Truth is, I'm always happy...but especially with a ball in my mouth!
But all kidding aside, this week is National Dog Bite Prevention Week, and if you're anything like Parental Unit, you're probably not as aware of canine body language or as cautious as you should be when in the company of other dogs. So here are a few
timely and important tips from the
Humane Society of the United States that explain exactly how to read a dog's body language cues (they're always talking to us) to help you understand whether they're relaxed and happy or tense and anxious-it's not always that easy to tell the difference!
One of the keys is to simply be polite, and
not walk up to a strange dog and pet him or her, without asking the owner first
and assessing the dogs demeanor. But the best bet is to ignore the dog and let them come to you and give you a good sniff, first. We'll add Cesar Millan's common sense rules here: "No touch, No talk, No eye contact" with a dog that is a stranger to you.
Don't forget to watch the
excellent video that accompanies this article, created by
The Family Dog.TV, that
even includes a short quiz to test your new-found knowledge. Stay safe, this week and every week, by first empowering yourself with solid information!
Can you guess whether I'm tense and anxious or happy and relaxed?
