Dog-Dog Greetings: You never get a second chance to make a first doggy impression...

No, I'm not about to tell you that your dog needs Head and Shoulders Shampoo.  Today, we're talking about doggy introductions.  Some doggy introductions are two strangers passing on leash on the street (we'll discuss this type of greeting next time), and other times it's high stakes: you're trying to establish a great relationship between your dog and your friend, neighbor, or family member's dog.  If you have a dog who doesn't always make best friends with every passing pup on a walk, you're not alone.  The good news is that a little knowledge goes a long way toward making your dog's introductions a pleasant experience for everyone.

The way humans naturally greet strangers and the way dogs naturally greet are incredibly different.  We humans like face to face greetings with direct eye contact and a hand shake.  Your dog prefers a face to rear greeting with lots of sniffing.  When your dog is off leash, he probably handles this nicely on his own, but on leash is a different story- often because, like Will Smith said, "(pet) parents just don't understand".  Just as your dog respects the fact that you are a different species and for some reason don't appreciate the gift of his poop on your living room floor ("I thought you'd want to get to know me better!"), you should respect that he is a different species and empower him to greet new dogs the dog way.  So what does this mean?

Ideally, and this is especially important for those dogs whom you're desperate for your pooch to befriend, your dog should meet his new dog friends off leash, in a large outdoor space which is neutral territory.  On leash greetings are often problematic for more reasons than I can name in this article, one of which is because the leash changes the body language of your dog in a way that may be threatening or domineering to other dogs.  (For example, your dog excitedly pulls you toward another pup, and you instinctively pull back on the leash jerking his head up high and erect- not the friendliest dog greeting).  Neutral territory is incredibly important for any dog introduction.  You do not want you dog to view his potential new friend as an invader from which you and yours should be protected.  What is neutral territory?  Any place but the home, yard, or car of either dog.  The space should be large enough that your dog feels that he can run away if he is uncomfortable- we want them to choose flight over fight.  If your dog really likes to guard, you should not introduce the animals anywhere near your home or even on your regular walking route.  Meet up at the off leash park nearby, or on a walk in a lovely park that you don't frequent. 

If your dog is a little timid about meeting new dogs, you can use scent as a social bridge.  You and the other dog's parent should plan ahead and swap an item to your home which would have much of your dog's scent on it before the dogs meet.  Let your dog spend some time with it.  This is the doggy equivalent of getting to see a photo of someone you're going to meet before you meet them.

If you must have your dogs meet on leash, you should take your dog for a walk in the same neighborhood at the same time as the soon-to-be friend; and you and your dog should casually begin to walk along side your friend and her dog (you should approach from the side- not from the front of the other dog.  Think 90 degree angle).  Allow the dogs a brief sniffing greeting (2-4 seconds) and keep walking.  Don't stand around like an audience for a full sniffing session- get them moving to break the tension.  Walk together for 10 or twenty minutes, and if all goes well you can proceed to less neutral locations together.

While it seems like a whole lot of work to handle these greetings the "right way", it's a whole lot more work to try and undo a bad impression.  You can begin some beautiful doggy friendships this way, and your dog will thank you for respecting his nature.