you get home? The answer to this question will depend entirely on the relationship you have with the dog. Some dogs remain calm and wait for their humans to come over to greet them. In these cases, since the animal is completely calm, you can greet it with caresses and words of encouragement. Other dogs on on the other hand, tend to greet their humans more enthusiastically. If you want to know more about how dogs communicate, don't miss the video we have for you here. Tell us how your furry friend greets you when you get home. Until next time, experts.
