Part 0800.0005

[Sheilaz]

As someone who has never had a dog, I've never known how to greet them as I enter a dogowner's house.

Is there an etiquette or expected way to behave?

This must come naturally to some people but I just feel awkward, do I make a fuss, talk, stroke, or not? Does it depend on what message the dog is giving? Perhaps it varies according to breed or personality of dog or owner? Is there anything that is actually wrong, I'm just never sure.

I do like dogs and I'm not nervous with them, just inhibited.

Completely out of my depth and trusting that Omleteers will give me valuable insight, it's something I'd like to learn.

[chuckmum6]

Personal, if it's a unfamiliar dog and you are entering its terrority I would keep you initial interactions to a minimum. Avoid direct eye contact unless the dog is giving you very friendly signals, even then allow time for the dog to settle, calm and get use to you. If you go over board on fussing you could well excite the dog, calm, quiet and slow.

[Snowy]

I agree, I think the recommended advice is to have minimal contact at first so the dog doesn't learn to become over excited at visitors - they have to learn to take their turn for a fuss. Sadly not something mine have ever mastered and no one is allowed through our door until they have been thoroughly slobbered on and trampled into the carpet

[chickensaregreat]

We ask people to ignore our dogs when they first come in and then once the dogs have calmed down they then say hello, it works really well especially with our dogs because they are both quite youngish (1 and 3) and the 1 year old can if she wanted to jump up as high as a normal sized person upwards and we don't want her doing it!!

[Duncan08]

We have a very bouncy boxer, we too always ask visitors to ignore him, close friends unfortunately still make a big fuss which ends up getting Duncan in trouble

[karlotta]

With mine the best bet is to lay very still until they've off loaded about 10litres of dribble over you.... Then they'll ignore you.

[Lavenders_Blue]

I think it depends on the dog really. I like new visitors to make a fuss of Tango (although I like her to have all four paws on the ground while they are doing so, rather than jumping all over people). If she is ignored by new visitors she seems to think that the visitor is unfriendly and therefore must be barked at until they leave the house. She seems to be quite wary of strangers in the house (no bad thing in some ways). However... visitors that Tango already knows have to take their chances with her very over enthusiatic welcome. They usually end up tripping over her as she lays directly in front of their feet on her back hoping for a tummy tickle

[Chucky Mama]

I think it is best to ignore a dog when you first come into a house. For those that are likely to be offended by this I usually say something along the lines of 'hello, I'll say a proper hello to you later so that I don't get you too excited'. It just allows them to settle and creates less chaos around the front door. I generally ask people to ignore my dog, she can then quietly suss them out and generally goes back to bed.

[lillybettybabs]

I tend to ignore them until they calm down, I have a very bouncy friendly Lab that loves to

meet new people and will try it on. He leaps up as if he has no manners to see what he can get away

with. I aways say to turn your back on if he does that (he shows me up the little monster:x ).

Edited February 27, 2012 by Guest

[The Dogmother]

I do as CM suggests if I don't know the dog/s and will ignore them while they sniff and check me out. I have enjoyed Karen's dog's friendly welcome... he's all waggles and big tongue

 

My two aren't too bad on greetings, although my Ex tends to get them worked up despite me asking him not to if I have visitors coming, then I tend to leave the dogs in the kitchen behind the stair gate so they can see the visitors but not get too excited. Generally they go back to their beds when asked but Ruby can get a bit over-excited. If the visitor is new then I tend to ask them to just stand still and ignore the sniffing until they have been 'inspected'.

[Duncan08]

The funniest visitor we had was our Parish Sister, she came to the house when my son was under instruction for his first holy communion.

sister is only a little lady, and terrified of dogs.

She rang the bell, Duncan barked, by the time I got to the door she was back out of the porch hanging on to the handle for dear life. She wouldn't let me open my own door until we had put the dog out.

 

I feel awful for her now as the parish priest has got an Akita that throws himself at anyone that walks in the parish house.