How to Pet a Dog Properly

It’s all in the touch!! The way you pet a dog can make you his favorite person or the human he’s always trying to avoid. Certain petting tactics can send most dogs running in the other direction, while some petting strategies will have a dog tail-waggin’ happy in your hands.

The first rule of petting is never pet a dog who doesn’t initiate contact. This is especially important to enforce with children who will often approach a dog who is lying down, cornered in a room or actively trying to get away. Rather than reaching out and touching the dog, invite him to make the first contact by squatting down so you are closer to his level.

Avoid hovering over the dog when greeting him as it can be perceived as a threat. Instead, allow the dog to approach you first. With a shy dog, pretend to ignore him and look away for the first few moments until he discovers you’re safe to approach.

A friendly dog will approach with his ears held back slightly and his tail held out at medium height behind him, with a widespread sweeping wag. When the dog sniffs your body, he is gathering information about you, not necessarily inviting you to pet him. If the dog exhibits a loose, wiggly body posture with relaxed eyes and mouth as he moves towards you or if he initiates brief eye contact, he is most likely indicating friendliness and a desire for interaction.

Once the approach has been made, pet the dog slowly in areas where he is comfortable being touched. A dog who enjoys petting will usually lean toward you or actively seek contact with you when you stop petting him.

Most dogs are comfortable being petted on the chest, the shoulders and base of the neck. When petting these areas, reach in from the side, rather than moving your hand over the top of the dog’s head. Individual dogs also have specific spots where they like to be petted- common areas are the base of the tail, under the chin or on the back of the neck where the collar hits.

Petting should be calming and therapeutic for both dog and person, both reaping the mutual benefits of shared contact. When you pet a dog in a relaxed, slow and gentle manner, he is likely to lean in tight for more.

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