Video: Don't Pet a Dog on the Head

[Noobs]

Check out this video, a must-see for anyone here who may still think it's okay to pet a dog on the head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2cC6LBD ... re=related

[Mattie]

Thanks Noobs

[Nettle]

Thank you: that is very important and a difficult fact to get across to people.

[Buddy'smyboy]

While I appreciate what this video demonstrates, I have also never seen or done the method in which that lady patted her dog on the head. I've seen people stroke their dog's head in a quick fashion, but never just down right pat-pat-pat quickly on their head. That takes away the joy of feeling the silky fur on the top of head (at least for me it does). A better demonstration and lesson would be to point out how the dog flinches when the hand comes down directly on top of the head and hence a good reason why not to do it with dogs you don't know because they might react to it with fear. That's why I always do Buddy a favor and come from one side or the other to pet his ears (which he really loves, he'll just melt) since he flinches a little when a hand comes down directly on his head.

[leslie123]

I don't really understand this. They don't like being Pet or Pat? Seems like a big difference to me, but is it the same for the dog? I wouldn't like being pat on the head as done in that video either. I notice there is another one about dogs not liking hugs, which I did know. I always thought that from owners they tolerate it though. Is it less stress on our dog if just don't hug? Sulley generally lays his head on our shoulder when we hug him.