What is the 3 second rule dog greeting?
Maci Wiza
2025-05-23 15:58:03
Count answers: 2
I encourage people to practice the 3-Second Rule when they meet a new dog.
Engage for no more than 3 seconds, then withdraw your attention.
By doing this, you are asking the dog if he is comfortable.
If he wants more, he’ll stay.
If he’s not comfortable, he’ll move away.
In essence, it’s a metaphorical handshake.
When two dogs meet for the first time, it’s best to interrupt the info-gathering session at 3 seconds.
You can let them go back to get more info but sniffing and circling and other greeting-related rituals can go sour if allowed to go on too long.
Individual dogs are different as far as where that fine line is, but there’s a good chance that if the focus has lasted more than 3 seconds, the 4th second will be a problem.
Appropriate, mutual dog-dog interactions include pauses, lots and lots of pauses.
Pauses may be in the form of moving away, turning away, doing a play bow, etc.
Guess how often these pauses occur, yup, about every 3 seconds.