Dogs meeting dogs

Where did that idea come from that “dogs should meet one another”? I was training my dog at a park one day and I noticed a man and his dog deliberately heading in my direction. When he was close enough to be heard he said, “I don’t think these two have met.” Er, was it not obvious we were engaged in some training? On another occasion I was walking down a river path with Tess when another eager owner stepped forward into our path using the exact same words, “I don’t think these two have met.” The other guy seemed oblivious to the fact that that his dog was projecting very intimidating body language with a frontal approach, intense stare and forward posture, while my dog was ramping up ready to explode into defensive aggression. In both cases I explained my dog didn’t want to meet their dog and moved away.

Why do people think dogs have to meet? We don’t insist every human has to meet. We don’t think every cat has to meet (we all know how that would turn out!) 

The fact is that different dogs have different personalities. Some love to be the life and soul of the party and think everyone will be their friend. Others have a few select friends but don’t want every Fido, Rover and Max running up and invading their space.

Dogs also have different moods and confidence levels depending on how they feel in the moment (just like us). We all know we’re not at our best when tired, uncomfortable or stressed. Sometimes we all just need space. 

And then there’s the manner of greeting. A polite dog greeting involves a low key, circling non-threatening approach that is respectful of the other dog’s body language and behaviour. Unfortunately many dogs have poor social skills and are over-excited when greeting which annoys or overwhelms other dogs. It’s like a stranger races up to you and starts to hug you without any of the niceties of greeting first. 

Every dog has a unique personality. Some are extroverts and some are introverts. Some are the life and soul of the party and some just want to spend time by themselves in a quiet corner in the library (figuratively speaking). And there’s all shades in between. So let’s understand our canine companions as the unique individuals they are, and respect different dog’s needs when in a public space.