Need help socializing!

[FirstYorkie]

Originally Posted by Annie&Badger

Surprisingly, alot of people still don't know how to say 'hello' to a dog properly (putting their hands out for him to sniff etc.)...

I seem to be monopolizing this thread. Sorry!!!

This is another subject that interests me. I wonder if anyone else has any experience with it.

I have always greeted a strange dog with hand open, palm facing the dog. Not too long ago, I read that this is incorrect. Apparently, dogs are most comfortable being greeted with your hand loosely closed (like a loose fist). I was surprised!

I put alot of effort into socializing Joey as a puppy and he's very friendly. The only place that he's uncomfortable with strangers is at the vet. I noticed that the person that he likes the most there is the one who greets him with closed hand. Now, that could be a result of her hand or it could be that she is the one who is most comfortable greeting nervous dogs (perhaps because she has done extra reading on the subject and feels that she knows what she is doing?).

Anyone have any experience with this?

[Erin]

I would like to know more on this. We don't allow Loki to jump up to greet people, but I don't really go farther than that. I take him to the playground a lot to socialize him with kids. They all give him a treat. He thinks kids = treats! Anyway I usually ask him to sit and I feed him while I have them pet his back. Otherwise they go for his head and he either backs away and tries to sniff their hands or he just pulls away because he doesn't like the kids to grab his head. (He is always gentle with them and tolerates it but he gets stiff so I know he hates it. He hates when I pat him on the head too.) I always thought he would try to sniff their hand because he is sniffing for a treat? So if there is a more concrete reason I will definately use that in our encounters with the kids at the park!