A child or even an adult can get equally excited when meeting an adorable dog. You might feel the irresistible urge of petting the dog! But there are certain things that you must keep in mind while greeting a dog. Petting unfamiliar dogs can be an invitation to trouble. Experts that study canine psychology say that most of the cases of bites are due to fear because a person might not recognize the signs that the dog is showing and might misinterpret them resulting in a bad experience. In worst-case scenarios, people often greet and interact with unfamiliar dogs in a way that might incite fear in the mind of a dog. Thus it is necessary to understand the body language of dogs before greeting them

What to keep in mind before petting a dog?

People must keep in mind that even a dog might have a bad day and be upset or frustrated before approaching a dog. Approaching a dog who is yawning might startle them and due to protective tendency, they might bite you in a reflex action. Avoid a dog who is in a tense posture or pulling back his head or ears. If a dog is intentionally staring at you directly then it means that they might be afraid of you and shouldn’t be approached immediately. Dogs wag their tail when they are in good mood, if you see a dog with a stiff raised tail then it’s best to not pet it. Sometimes dogs back away if they are intimidated by a human or any other animal, thus if you see a dog backing away then it means that the dog is intimidated by you. In such a situation, you should try to look as small as possible and bend down, and then slowly approach the dog

How to properly pet a dog.

Now that you have approached the dog you should keep something in mind while petting the dog. Earn the trust of the dog before touching them. You shouldn’t thrust your hand out at a dog and directly touch its head. You should kneel and scratch the dog under his chin. Avoid direct eye contact with the dog and avoid making loud noises around the dog. You should not touch the tail or the lower back of a dog as it might startle them. Do not pull the tail leg or ear of the dog. The best strategy is to let the dog approach you and avoid approaching them first.