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The 5 Minute Dog by Personable Pets Dog Training
Quick, practical dog training tips in under 5 minutes—because training your dog shouldn’t take all day.
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The 5 Minute Dog by Personable Pets Dog Training
#138 Consent and Safety: Why Standing Dogs Make Better Interactions
Have you ever considered how a dog's position affects their comfort when being petted by strangers? This eye-opening discussion challenges the conventional wisdom that dogs should sit during interactions with unfamiliar people.
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You know, when I'm petting someone else's dog, I actually prefer to pet them while they're standing up, not sitting down. I think it's safer for both me and the dog. Standing gives the dog freedom Freedom to move closer if they want more attention, or freedom to walk away if they don't want to interact with me. Just because the owner gave you permission to pet, that doesn't always mean that the dog actually wants you to touch him. A standing dog can more easily show me consent. They can nudge my hand for more, they can wiggle their body or they can even step closer to me, allowing me to pet without having to lean over and get into their space. All these are signs that he's probably comfortable interacting with me. But if he turns his head or seems rigid or just turns and walks away, those are all signs that he's probably not comfortable with the interaction. So you see, if the dog is sitting, I can't really tell if he's comfortable with my interaction or if he is just sitting there tolerating it because his owner made him sit and it is risky to pet a dog who is just tolerating it, A dog who isn't comfortable with the interaction, a scared or anxious dog, will most likely bite if they feel confined.
Speaker 1:And petting a dog who doesn't want to be touched, who just has to sit there and take it? Well, I'm pretty sure that is the definition of confinement. Go check your dictionary. I'll wait. So for me, if I'm going to pet a dog, I need them to be standing. If the owner insists on a sit, I'll say thanks, but I have to move on, and that's for my safety and the safety of the dog.