Do not approach your dog to pet them. Giving your dog control over when and how they are petted or touched reduces your dog’s stress.
Review the body language resources (videos, app) closely so that you recognize the early signs of your dog’s fear, anxiety, or stress around petting. This way, you can avoid aggression.
When your dog is resting or sleeping, do not approach them, reach for them, or touch them.
Interacting with a pet is a dynamic process and may change from minute to minute based on the emotion of the pet, the environment, and the person interacting with them. You can use these guidelines to see if your pet is interested in interacting, but remember to watch your pet’s body language and keep rechecking. This is called a consent test. Pet your dog for a couple seconds on a neutral location, such as under the chin or on their side. Avoid petting them on top of their head. Monitor their body language and look for signs of stress during the interaction. If you see signs of discomfort do not pet them more. They are uncomfortable if they look away, back away, walk away, duck their head away from the hand, lick their lips, lift a paw, stiffen their body or growl.
Do not physically correct or move your dog. If you need your dog to move, toss treats in the direction you need them to go.
If your dog shows aggression when approached if resting with a particular person, do not let someone approach them in that situation. Instead, call to them so they can get up and go to them, exiting the room.
When you need to wake your dog up, call your dog’s name and/or shake a treat jar.
If your dog and your child will be in the same room without a barrier separating them, there should be 2 adults present. If they physically interact, one adult should hold the child, the other should hold your dog.
Do not leave your dog unsupervised with your child.
