Saying hello
Saying hello
Read our top tips for greeting a new canine colleague.
Stay calm and relaxed. Dogs will be able to tell if you’re feeling tense. If you’re not comfortable greeting a dog, you don’t have to!
Approach at an angle. By approaching at a sideways angle, you are giving the dog space and options, and avoiding direct head on approach where the dog may feel like they can’t move away so approaching at an angle is a softer way to initiate interactions.
Continually assess dog body language. A dogs body language is always changing and responding to everything going on around them in their environment. If you think the dog is displaying body language that suggests they are no longer relaxed, stop what you are doing and slowly move away. Always listen to their owner as they know their dog best and can read even the most subtle body language cues when their dog is trying to communicate with them. Find out more about understanding dogs and their body language.
Allow the dog to approach you. Once you have asked human carer permission to greet their dog, allow the dog to approach you. This gives them the choice to greet if they want to. We know it can be a little disappointing if every dog you meet doesn’t want to be best friends with you, but imagine if you had to say hello to every single person you passed in the street every day!
Let the dog sniff you – this is a polite greeting in the doggy world! It may be tempting to giggle and wriggle and move away quickly when a wet doggy nose is sniffing you all over, but this is how a dog gets all their information so let them have a sniff.
Keep your hands and arms by your side. Waving your arms around, gesticulating and quick movements can worry many dogs, especially when they’re just getting to know you and saying hello for the first time. Keep your hands glued to your sides until the dog has had a good sniff and initiates further contact.
Keep interactions short. This gives your new canine colleague the opportunity to move away, or approach to continue interacting if they want to. It’s important to always give our furry pals choice when meeting new people.
Avoid making direct eye contact with the dog. You might be tempted to get lost in those puppy dog eyes, but direct eye contact can be worrying for many dogs so have a look at their cute paws, fluffy tail or smart collar to prevent yourself from staring directly at them.
Greet one at a time. Imagine how overwhelming it would be if you walked into a new workplace and every single member of staff came rushing over trying to shake your hand at the same time? Dogs get overwhelmed in the same way, so greeting one at a time is best with lots of breaks in between. The dog’s owner knows them best, so if they say the dog needs some space or quiet time, please respect this. There will always be another opportunity to say hello to your new furry friend.
What to do if a dog greets you by jumping up
It is up to owners to teach their dogs how to greet strangers suitably in the home and workplace. However, it is important you respond in the correct way to avoid encouraging the behavior and to minimize any risk of injury, even if it is accidental on the dog’s behalf!
It’s important that dogs are kept on short leads in the workplace. It’s unlikely that an owner will allow their dog to jump up at you, but it’s always best to be prepared.
Dogs jump up at us for several reasons
Attention
Excess nervous energy
Over excitement
It's important you know how to respond
Minimise risk of injury (even though it may be unintentional)
Not reinforcing the unsuitable behaviour
If you are concerned about a dog's behaviour in the workplace for any reason, follow your individual workplace protocol for reporting this.
Ignore the dog jumping up. Any attention reinforces that the behaviour is good, and dogs learn very quickly to repeat the action if it gets them what they want.
Avoid any verbal communication, physical touch, or eye contact – attention isn’t just verbal! Avoiding this can be tricky especially if the dog is a larger breed, but it’s important that you do not hold your hand out to push the dog down or use a stern voice to say ‘No or off’. Leave the owner to do this, as it’s likely the dog won’t respond to you as you are a stranger to them.
Take a step backwards so the dog can’t reach you and turn your body sideways. Move far enough away so that the dog can’t reach you on their lead. Owners will likely have their dog on a short lead depending on your workplace rules for dogs.
Keep your arms neutral by your sides, or, if you find it easier, cross them across your chest. Crossing your arms across your chest can make it easier for a dog to stop jumping at your hands, especially if you have given them a treat previously. It also helps you resist the urge to reach out and pet a dog that is jumping up.
