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Haydok PatileriFor the animals of Beytepe.

When you find a dog in the street

Lost, abandoned, or living there already? Stop and look first — let the dog come to you.

First, a step back

A dog raised on the street sorts people into faces it knows and faces it does not. If it does not know you, then you are the one approaching — and approaching is always a risk from the dog’s side.

So the first rule is this: let the dog close the distance. You stand still; it comes. If it does not come, it does not want to, and that is entirely its right.

What follows is fifteen years of learning. All of it serves one purpose: the dog must never feel cornered.

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Meeting a dog

Dogs read your body, not your words. Your posture arrives before your sentence does.

Do

  • Slow down and turn side-on; facing a dog square is a challenge.
  • Crouch, but do not lean over it. Make yourself smaller, not taller.
  • Offer the back of your hand and wait to be sniffed. Scent is the introduction.
  • Speak low and calmly.
  • Look away now and then rather than holding eye contact.
  • Leave it an exit. A dog with a way out does not need to defend itself.
  • If you do touch, start at the chest or shoulder, never the top of the head.

Don’t

  • Do not approach from behind, and never wake a sleeping dog.
  • Do not reach suddenly over its head.
  • Do not hug it or put your face against its face; a hug is not affection in dog.
  • Do not disturb a dog that is eating, chewing a bone, or with its puppies.
  • Do not chase a dog that runs, or shout at a dog that is frightened.
  • Do not run past a dog; anything that runs is something to be chased.
  • Never leave a child alone with a dog, however gentle the dog is.

Common questions

If a dog barks at me, what should I do?
Stop. Barking usually means “do not come closer”, not “I am about to attack”. Do not run, do not turn your back and flee, do not shout. Turn side-on, look away, and back off slowly. Most dogs stop as soon as you leave the boundary they were defending.
A dog is following me. What now?
It has probably decided you are safe. Keep walking, do not encourage it by talking to it, and do not feed it. If it follows you home and looks lost — a collar, a well-kept coat — photograph it and post in local groups. If no owner appears, write to us.
Can I approach a mother dog with puppies?
Do not. The gentlest dog in the world is a different animal beside her puppies. Leave food and water at a distance, step back, and let her eat. Touching or moving the puppies can make her abandon them.
What if I find an injured dog?
Think about your own safety first: an animal in pain may bite, and that is not its fault. Before moving it, call your district municipality’s veterinary unit and the nearest vet clinic. If it is in traffic, put your hazard lights on and make the area safe. If you must lift it, use a thick blanket, and try not to do it alone. Write to us as well — if it is in or near Beytepe we will do what we can.
What if I am bitten?
Wash the wound with soap and plenty of running water for several minutes, then go to a health facility without delay. A doctor decides about rabies and tetanus; do not put it off as “just a scratch”. Note where the dog was, if you can.

What to teach children

Children approach dogs by running, shouting and hugging — the three things a dog finds hardest, all at once.

Three sentences are worth teaching: “Ask the owner first.” “Let the dog come to you.” “Leave it alone when it is eating or sleeping.”

And a fourth: if the dog turns away, flattens its ears or tucks its tail, it is saying no. Teaching a child to recognise a dog’s no is the most valuable thing you can pass on.

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More in this guide

Dog advice
What to do when you find a dog in the street | Haydok Patileri