HOW TO BEFRIEND LITERALLY ANY DOG!

Hey, fellow dog lovers and people who want to be one! To let you know, this article will primarily be written taking stray dogs into account, but it can even be used on new pets or any furry who hasn’t gotten used to you yet! So let’s start! 

STEPS TO BEFRIEND ANY DOG: 

When it comes to being close to dogs, the first step is always to be calm. Dogs can sense when a person is not calm, and you don’t want to let them know you’re nervous if you are meeting them for the first time. If you’re going to be friends with a stray dog, it is advised first to observe the dog for a few days, see where it goes and how it interacts with other humans and animals, and especially to notice if the dog needs medical attention. Medical attention because if the dog has illnesses like rabies, then you’ll be in trouble. 

Trust me; food is the best answer when it comes to street dogs (or any dog!). You can easily win any dog’s heart with food, but if you don’t have food at the very moment, that’s fine too! 

Just follow these steps:

Approach: 

When without food, approach the dog slowly so that it doesn’t get startled by you. Don’t clap/jump and make any sudden movement and/or sound that might scare the dog and ruin your chances. Catch its attention by making little sounds from your mouth or a simple whistle. Once you get the attention, observe. 

Observe: 

When you catch the dog’s attention, watch how it reacts. Does it bark at you? Does it get up and start moving away from you? Where is its tail? Is the tail between its legs? Does it start growling? Is it showing you its teeth by scrunching its snout? -If the answer to any of those questions is a yes, then move away. 

You do not want the dog to be stressed or scared of you because if you continue walking towards it even after those warning signs, it might even lead the dog to attack for “self-defense.” 

If the dog looks at you and doesn’t do anything, or if it wags its tail, then the coast is clear. The next step would be to move towards the dog (or have it come towards you). If the dog wags its tail, then it might be already coming towards you!

Move: 

Once you have got the dog to notice you, and once you’ve made sure it isn’t uncomfortable in your presence, you can start moving towards it. Bend down, crawl or just walk low with your hand straight out towards the dog, your palms making a fist. You want yourself to look as small as possible, to give the dog a message that you mean no harm. Your fist needs to point out so that you can let the dog smell you. The next step is to let the doggo take control.

Wait:

Once the dog starts smelling you, let it take its own sweet time. This gives the dog reassurance and the chance to know you. Once you think it’s done, you can move your hand and pet it. Be careful with your movements; keep them slow and steady, and stay calm. Do this, and you now have a furry friend! And if you do have food, you can just catch its attention and start giving it food. Yep, that is all! However, be careful while the dog is eating. 

Note: 

● Be aware of all the warning signs at all times. If the dog shows any signs, then stop doing what you are doing and observe again. 

● If the dog starts barking at you, DO NOT run. Stand at your place and don’t move until everything is calm. 

● Try not to show your teeth, as showing teeth can mean “a challenge to a fight” for a dog. 

● Don’t disturb or try to pet or go near the dog as it eats. You can do that after it has finished eating. Most dogs get pretty territorial when it comes to food, so don’t even try to take some from it! 

● If you think the dog is ill, for example, maybe it is limping, or perhaps it has an injury on its body, then PLEASE call for a veterinarian asap! 

So, that’s basically it! Follow these steps, and you will surely have a furry best friend by the end of the day!

Let’s end this article with a fun fact, shall we!

Oh, and here’s a very random fun fact about dogs: A study published in the journal Frontiers in Zoology from 2014 confirms that dogs line up with Earth’s magnetic field when they poop, and they prefer the north-south axis!