When you shouldn't pet a dog on the head: dog handlers warn of a hidden threat
People believe that if you pet a dog on the head, it will certainly perceive it as a friendly gesture.
Indeed, at this moment the person is trying to establish contact with the animal, but the dog, especially a stranger, evaluates this gesture in its own way.
Experts have explained why you shouldn’t pet a dog on the head.
A friendly gesture from a human point of view helps to establish contact with an animal, demonstrates love, affection, and care.
From the point of view of a dog, which is largely guided by instincts, the gesture has a completely different meaning - nothing to do with humanism.
In the animal world, a victorious animal dominates its defeated kin by placing its paw on its head.
That is, the dog thinks that the person is letting it know that he is stronger and the pet will not be able to defeat him.
For this reason, it is not recommended to pet other people's dogs.
Even if it is a familiar dog or your pet, you need to monitor the reaction and behavior.
In particular, a dog can express dissatisfaction by pressing its ears or tucking its tail.
The dog will react much less negatively to an attempt to stroke its neck or chest.
Earlier we talked about why cats bite .
