Dog Greeting Behaviors and How to Respond to Them
Many dogs turn into little whirlwinds when a family member comes home or visitors. Sometimes pure joy fills the hallway, while at other times, fear or guarding may sneak in. We help you understand your dog's behavior and make the hallway a calmer place.
The scenario in the hallway often offers many interesting behavior observations from dogs, owners, and visitors. What do dogs really mean with their actions in these situations, and what should we do – and not do – to convey what we want?
Managing stress in the hall
In the wilderness, there are no hallways. Partially for this reason, a corridor with a door leading to the den and the world outside gives adrenaline-filled dogs a rush. The area is usually small, and the expectations are compressed, making them explosive. Understanding that the environment is stressful from a dog’s perspective is an important insight. For more on how stress affects dogs, see our article on stress in dogs: considerations and solutions.
Dogs find it easier to calm down, gain an overview, and de-stress in larger areas. The bottleneck hallway in homes contributes to a pressure-cooker effect. Additionally, repeated experiences of reunions with owners or intrusions (visitors) in the vestibule heighten the dog’s expectations.
Diversity in dogs' greeting behaviors
The dog who wants to bring gifts
Excitement needs an outlet, and since the hallway is a meeting point, this is the place for sweet communication. Some dogs, like retrievers, feel happiest with an object in their mouth and a grateful recipient in front of them – this behavior is instinctual.
Other breeds may also want to greet by offering a shoe, favorite ball, sock, firewood, or something similar. For some dogs, the point is to give the item, while others want to show it off but keep it. Regardless, it’s a friendly gesture – you can tell because the rest of the body language conveys joy, the smile is evident, and the head often swings side to side with a happy wagging tail.
How to handle this dog type well:
Kneel down, admire the item, accept it if offered, and feel free to give it back. If the dog wants to keep its treasure, your greeting phrase and attitude should be, "What a nice ball you have."
The dog who likes to turn his back
Another way to show friendliness as a dog is by running up and quickly turning its back to the visitor. The dog often wants to sit close by, peeks over its shoulder while presenting its rear for admiration. Dogs don’t have teeth in their rear, so this is a disarming way to say hello.
Meeting someone with your weaponry wide open, the mouth ajar, might feel wrong to some peace-loving dogs. A white row of teeth in a greeting situation doesn’t automatically mean a threat, but dogs are like us – some are more forward, others more cautious in their communication.
How to handle this dog type well:
You can respond to the bum gesture by slightly turning your head away, speaking kindly, and gently scratching the dog’s rear.
The dog that wants to guide you around
Oral dogs are common, and their actions are sometimes misunderstood. A dog’s mouth is like our hands – they pull, pick up, carry, and grab things with their mouths where we would use our hands. So, don’t worry if an otherwise friendly dog closes its jaws around your hand or arm. If the grip is soft, the intention is the same. Some dogs may want to pull you into the house, guide you around, almost like a tour.
How to handle this dog type well:
Go along, curiously observe what is being shown, sit where you're placed, and maybe you can greet more traditionally with ear rubs, nose puffs, and fur ruffling. If you find it uncomfortable or the grip is too tight, whimper a little and raise your eyebrows – this is a humble way to say "Ouch, you’re hurting me." Most dogs will immediately loosen the grip.
If not, it’s likely high stress that’s preventing the dog from receiving the communication. Calmly pull your arm away and place your hands in your armpits, lift your chin, and look toward the ceiling. This is a pleasant and firm way to say "I don’t want to be part of this."
Physical communication in dog language is more understandable for them than harsh words, corrections, or threats.
The dog that likes to kiss
Some people greet strangers with a firm handshake and eye contact, others look away and offer a soft handshake. Some, however, prefer a big hug. The latter can be compared to dogs that shower known and unknown individuals with kisses – on the nose, around the mouth, and in the ears.
These dogs are generous with their saliva and see this outpouring of affection as a lovely gesture. You might have seen dogs of this type go overboard even for other dogs that have a more correct and reserved way of greeting.
How to handle this dog type well:
If you don’t appreciate the kissing, do as dogs do: stretch out, turn your head and gaze away, and initiate play or scratching. Alternatively, direct the licking to your hand by holding it in front of your mouth (if that’s what the dog wants).
You can also let the dog slobber on you. But some dogs may build up stress rather than finishing their greeting. Let the dog lick for a while and then say, "Thanks, that’s enough," as a stop signal, and either stand up or turn away from the dog. Always do this and ask visitors to do the same. Once the routine is established, the dog will learn to hold back after the stop signal.
The dog that pees when visiting
Some dogs get so excited that they pee themselves during greetings. There are two explanations for this. One is that excitement/stress causes the urinary sphincter muscles to relax, and urine leaks out. This usually happens if the dog is very happy in the moment.
A more communicative explanation, common in less confident dogs, is that they intentionally release a urine mark to leave information about themselves through the scent. When interacting with other dogs, this causes the dogs the peeing dog meets to sniff the urine marking rather than making direct contact with the dog. This is an action aimed at creating distance, breathing room, and space.
How to handle this dog type well:
It won’t help to scold the dog that’s peeing – this will just increase the need to release urine. Wipe up the mess and accept that you have a "dripper," but try to reduce stress in the first case and worry in the latter.
