The Proper Way to Shake a Dog’s Hand

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Greetings at the dog park. Meeting neighbors. Job interviews. There are many occasions where you will need to shake a dog’s hand.

It’s important to learn the proper way—making a good first impression is essential in many canine social and business circles. A good combination of timing and technique will elevate you in the eyes of the dog you are shaking hands with—and leave a lasting impression they’re sure to remember forever.

Use these 5 tips next time a dog offers his paw to you.

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Know When to Initiate

Timing is critical in shaking hands with a dog. But who should shake first? A good rule of thumb: whoever is the more senior person should start the handshake. For example, if you are interviewing for a job and the interviewer is a dog, he should be the one to take the lead. Or if you are meeting your girlfriend’s dad for the first time, and he is also a dog, he should put his hand out first. If you accidentally initiate first, do not apologize, as that will only make things awkward and worse.

Be Firm But Not Crushing

If you offer a limp hand, the dog will think you are weak and look down upon you. Don’t pinch or squeeze the dog’s hand, but include a decent amount of pressure to project confidence. If the dog’s hand is limp, give him a gentle squeeze to let him know he needs to step it up.

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Have a Conversation-Starter Ready

It’s important to offer a greeting before and during the handshake. Your greeting should include the dog’s name and at least one pleasantry. Something like:

  • “Good day, Tito. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Or:

  • “Good morning Gibson. We couldn’t have asked for a nicer day, could we?”

Or:

  • “Hello Rosie. Pleasant to meet you. So how do you know Dalton?”

The conversation might be brief, but this greeting will help make it easier to converse later.

Look the Dog in the Eye

Before shaking hands, ensure you are standing up. This is not only respectful, but it puts you at eye level with the dog. Make eye contact and offer a smile to help prove that you are in fact excited to be meeting this dog. 

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Practice Your Hand Shake

If you are uneasy about the way you shake hands with dogs, you can rehearse your technique and conversation-starters at home before big events. Practice with stuffed animals or your cat before you start shaking the hands of real dogs. You can also practice during Dogust at JetSplash Car Wash all August-long. Just be sure to show confidence when it’s go time.


With these tips, you can regain your confidence next time you shake a dog’s hand. And always remember: if a dog wants to give you a fist-bump, don’t panic. Show him respect and do a proper fist bump (closed fist, gentle contact).


Bob LaustenDogust, dogs