1. Stay calm, confident and quiet.
Yes the dogs are going to be excited to see you when you first come in. There will be lots of barking and running around. The best thing to do is ignore them until they
calm down.
2. Avoid speaking in an excited, high-pitched, whiny tone.
Use a soft, sweet voice to greet them and an assertive low voice for commands.
3. Don't be afraid!
Some dogs might get territorial and bark at you to tell you to go away. Just ignore them and stand your ground. If they come up to you, let them smell you and then keep walking.
4. Move slowly.
DO NOT RUN OR JUMP AWAY FROM THE DOGS. They will think:
1) there is something to be afraid of and get scared
2) you are ready to play and try to chase you.
8. Do not hug dogs when you first meet them.
Even if they are friendly, be aware that many dogs do not enjoy being hugged, even by people they know and trust.
9. Never enter their homes or reach your hands into their cages.
5. Avoid direct eye contact. Look at the dogs' body language, their tail and head positions. Looking directly in their eyes might seem threatening to them.
6. Let the dogs come to you.
It's best to stand side by side with them with your hands down at your side. If they lean on you it means they want to be touched. With some very shy dogs, it's best to squat down and let them come to you.
7. Never reach out to the dogs with your hands. Stand up right, don’t bend over the dogs. Some dogs might think you mean to hit them and they can be scared. It's best to pet them from under their chin, around the ears, neck and shoulders. Pet them slowly and gently.
12. If you are generally afraid of dogs, please pick a friend in the group who is not afraid and stand with them.
Do not make eye contact with the dogs or move quickly and the dogs will give you your space. They do not wish to hurt or scare you. Try to stay relaxed and calm.
11. Small children should be supervised at all times. Someone familiar with the dogs should hold the dog while a child pets them.
10. Approach dogs on chains carefully.
They can get excited and knock you down with their chain by accident. Go close enough to them so they are not choking themselves to get your affection.
How to Behave Around Dogs
at
BU Paws Dog Sanctuary
Basic Voice Commands
Gel!
Come, I want to play with you.
Hayir!
Stop whatever you are doing
and give me space.
Afferin Sana!
Good boy/girl, well done!
Yuru!
Walk with me.
Yavas!
Go slow, be careful.
Bekle!
Wait, stay.
Otur!
Sit.
Yat!
Lie down.