h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When I'm out walking the dogs, why do people smile at the dogs ?

I smile at dogs myself, and have no idea why. Strange.

...And what exactly does one reply to someone who says to you :

"That's a good-looking dog you have there"

...i'm always stumped for a suitable response.

alec.

Maybe 'Thanks'?

well, i've tried that amy, and it just doesn't sound right...

he's not complimenting me, it should be the dog who says thanks.

The fact that my german shepherds next move (if it weren't for the short leash)would be to invite the guys chihauha to breakfast tends to complicate any further conversation.

alec.

Well, yeah, it does feel weird saying thanks... It's not like when people compliment your baby--at least you have something to do with how the little one looks

To answer chips initial question, i think it is something to do with fear.

If someone is afraid of dogs, the first one to pick that up is the dog.

If you smile at the dog, hopefully the dog will think "this human is not showing fear"

Many dogs will smile back...that is unless it's the sort of dog who is not easily convinced.

alec.

Amy, I never took the compliments that my babies engendered as applying to me much, they get their looks from their mother and their hair from me, and they didn't have much of that as babies

Dogs are like kids. They don't have agendas.

I smile at dogs - and I'm so glad to know I'm not alone in this, Chips!

I don't do it out of fear, as I'm not afraid of dogs, but I couldn't say why I do it. Social niceness, perhaps? After all, I smile at the owners too.

Deb

>> "That's a good-looking dog you have there"

...i'm always stumped for a suitable response. <<

You could try saying to your dog "say thank you to the nice man/lady". Then, when if makes no response, stage-whisper "he's shy" to your interlocutor.

RF

Been thinking about this (I do it too!) and have decided it may be related to my inherent britishness. If someone has a dog it gives you something to look at rather than having to make immediate eye-contact with the stranger on the other end of the lead. I like dogs anyway so will usually smile upon meeting a dog which makes it easier to smile at the owner. I don't smile at approaching strangers anywhere near as often if they don't have a beastie with them.

Similarly, when my two are being walked they often get smiles. They are cute and will attempt to get fuss from anyone whether they know them or not...

"Dogs are like kids. They don't have agendas"

My one did..........kept meeting with his mates, plotting and stuff....
I would ask him about it but he would just whistle and ignore me.

The final straw was when we found a sawn off shotgun under his beanbag and a stocking which he had obviously been trying on over his head.....

Try a day walking about snarling at dogs, then you'l really know why its just best to smile at the critters... Surely when someone compliments your dog, and they should* to the dog direct this, then it'd only be polite for the dog to asnwer back himself/herself?; Pressuming the dog has been brought up correctly to act appropiately in such circumstances it should thank the person paying it the compliment

I smile just because dogs make me happy...

Nobody smiles or says anything to my dog, they just cross the road

Doesn't anyone else smile at cows and horses too?

I smile at folks dogs for one or more of two reasons. Firstly, I'm being polite and pretending not to be bother that I'm about to be tripped up by someones dog on too long a lead. Or secondly, because I'm thinking what a handsome/cute dog.

Has anyone considered that it might be because dogs are eminently more likeable than their owners?

B

Kinda thought that went without saying...

I have never understood this! It is like I am not Paternal by any stretch of the imagination, and I work in retail.

But I automatically pet dogs and do 'Oochy-coochy-coo' to babys, whose parents are the bane of a sales Assistant's life.

More to the point, why do those self-same parents leave their 'precious' in an aisle while they look for something else, and then complain because someone has moved their Juggernaut of a buggy to reach the mayonnaise.

'It is a rugrat and needs to be forward facing , preferably in a sling, and is your responsibilty!!!'

It is not a commodity. It is a small reliant human being that cannot fend for itself, not a liabilty or a means of forceing their way though a crowd!!!

I don't think I smile at dogs, unless it is a particulalry well-behaved handsome/cute specimen.

I might smile at the owner if they steer the dog away from me or it's someone I know.

Smiling at babies is different, you might well get a smile back. When mine two boys were small, although receiving compliments was gratifying, I really didn't like people taking liberties and getting too close or familiar with them, especially strangers.

Funny how people take that sort of liberty without asking - petting children, animals, pregnant tummies...