14/05/2024
๐ซ Dog bites don't just come out of the blue.
๐ A study from 2018 (Owczarczak-Garstecka et al, 2018; https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-25671-7 ) spilled the beans: 20 seconds before a bite, people were getting all touchy-feely, standing or leaning over the dog ๐๏ธ๐ฎ And guess what? ๐ The poor pooches were showing clear signs of discomfort through their body language! ๐จ
Let's get one thing straight: dogs aren't always up for some random touchy time, and they definitely don't enjoy being invaded just because you feel like it! ๐ They might not even be down for close contact! And don't you dare think that sharing space with a human means they're okay with being touched or leaned/stood over. ๐
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So, whether it's your own ๐ถ or a furry friend you encounter, remember to respect their personal space, just like you would with another human being. It's all about consent! โโ
Dogs have their good days and bad days, just like the rest of us. Some days they're all about the affection, while other days they just wanna be left alone to chill. ๐ So, be an awesome pet parent and show some respect by checking for their consent.
In the TWW household, we've got our own little consent-checking routine! We hold our hands loosely at our sides, palms facing our furry friends at about their chest level. If they're up for some love, they'll move toward us like little heart-melting magnets. But if not, we let them be. No pressure, no fuss. โ๐
And hey, here's the kicker: when we're giving them all the fuss they deserve, we take a quick break every few seconds to see if they're still into it. Flint, our cuddlebug, can't get enough and snuggles in like a champ. Meanwhile, Fraggle prefers shorter fuss sessions, with a little break where she backs away before coming back for more. ๐พ๐
Now, I wanna hear from you! ๐ฃ๏ธ How do you check for consent with your furry pals? Share in the comments below! Let's keep our four-legged friends feeling loved and respected! ๐พโจ