Myth #3 “Pat the dog on top of the head, Honey…”

Most humans think this is a friendly way to greet a dog, but in the canine world, it means something very different. When a dog wants to take a rambunctious, unruly pup down a few notches, she’ll… pat him on top of the head. It’s a warning, a way of saying “That’s quite enough, you little Wippersnapper…” As you might imagine, that’s probably not the friendliest or most respectful message to send to a well-mannered dog (and especially to a dog you’ve never met before.) It sends a confusing message, and can come across as rude or challenging. An insecure dog might even react aggressively. The top of the head is also one of a dog’s sensitive areas (so what feels like affection to you might actually feel uncomfortable to a young puppy or senior dog.) It’s usually a better idea to gently pet a dog on the chest or under the chin, instead.

Myth # 4 “It’s sweet how protective my dog is of the kids!”

Aggressive behavior really isn’t cute. And child-guarding is usually a sign that your dog believes you are incapable of protecting the children yourself.

Read the first 2 myths.