You could train the excited dog to lie down before the greeting (lying down lowers the pulse). Perhaps give it a chew bone and ask visitors to calm down their own emotional storm.
You can help the insecure dog by having the visitors focus their attention on something other than the dog. The dog might prefer to observe from a distance but be lured into closer contact by the meeting’s wish to greet, pet, and cuddle.
The dog that shows submissiveness
Some dogs have a habit of running up and then throwing themselves on their back. If this happens in front of you as an owner, it might mean the dog wants a belly rub if that’s your thing. But if it’s done in front of a stranger with the dog’s ears slicked back, tail wagging slowly and low, the action may be a submission gesture that should not be met with belly rubs.
How to handle this dog type well:
The misunderstanding in bending down or rubbing a displayed belly could lead to the dog eventually biting out of the situation if no one helps them to be understood. Step back and let the dog get back on its feet. Once standing on all fours, the dog might want to greet, but if the belly display returns or the dog looks away, it should be left alone.
The dog that jumps eagerly
Some dogs jump up, like a triumphant football player chest-bumping a teammate after a goal, eagerly hopping up to your or your visitor's face. The goal is the two-legged person's face – kisses, eye contact, or an invitation to play. A large dog with this behavior can be difficult to manage, especially for children or people afraid of dogs.
How to handle this dog type well:
If the dog is otherwise happy, you can help by kneeling down and being accessible, preferably before the dog jumps so you can reinforce the desired behavior of having all four paws on the ground when greeting. Use a stop signal for the whole thing, as mentioned above, if you want to control the euphoric reunion.
If you really don’t want to experience it at all, turn your back or exit the door when the dog’s front paws leave the floor. You should be quick to turn around and greet the dog when it lands, in response to your disregard. Merely pointing out the unwanted behavior is partial information – be even clearer with what you want (greeting when the dog has its paws on the ground). This helps the dog change its behavior.
Your role in your dog's greeting behavior
Just as different dog types show different behaviors, so do we humans. Some behaviors come automatically, others are learned. But what’s common to all of them is that your actions help or hinder the dog.
Avoid being cold when greeting
There are certain things we should be aware of when greeting dogs. The old myth of ignoring the dog until it’s quiet and calm, and only greeting a dog that has given up hope of attention, can cause great frustration in a social dog. To understand dogs' emotions and needs, read our article on dogs' emotional lives - not unlike ours.
Additionally, you’re sending the message that you’re not happy to see the dog. Don’t be cold – touch your dog with warm hands and an open heart. If the dog’s adrenaline levels reach the chandelier, deep breaths, long soothing strokes along the chest, and a calm voice from you will rock the dog to rest.
Managing the behavior of unsafe dogs
If you meet an insecure dog that has placed itself behind its owner or faces you in the hallway with a sharp gaze and stiff movement, don’t kneel down! This could trigger an attack.
Stay where you are, turn your gaze away, and avoid stiffening your own body posture. It might be hard if your palms have gotten sticky and your heart is racing, but lean back slightly, sway gently from side to side, and focus your gaze on your shoulder to avoid responding to the threat.
Then, ask the dog’s owner to guide the dog out of the situation. No dog likes to corner people or drive them out of their homes unless it’s their job, of course. Even guard and patrol dogs should know when they are on duty or not.
Avoid excessive chirping
Humans tend to chirp happily at the sight of furry balls. Many dogs appreciate a fawning tone, but some get worked up. Avoid sounding too much like a lovesick canary or a rabbit in danger if the dog in front of you gets teacup-sized pupils and starts running in circles barking at your chirping. "Positive" stress is still stress.
Of course, you can be happy and make others happy, but the person who revs up the dog needs to take responsibility for getting the dog to calm down, not leave it spinning to handle on its own.
Be careful when hugging dogs
It may be primarily children who throw their arms around dogs to hug them. And perhaps your dog has learned to appreciate when family members act this way. But dogs don’t hug each other. They grab each other during play, mating, or fights. Many dogs respond to hugs with stiff posture, lowered heads, and stillness.
If they actively try to get out of the situation, most will understand that it’s not appreciated. But more often, they’ll stay, ride out the storm, and wait for a gap to sneak away. This is how charged the situation can feel.
This scenario is a common misunderstanding that leads to dog bites. If you see this tendency in your visitors, kindly explain that this is a cultural clash between dog and human and that dogs prefer other ways of greeting.
Informing visitors with a door tag
If you want your dog to be greeted in a certain way, you can put up an informative note on the door. This increases the chance of getting it right from the start.
For example:
If my dog jumps when greeting you, the best thing to do is turn your back. If my dog barks at you, she’s just scared, look away, and I’ll handle the rest. Welcome in! My dog greets by grabbing visitors' hands, give him the ball that’s on the coat rack if you want some peace. Feel free to grab some dog treats from the jar on the table and toss them on the floor when you step in if you want to avoid friendly dog kisses. Welcome!
Interpreting and guiding for your dog
Most people don’t know how to greet dogs in general, and your dog in particular. This uncertainty can lead to mixed signals or personal initiatives that don’t benefit your dog. Be the interpreter your dog hopes you will be when interacting with the environment.
Written by: Caroline Alupo
Caroline Alupo is Petli's co-founder. She has a master's degree in ethology and is also a trained dog trainer and dog psychologist. She has 19 years of experience as a professional dog trainer. Read more about Caroline here.
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