What is the dog greeting ritual?
Marcella Ullrich
2025-06-18 19:33:22
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In dog-speak, such directness is at best interpreted as rude, and at worst, seen as a threat. Watch how two dogs greet each other when they're off the lead and you will appreciate how different the canine greeting ritual is and what dogs have to go through when a person, and in particular, a stranger, greets them. Some dogs are very social and like human contact but others will practice avoidance by jumping up, barking, growling, snapping or even biting if they're touched. You would do the same, put yourself in your dog's paws and think about how weird it would be if someone you didn't know came up and touched you without your consent.
We don't even think about consent when it comes to interacting with dogs, but this needs to change, as asking for consent is vital. This would help us better understand and appreciate the position dogs are sometimes put into. He needs the freedom and space to consent to a greeting, but this cue can be used as a way to give him that choice.