When you are approaching a dog, especially if you do not know him, I advise you to respect his perception before considering communicating serenely with him (all the more if he turns out to be timid, anxious or fearful).
✅ Yes to
ask his human :
his dog may be having a training session, be uncomfortable with humans, not like the way you are getting to him, so by asking his human, you avoid him being on the defensive, and he can provide you with information
show your profile :
by showing your profile, you are being polite and indicating you mean no confrontation
speak softly :
dogs have high auditive capacities, a soft voice can be reassuring
bend down to the level of the dog :
if you feel comfortable enough with that very dog, because you have watched his body language, by bending down to his level, your size can then match his
let him sniff you without trying to touch him :
when a dog comes to you, he may be only looking for information ; their smell is their most developed sense and the one providing them with information about the world
leave the dog some space :
if he's leashed, he is restrained from moving around. By leaving him some space, you allow him to express himself as he needs, to walk away if he wants to stop the interaction.
❌ No to
come closer head-on :
une approche directe et frontale est considérée au mieux comme de l’impolitesse pour les chiens, au pire de la provocation ou de la menace a direct frontal approach is considered, at best, rude to dogs, at worst as provocative or threatening.
speak loudly :
a loud, harsh and firm voice can be scary for a dog. That sounds aggressively.
approach the dog above him :
bending over a dog, make your built towering, denote dubious intentions for the dog, who then will distrust you more.
touch him :
not all the dog are comfortable with a physical contact, even with the humans they like. From strangers, that can even be aversive. If he gets closer, if he sniffs you, it is taking information, not inviting you to touch him.
insist :
if his human denies you any access to his dog, if the dog walks away from you, and despite that, you keep interacting, you are not considering the signals of either being. That can cause an aversive situation that is likely to turn into avoidance or confrontation.
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