A very common question among people who live with these animals is: How do dogs greet? When we arrive home and are greeted with enthusiasm, is that their way of greeting us? How do they greet each other? Domestic canines are gregarious animals, very social and sociable. In animals that present such characteristics, there is no doubt that greeting is a very important social event among the members of a group and that it is a fundamental part in the generation and strengthening of the affective bond between the different individuals of the social group. Therefore, we can deduce that the greeting between dogs exists.
In this article on our site we talk about the dog greeting, its characteristics, origins and functions so that you can understand how dogs greet, both to each other and to humans.
Types of greetings in dogs
The greeting itself is a ceremony or ritual that all dogs perform, as it is firmly embedded in their species genetics. The canine greeting is exhibited or performed when a dog meets another member of its group (waking up, meeting again), but it is also performed with other members of its species even if they do not belong to its social group. It is also carried out by puppies with adults and even puppies with each other. For this reason, to get to know it better, the main types of canine greetings should be separated:
- Greeting between acquaintances and with a certain degree of emotional bond.
- Greeting between two dogs that do not yet have this bond.
- Dog greeting towards people, although this canine behavior could also be included in the two previous points.
How do dogs greet each other?
The greeting between known dogs is performed when they meet and involves a whole ceremony of gestures and body postures. The animals appear relaxed and confident, touching each other with their bodies, smelling each other and sometimes adopting playful postures with the front part of the body against the ground and the back part of the body raised.
The greeting between two unknown dogs is somewhat colder and more distant, so to speak. The gestures and body postures do not show as much relaxation as in the previous case, since each animal is waiting to observe the response of the other dog in order to continue or not with the friendly greeting ritual. If one of the dogs has not received adequate socialization, this greeting may not occur because the unsocialized dog will, with a high probability, tend to bark and show a hostile attitude. This is why it is so important to properly socialize a puppy or newly adopted adult dog.
Dog Greeting Functions
The canine greeting, in addition to all of the above, has a very important social function when it is performed between members of the same group (pack in the case of wild animals or interspecific social group in the case of the dog and the human family with whom it lives). This social function is to reinforce the hierarchical position within the group. Just seeing the morning greeting of a dog one can interpret the social position within the group of that animal. The dog that greets a more dominant member of the group does so with a less relaxed posture, throwing licks in the air and trying to appear smaller than it is, while the dominant individual shows a totally different posture: upright, calm and relaxed. The first behavior commented on is a behavior similar to that observed when puppies greet an adult dog.
Yes, it is important to note that at all times we speak of the greeting between dogs, since the hierarchy itself occurs between animals of the same species, not between dog and human. Between dog and human, the greeting can show the type of relationship and bond that exists between them, without having anything to do with the concept of leadership, something that, we repeat, occurs between dogs that are part of the same social group. However, it is true that knowing the different types of greetings between dogs can help people who live with more than one to better understand their behavior.
How do dogs greet humans?
This is perhaps the most relevant point of this article, since the canine greeting directed towards people, although it has the same behavioral roots as the greeting directed towards its congeners, the additions it contains are the same important.
In this case, too, two different situations must be separated. The first one is when the dog greets his guardianor some other person in his immediate environment whom he already knows and with whom, surely, He has a good emotional bond. This situation can occur in the morning when waking up, when the person returns home or even when the dog returns from a walk. The dog waddles, frantically wags its tail and, if it is used to doing so, may lick the greeted person Generally, the doghe is relaxed and his facial gesture, as well as his body posture, indicates that state of mind.
The other situation to differentiate is that of some dogs that greet strangers just because they look at them, speak or reach down to touch them. This situation occurs in those dogs that since they were puppies have always had pleasant experiences with the human beings with whom they have had the chance to interact. Although they differentiate between close people and strangers, in general they have a totally positive vision of human beings and this means that, when faced with a friendly attitude from a person, the animal immediately exhibits the greeting ritual.
In short, the greeting is one of the many behavioral expressions that companion domestic canines present and that has an inherited genetic base and an important environmental influence based on the experiences previously lived by the animal that he does it. If due attention is paid to it, the greeting serves as a parameter to measure the good relationship between a dog and the people with whom it lives and mainly with its guardian. As it should be done with the rest of the people, a dog should never be denied a greeting.
Now, if your dog jumps on people to greet them or wants to greet everyone in a very effusive way, we recommend you consult this other article to deal with this topic and avoid future problems: How prevent the dog from jumping on people?
Why doesn't my dog greet me?
Although greeting is part of canine behavior and is very important among dogs, not all of them greet their humans when they get home. If your dog has never greeted you, you do not have to worry or think that your dog does not love you, he simply does not have that habit with you or he is used to you being the one who comes to greet you. Each relationship is different and often depends on the parameters that are marked between dog and human.
If your dog has suddenly stopped greeting you, then we recommend you go to the vet because he may be suffering from a he alth problem that prevents him from moving as usual or having his usual mood.
How to greet a dog?
Again, when greeting a dog, the two situations discussed throughout the article must be taken into account: the greeting addressed to an unknown dog and the greeting addressed to our dog companion or known dog.
How to greet an unknown dog?
Before approaching an unknown dog, it is important to observe it to see if it is receptive or not. In the same way that we would not like someone to suddenly approach us to pet us, many dogs do not either. If the animal seems receptive, we will approach slowly so as not to scare it or convey the wrong attitude. At all times we must remain calm to convey security and confidence, avoiding sudden movements. When we are close, we will let the animal come closer to smell us and take the first step If it smells us and seems satisfied, we can caress it by the neck area, not by the head or the snout unless we are totally sure that the dog will positively accept this gesture.
How to greet a dog when you get home?
The answer to this question will depend entirely on the relationship you have with the dog. Some dogs, as we have said, remain calm and wait for their humans to come and say hello. In these cases, as the animal shows a completely calm attitude, it is possible to greet it with caresses, words of encouragement, etc. Other dogs, on the other hand, tend to greet their humans more warmly. If you stay within the postures mentioned above, you can respond to the greeting without any problem.
Now, if your dog greets effusively, urinates when he greets or jumps on people, he may be suffering from stress or separation anxiety, problems that must be treated to restore the animal's emotional balance. Stress can be caused by various causes and you must find it to combat it. In the second case, he will present other symptoms such as damage to the home when he is alone, barking, crying or showing nervousness when he interprets that you are leaving.
In addition to determining if your dog really has a problem that needs treatment, it is important not to greet him so as not to reinforce that behavior. Therefore, you should ignore him and pet him only when he is calmer.
How to teach a dog to say hello?
The greeting between dogs is an innate behavior that they learn to perform correctly when they are not separated from their mother prematurely and, above all, when they receive good socialization. Thus, the puppy that is weaned naturally and enjoys an adequate period of socialization, will know how to greet other dogs and people as we have described in previous sections.
When the dog bites when greeting other dogs or people, she greets too effusively, jumps or urinates, then yes, a solution should be sought by finding the problem first. Generally, it happens due to a lack of socialization, because some of her needs are not well met or, as we have said, she suffers from stress or anxiety for other reasons. In any of these cases, the dog must be taught to greet correctly depending on the reason that leads him to do it "badly". Going to a canine educator or ethologist is always the best option because they will analyze the case and establish a work plan.
If the problem is the lack of socialization, we advise you to consult this other article: "How to socialize an adult dog?". If your dog barks at others, check out this one too: "My dog barks at other buts when he's on a leash."
