07/11/2024
WHEN SECONDS COUNT
This post is not advocating that dogs meet every other dog, but about how to go about it, if and when it does happen, in a safer way.
The 3 second rule for dogs meeting each other is used as a guideline to help foster positive introductions, prevent either dog from feeling overwhelmed or trapped and prevent any potential reactivity and stress.
A short 3 second introduction is enough time to provide important information to both dogs.
Enough information for dogs to know – “are you a threat?”, “do I like you?”, “do I want to learn more about you?”, “do I really dislike you?”, “do I need you to go away?” etc. Both dogs may not feel the same way – one may not be happy to engage while the other may want to.
All interactions should ideally happen like this, not just initially. Just like us, dogs can have off days – things like pain, trigger stacking, lack of sleep or a host of other reasons can influence whether a dog wants to interact or not.
There are countless times I have witnessed meetings or introductions between dogs that have gone on just a few seconds too long and have not ended well. This can have long lasting effects on future behaviour when meeting other dogs.
Understanding body language is critically important. If we are going to share our lives with another species, protect them, advocate for them and help them feel safe, then we need to understand and respect their language.
The examples in this post of red and green flags are just a few general ones to look out for – there are many more and these will differ depending on the individual dog, context and circumstances.
Here are some resources and links to learn more about body language -
On Talking Terms With Dogs - Calming Signals, 2nd Edition by Turid Rugaas
https://www.dogwise.com/on-talking-terms-with-dogs-calming-signals-2nd-edition/?srsltid=AfmBOoqj8ruQJx5bCP7qWb03TqCyAGfmAvCj988UuWk_L1_UHbYcZsES
The Veterinary Behaviour Centre
https://www.heska.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/TVBC-Canine-Dog-Body-Language-handout.pdf
Make sure those first 3 seconds count – they can make all the difference.
