Its happened to you.
You’re at a party, or in the grocery store, or at the office.
Someone comes up to talk to you, and stands just a little too close.
You feel his breath on your face, perhaps the brush of a sleeve, and you take a hasty step backwards.
We humans don’t like having our personal space invaded. And neither do our dogs.
“Wait a minute,” you interject. “My dog has no inkling of personal space. He jumps on me, paws at me, puts his head in my lap, leans against my leg. He thinks my space is his space.”
Dogs do have a sense of proxemics, or the way individuals perceive spatial distance in face-to face encounters. But its different than humans, not surprisingly, because dogs are a different species than us.
Here are some things we humans do that don’t bother us, but could very well set your dog’s teeth on edge:
Endless petting – sure, your dog is cute and silky soft but at some point he’s going to say ENOUGH ALREADY! Since he can’t talk, he will convey his displeasure by squirming, mouthing, or growling at you to stop.
Hugs – dogs don’t hug each other (and no, humping is not the same thing). Some dogs will tolerate a brief squeeze, others will struggle to extract themselves from your loving arms.
Direct eye contact – humans look each other in the eye all the time. Its considered polite. Most dogs, however, believe this to be rather rude. In fact, staring at a dog may make the dog think you are challenging him. Don’t be surprised if he barks at you, or worse, if you insist on doing this.
Hand over head – we’re all guilty of reaching out to pat a dog on the head. Imagine what this looks like to a dog. Kind of threatening, no? It’s no wonder some dogs shy away, back up, or even growl when that hand approaches.
You know how YOU feel when someone invades your space. So the next time you approach your dog – or any dog – please, don’t get personal.
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