# Is it acceptable for dogs to put their paws up on a stranger in public? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 2, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073 "2009-11-02T18:07:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/1 "2009-11-02T18:07:49Z")
[Per this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=537991) about people frightened by strange dogs I’m wondering what is considered acceptable public behavior by dog owners re their pets. Is it OK for your dogs to run up to a stranger and try put their paws up on the person or is this considered bad behavior that needs immediate correction and possibly re-training? ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/2 "2009-11-02T18:10:58Z")
Absolutely unacceptable. Unfortunately, our younger dog still hasn’t figured this out so we’re constantly apologizing to everyone foolish enough to ring our doorbell or walk within two feet of us when we’re out in public. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/3 "2009-11-02T18:12:42Z")
No, and my guys won’t do it. They only jump up on people when they’re invited. We’re very big on politeness in my house. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/4 "2009-11-02T18:12:52Z")
It’s not acceptable for our dog to jump up and put his paws on _family_ members, let alone strangers. Actually, I can’t ever recall our dog doing that to a stranger, ever. It’s been discouraged since he was first trained. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/5 "2009-11-02T18:17:04Z")
If you mean running up and hitting people with both front paws, absolutely not. I don’t understand how it can even be open to question. If you mean sitting down and gingerly lifting an enormous paw and ever so delicately placing it on one’s knee while gazing into one’s eyes… probably still not a good thing, but more forgivable. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/6 "2009-11-02T18:18:01Z")
But if you were at a dog park, where people take their dogs and are allowed to let them run off-leash, and so all the people there are “dog people”… No not even there. (OK, young puppies will get a pass. But that’s it.) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/7 "2009-11-02T18:18:44Z")
From the perspective of a non-dog owner, hell no. From the perspective of all the dog owners I know, seems to be a-okay. No, I’m NOT thrilled that your dog just muddied up my freshly-washed pants. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/8 "2009-11-02T18:19:37Z")
I don’t let my dogs run up to strangers at all, let alone run up and jump on them. ---
**Author:** ![JR\_Brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JR\_Brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JR_Brown)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/9 "2009-11-02T18:23:51Z")
As a non-dog owner (at the moment), who wants desperately to get a raise so she can afford an apartment that takes pets, yes, it is perfectly acceptable. It’s the highlight of my day, in fact. But I know other people don’t like it, so I crouch down so my face is on a level with the dog (which is what they’re mostly trying to accomplish), and give lots of pets. ---
**Author:** ![BleizDu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@BleizDu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BleizDu)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/10 "2009-11-02T18:38:20Z")
Not acceptable because I don’t want my dog to dirty other people’s pants, they might not be cool with that… He does it a bit with us though, I try to discourage him because sometimes I really really want to keep my pants clean. And heck, some people just don’t plain like random dogs coming up on them. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/11 "2009-11-02T18:46:34Z")
We have two dogs. No, it’s not acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/12 "2009-11-02T18:49:57Z")
Completely unacceptable, and the very first thing I taught my husband’s dog not to do when she moved in with me. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/13 "2009-11-02T18:52:08Z")
Completely unacceptable. My dog will offer his paw, though, very politely, and that’s fine. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/14 "2009-11-02T18:57:38Z")
Unacceptable It doesn’t mean the people that it happens to will freak out but they might. The end result doesn’t make the action acceptable. Even if they are nice about it they are likely not happy to have a dirt mark on their clothes from the dog’s paws. ---
**Author:** ![truthbot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@truthbot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/truthbot)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/15 "2009-11-02T18:59:05Z")
Definately not OK. Dogs need to learn respect for a person’s space. Jumping up and pawing at a person is just rude. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/16 "2009-11-02T19:09:45Z")
Absolutely not. One of our pups never does this; we’re working on the problem child. The hardest part is getting the _people_ to stop. “Oh, I don’t mind, it’s so cute” blah blah blah. Yeah, but _I_ mind, we’re trying to train the dog! Just stop it!! ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/17 "2009-11-02T19:28:08Z")
No way, though our younger dog is still doing it occassionally. We tell people who come to our house to tell them ‘NO’ and push them down if he does it, as say the same to cooperative dog park folks too. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/18 "2009-11-02T19:34:24Z")
We got Boomer when he was about a year old and he’d been trained not to jump on people. You couldn’t **get** him to jump on you – my husband’s son kept trying, thinking that’s how dogs say hi, and Boomer just wouldn’t. Sadie is six months old and she goes apeshit when people come over. I read in a training manual that one way to fix this is to have treats ready and ask the visitor tell the dog to sit and reward him with a treat. I asked my daughter’s BF to do this last time he came over and he says ‘Nah, I know how to make a puppy behave.’ I guess he thought saying ‘Down’ would work. It didn’t. 🙂 Sadie will sit for a treat so I think it would work but I can’t get my husband in line. He loves being greeted with crazy mad puppy jumps. When I come home and Sadie jumps, I turn my back and ignore her until she settles down. Any other tricks for stopping this behavior? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/19 "2009-11-02T19:34:30Z")
Absolutely not. And as soon as a dog does this, unless it’s a puppy, I immediately think less of the dog owner. I saw a dog a year or two ago that was really impressive. I was riding my bike around the neighborhood when I passed this house & this dog. The dog was a Golden Retriever, who immediately took off after me. I didn’t even have time to get nervous - I think it was three seconds in total before the owner, who was outside, yelled “NO!” And the dog immediately stopped and returned back to its owner, with a totally hangdog (heh) expression. Now that is a well-trained dog. I am a non-dog owner who will say hello to your dogs on my own time, not when they are jumping on me. And it is really fucking scary when it’s a really big dog doing this and it almost knocks you down. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073/20 "2009-11-02T19:41:49Z")
That’s a bad doggie (or a bad owner). Dogs should not jump on anyone who has not expressly invited them too. My dog has been so thoroughly trained on this, she won’t jump up on people even if they want her too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-acceptable-for-dogs-to-put-their-paws-up-on-a-stranger-in-public/516073.md?page=2)