Quote:
Originally Posted by onyx'girl
On Talking Terms with dogs; Calming signals by Turid Rugaas is a great book(also a DVD) for dog communication/manners.
A sideways stance, no eye contact, shows you are no threat and letting the dog do the first sniff is always best, IMO.
Never bend over a dog that doesn't know you-common sense that some don't have...
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I second that recommendation. It's AMAZING what's going on with dogs that we can mirror and help any situation. I personally much prefer the DVD to the book (though you could buy both
). The DVD has a ton of GSD's in the mix of dogs she's showing as examples so I could really see exactly what to look for in my dogs. In action rather than stills. And movement is different.
I'd also add that talking to the dog's owner before touching their dog is also a huge help. For those dogs that are well socialized but just a bit unsure, their ability to 'read' their owners body language and hopefully welcoming ways will also calm the dog and make it more willing to say hey!