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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWhen someone asks, “Can I pet your dog?”, a handler’s permission is only part of the answer. In his January 26, 2026, opinion article for AAHA’s Trends magazine, Steve Dale, CABC, argues that people should also pay attention to whether the dog appears willing to interact—and back off when the dog seems uncomfortable.
What does “ask the dog” mean?
Dale describes declining an invitation to pet a dog whose body was turned away, neck stiff, and tail slightly tucked. He says he could not know whether the dog might bite; he chose not to press the interaction because the dog’s posture suggested reluctance.
His central point is that a person holding the leash cannot speak for the dog’s comfort. As Dale puts it, “And what the dog says should overrule what any human says.” That is an opinion and a practical principle, not a formal behavior-assessment protocol.
Which behaviors might suggest a dog is uncomfortable?
Dale mentions yawning, raising a paw, a stiff neck, a slightly tucked tail, and some forms of tail wagging as possible signs of stress or uncertainty. These are contextual cues, not a checklist that can reliably diagnose what a dog is feeling. A single behavior does not establish that a dog will bite—or even explain why the dog is behaving that way.
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Look at the dog’s overall behavior and give it space if it appears reluctant. Do not treat a wagging tail, a handler’s reassurance, or a friendly-looking moment as proof that the dog wants to be touched.
What should you do before petting someone else’s dog?
- Ask the handler first. Use the familiar question, “Can I pet your dog?” and follow the answer.
- Pay attention to the dog, too. Notice whether its behavior appears comfortable with the interaction; do not assume permission means the dog welcomes contact.
- Do not insist. If the dog seems reluctant, leave it alone rather than trying to persuade it or reach toward it.
This approach does not predict what a particular dog will do. It avoids forcing contact when the dog’s willingness is unclear.
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What does the article say about dog-bite prevention?
Dale’s AAHA article says dog bites may be increasing but acknowledges that figures vary by source. He attributes more than 100 fatalities in 2024, 35 fatalities in 2018, and an approximately 55% increase by 2024 to dogsbite.org. The article, as retrieved, does not link the underlying report or specify the figures’ geography or definitions, so they should be treated as claims attributed to Dale, not independently verified statistics. It also mentions an estimate of as many as 2.8 million dog bites, without identifying a specific underlying dataset.
As possible educational roles for veterinary clinics, Dale proposes puppy or dog-training classes and child-focused bite-prevention classes. These are suggestions in his opinion piece; it does not establish that a particular class or intervention has been evaluated.
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The article also names Ask the Dog, Dale’s children’s book about dog-bite prevention. It gives no edition, publisher, ISBN, price, or current retailer listing.
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