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Thanks for posting this Art! This is great. We all should collaborate to make client friendly tip sheets like this. I like how this is using a neutral kind of a voice, with links to articles and statistics. If I was a client and I read this I wouldn’t feel as though someone is telling me what to do with my child or dog but rather trying to just inform me and help educate me. I think approach is very important. At the end of the day we have done our job if we provided thoughtful education. Unfortunately we can not make everyone choose to do things they way we would and they will ultimately do what they want in the end, either take the advice or not.
This part…
- “If another
adult says it’s okay to pet a dog, let the dog smell your hand before you
pet him. This is how a dog gets to know you. After he sniffs your hand,
pet him where he can see your hand. Never pet a dog on top of his head
first. This can startle a dog that does not know you.”…I think can be tricky for people who are not savvy on dog body language. I have had Adults tell me I can pet their dog and it is ok he/she is “friendly” and I say something in a kind voice like “no its ok” because I see the dogs body language. My sister has 4 little dogs. Two corgis’, a dachshund, and a long haired chihuahua. For the most part they are pretty good and just noisy but their have been times she has said they just want to play its ok they are fine and I literally stand still so I don’t accidently get bit. They have never bit an outsider but I am not going to be the first. Once they settle and I see their body language is open to it, I will reach down and let them come over and smell me and I will interact. My point was simply sometimes people don’t even know how to read their own dogs body language.
Such a tricky subject because at the end of the day you cant control other people or their dogs.
Great for discussion and great for fine tuning how you choose to discuss with clients. Ethically it is our job to inform if this topic pertains to a client…fine balance of being effective in communicating without coming off as being overly off-putting. We want to help and not have people turn away or turn to other sources that may do more harm than good.
Thanks Art!
- “If another
