A stranger bending over you, scratching your chest, chirping babytalk, and patting your head. You would probably find these types of greetings uncomfortable, and so does your dog!
Do people you’ve never met approach you and your dog while you’re out walking together? Does your dog struggle to “say hello” – and turns away, jumps, barks, or growls instead? This course can help put your dog at ease with human greetings and help avoid inter-species misunderstandings. Even when we tell people not to greet our dogs, the reality is that sometimes we’ll be faced with unexpected and intrusive human behavior. Teaching your dog how to accept greetings now and then will help him cope more confidently in the future.
Note: if your dog has ever bitten someone, do not use this technique. You must seek help from a qualified dog behavior specialist to address the biting behavior.
This course will help you:
- Understand how human greetings can be interpreted by dogs.
- Teach a cue that makes it easier for your dog to remain relaxed when meeting people.
- Plan where, when, and why to use this cue.
- Build up skills with progressive, short practice sessions.
- Consider where choice and consent fit into greetings.
Who should take this course?
Dog lovers and animal care professionals who want to boost their dog’s confidence, have sociable dogs that still struggle during everyday challenges, or want to proactively increase safety around human interactions.
